The Tyler ISD Foundation is wasting no time in preparations for its 20th anniversary this academic year, with an additional five community leaders recently trained as Directors.  They join an additional 25 experienced board directors. The foundation was founded in January 1991.
“We are pleased of course that our new directors are willing to serve our more than 600 donors and support our school district’s leaders, teachers, staff and students,” said Larry Goddard, who conducted the orientation last week.
“Hearing our newly elected board directors’ personal stories about the importance of education was inspiring to us,” added Tom Slack, President of the Foundation. “Look for spectacular results from our award-winning Foundation soon.  We hope the community of Tyler is aware that we have proven ourselves to be the best education foundation in Texas in a brief period of time and won national awards never received by any education foundation.  That’s a reflection of our close collaboration.”
The board will be in executive session Tuesday for a five year strategic planning session and begin with their first board meeting September 17th at Bell Elementary.

Here are the newly elected directors:

Brenda Thomas, CIC, ACSR
Brenda Thomas is the Senior Vice President and stockholder of Hibbs-Hallmark & Company, an independent insurance agency is Tyler, Texas.  She has been employed with the agency since 1981 and has served a Account Administrator, Commercial Lines Manager, Quality Control Manager, Education Coordinator, Legal Liability Representative, and Account Executive.  Her time with the agency is now spent serving her customers as licensed Risk Manager and Insurance Agent.
Brenda Thomas is a life-long resident of Tyler, Texas.  Her education includes the public schools of Tyler ISD and Tyler Junior College.  She has continued her education by attaining multiple certifications in the insurance industry.
Brenda is married to Bro. Lou Thomas, pastor of Lanes Chapel United Methodist Church.  They have been blessed to be part of this congregation since June of 1989.  Bro. Lou and Brenda are both active teachers of God’s WORD and offer hope thru Jesus Christ to discouraged and broken people.  Children are a passion for both Bro. Lou and Brenda.  online pharmacy Brenda has served as Youth Pastor and Sunday School Teacher of all ages.  Bro. Lou was bi-vocational for the majority of his life and served as an Educator, Public School Administrator, and Local Pastor.  Their family includes two grown children and four grandchildren
Bonnie Ryan Rayford
Born and raised in Tyler, Bonnie attended Tyler Public Schools for 12 years.  She graduated John Tyler High School in 1971.  Bonnie continued her education in Tyler with an Associate’s Degree in Business from Tyler Junior College and a Bachelors of Science degree in education from the University of Texas at Tyler.
Mrs. Rayford taught pre-k for 17 years (Caldwell Playschool, Gary, Tyler ISD and Saint Gregory Catholic School).  She has been married to Rick Rayford for 37 years and they have two daughters:  Dr. Laura Rayford Culp and Amanda Rayford Morris.
Laura attend Hubbard and graduated Robert E Lee  in 1992; Amanda attended Rice, Hubbard and graduated Robert E Lee in 1996.  The Rayfords have seven grandchildren.  She is active with the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church; serves on the Discovery Science board and Champions for Children board.
Joey Seeber
Joey Seeber is an attorney based in Dallas and Tyler; as well as a businessman in Tyler.  As former Mayor, Mr. Seeber has been highly involved in the bond issue elections and served as the chair of the Vote Yes Committees for the past two successful bond issues.  He and his wife Kristen (a former Foundation Board Director) have been true advocates of Tyler ISD and their sons, Joseph and Witt, are currently active student leaders in their schools.  Mr. Seeber is a graduate of Baylor University and Baylor University of Law. He served as student body president of Baylor as an undergraduate.  The Seebers are involved in many civic and charitable organizations.
Lori Sirman
With a Business Administration degree from Iowa State University, Lori Sirman is a Certified Public Accountant.
Her husband Gary, grew up in Tyler and graduated from Robert E Lee. His dad was a coach at Lee and his mother was a teacher’s aide at Bonner. Gary’s roots were here in Tyler so in 1985, the couple relocated to make Tyler their home. We have one son who attends the University of Oklahoma.
Lori has been in banking since 1986 and currently works for Texas Bank and Trust as a Senior Vice President in Commercial Lending. She has been involved in United Way, Leadership Tyler, the Salvation Army Angel Tree, the Path School Supply Train, Junior Achievement (teaching classes in Tyler ISD) and others. She is a member of Green Acres Baptist Church where she served on the Finance Committee, Personnel Committee and a fourth grade Sunday School teacher. Lori continues to volunteer in the Children’s Ministry.
Justin Holt
Justin grew up in Van, Texas, and was educated at Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas of Tyler with a major in finance/economics.   acomplia or rimonabant Justin is married to Kristina from Lindale (she’s a teacher at Griffin Elementary) and they have two children, Caelyn (age 6) and Jackson (age 3).  Mr. Holt is involved in Big Ranch Roundup for Azleway, Leadership Tyler, and on the board of directors of Rotary Club of Tyler.  Justin has helped with Junior Achievement (Tyler ISD).
Justin is currently enrolled in the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University.