VIA Airport Board

Dedicated to being the best

Board Members

Valley International Airport Board has nine members who serve five year terms:

Craig F. Lonon, Chairman

Craig Lonon grew up in the Dallas suburb of Lancaster. After graduating High School he received a BA in Political Science from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of North Texas.

Craig enjoyed a 30+ year career in municipal government serving as City Manager/Administrator for the Texas cities of Levelland, Corsicana, Conroe, Cedar Park and Harlingen. As a City Manager/Administrator, he was responsible for the day to day operations of full service cities with populations ranging from 12,000 to 75,000. He managed annual municipal budgets in excess of $90 million and managed in excess of 550 employees in Harlingen. Craig a Past President of the Texas City Management Association and received its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. Craig retired from municipal government in 2009.

Craig is an avid golfer and serves as President of Harlingen Country Club. Craig also served on the HCC Board from 2011-2013 and as HCC president in 2012 and 2013. Craig and his wife Kathy live on the 13^th tee box at HCC. They have 10 grandchildren.

Ricardo "Ricky" Leal, Chairman Pro-Tem

Ricky Leal is Senior Vice President/Commercial Lending of the Stuart Place – Harlingen banking center of First Community Bank, N.A. He is a lifelong resident of Harlingen, graduating from Harlingen High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science – Political Science degree from Texas A&M University, Master of Business Administration degree from Touro University International and completed the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University – Dallas. He joined the bank in 2005 after 5 years active duty in the United States Air Force as a Missile & Munitions Maintenance Officer, separating at the rank of Captain. Mr. Leal has a passion for community and volunteerism. He currently serves as Board President – Loaves & Fishes of the RGV, appointed by Governor Rick Perry as Finance Chair –Texas Product Development & Business Fund and Board Chair-Elect for the Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce. Past service includes President of the Rotary Club of Harlingen, President of the RGV Algodon Club, Chairman of the Harlingen Industrial Foundation and Chairman of the Leadership Harlingen Steering Committee. He is married to Natalie Simmons Leal of Harlingen and has three children.

Vicki Moore, Board Member

Vicki Moore is executive vice president for Vantex Holding Corp. in Dallas. She played a significant role in the expansion and redesign of Centennial Fine Wine & Spirits stores, and has been named Retailer of the Year by Beverage Dynamics Magazine and Market Watch Magazine. She was also a director of the Texas Package Store Association and served on its legislative committee.

Julie Ezell-Perez, Board Member

Julie Ezell-Perez is a partner in the law firm of Ezell & Ezell, PLLC. She practices in the areas of wills, estate planning, estate and guardianship administration, real estate law, family law and general civil practice. She has been active in her community by serving as a former chairperson of Leadership Harlingen, several terms on the board of directors of the Harlingen Rotary Club and Junior League, and as a counselor to Rotary Youth Exchange students.

Robert "Bobby" R. Farris, Board Member

Bobby Farris, Chairman of TRB Wealth Management, is known throughout the Valley for his business acumen, community involvement, and philanthropy. After graduating from the Marine Military Academy, the Harlingen native earned a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA in Finance, with honors, from St. Edward’s University. In 1980, Mr. Farris began working at Valley Transit, a full-service bus company founded by his grandfather in 1941. He has served as President of VTC since 1999, overseeing intercity, airport shuttle, charter, and package express service. Mr. Farris holds a Texas Real Estate Broker license, is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and is licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard as an Offshore Master Captain. He also is an accomplished pilot holding multi-engine/instrument ratings as well as a SIC rating in the B-25.

The Farris family has long been involved in Rio Grande Valley banking. Mr. Farris’ father helped organize Harlingen State Bank in 1974. After Harlingen State Bank sold to Texas State Bank in 1999, the younger Mr. Farris served as a TSB director until 2007, when the bank sold to BBVA. He also was elected to the Board of Texas Regional Bancshares in 2005, where he served on the Audit Committee.

Mr. Farris has a strong record of community and public service. He currently serves on the Valley Zoological Endowment and Valley Baptist Hospital Holdings boards, on the First United Methodist Church Finance Committee, and as Vice-Chairman of the Texas Regional Bank board. He has served as President or Chairman of the Board for many other business and community organizations, including the American Heart Association, the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce, the Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation, Harlingen Waterworks, United Way of Harlingen, the Valley Baptist Foundation, and the Texas Bus Association. He also has been on the Salvation Army, Texas Motor Transportation Association, Loaves & Fishes Foundation, University of Texas at Austin Business Administration Foundation, and University of Texas at Brownsville Development Boards. He has served as Budget Chairman for Gladys Porter Zoo, on the Texas Bar Association Grievance Committee, and as a Harlingen City Commissioner.

Bobby has a record of service to his community. He currently serves on four boards and is a past member of 17 other community-based organizations.

Nicholas "Nick" Consiglio, Board Member

Nick Consiglio, a native to Harlingen, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Texas A&M University and is Vice President/Marketing Director for Texas Regional Bank. He has taken an active role in the community and serves on a broad range of boards. He is past-president of the Harlingen Proud Board of Directors and has served on that board since 2009. He is Vice Chairman of the Harlingen Planning and Zoning Commission and a member of the Audit Committee for the City of Harlingen. Nick is also a member of the Boys and Girls Club of Harlingen Board of Directors, a past board member of the Cameron County Children Advocacy Center – Maggie and Monica’s House, and has volunteered as a CCD instructor at St. Anthony Catholic Church for the past 11 years.

Rolando Rubiano, Board Member

Mr. Rolando R. Rubiano, P.E. is the owner and Principal of Green, Rubiano & Associates –Structural Engineers in Harlingen, Texas. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Mr. Rubiano has over 23 years experience in engineering design, construction administration, structural and forensic evaluation and consulting. In 1999 Mr. Rubiano became a resident of Harlingen and is actively involved with many state local organizations. First appointed in 2008 to the State of Texas Industrialized Building Code Council, Rolando has served as Chairman of the council since 2013. He has also served on Governor Perry’s Commission for Disaster Recovery and Renewal – Hurricane Preparedness in 2008, and in 2010 was appointed to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Forensic Working group to assist in the development of guidelines and procedures in the TDI Qualified Inspector Program.

Rolando is excited to work with the City of Harlingen and fellow board members in support of the growth of the Valley International Airport and finding regional solutions to the Valley’s infrastructure needs..

Richard Franke, Board Member

Richard Franke is the owner of Franke Inc. Realtors located on South Padre Island (SPI) and is a lifelong resident of the Rio Grande Valley and active member of the South Padre Island community. Mr.Franke serves as chairman of the board for the First National Bank of South Padre Island and was the past president of both SPI Birding and Nature Center and the SPI Economic Development Corporation. The Economic Development Corporation is involved in various island projects including: beach re-nourishment and the second causeway to South Padre Island. Mr. Franke served as pilot in the United States Air Force and served with the Strategic Air Command as a pilot of the KC-135. His business handles brokerage, leasing and development of real state. He was reappointed by Mayor Chris Boswell in February 2014 to serve on the Harlingen Airport Board, and his term will expire February 2019.

Tito Resendez, Board Member

Mr. Tito Resendez is the owner of the local State Farm Insurance Agency in Harlingen, Texas. He is very actively involved in both his community and his industry. He has served on the local, state and national levels of many insurance associations and is presently the Texas delegate of the National Hispanic Agents Network (NHAN). Mr. Resendez has represented State Farm for almost 20 years and is ranked among the top 50 of 18,000 agents in America. He is a lifetime member of the company’s prestigious President’s Club and Chairman’s Circle winner becoming the first agent to do so south of Austin.

Mr. Resendez and his wife Diana are the founders of the Tito and Diana Resendez Foundation. The Foundation has awarded their Victory in Academics (VIA) scholarship to 23 graduating Harlingen seniors over the last 3 years totaling $23,000 to date. Mr. Resendez has served on various HCISD committees, most recently as the chair of the Technology committee supporting the 2010 HCISD Bond as well as the 2011 Ninth Grade Academy design committee. He has the served on many boards including the Planning and Zoning Board, Calvary Christian School PFTA board and is an active member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

Board Meetings

The Board meets the third Friday of each month at 8:00 a.m. in the Airport Terminal Building, Third Floor Airport Conference Room, Harlingen, TX. If you should have any questions, please call Celina at the Airport Administration at (956) 430-8600 or email: celina@flythevalley.com.