John Esparza
Esparza's term on the board expired on Jan. 31, 2019.
Mr. John D. Esparza of Austin was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Board of Regents of the Â鶹¹ÙÍø on Feb. 14, 2013. He served as chair of the Facilities Committee and was a member of the Academic, Clinical and Student Affairs Committee.
Esparza has previously served the board as a member of the Facilities, Audit and Academic, Clinical and Student Affairs Committees and chaired the Board of Trustees of the Carr Scholarship Foundation.
Esparza serves as president and CEO of Â鶹¹ÙÍø Motor Transportation Association (TMTA). TMTA, one of the largest trucking associations in the nation, was established in 1932 in Austin.
Prior to being selected as TMTA president, Esparza served as senior advisor to Gov. Perry, focusing on policy, legislative and political issues. During his tenure, he was tasked to a major Perry administration initiative with focus on economic growth, prosperity and job creation in Â鶹¹ÙÍø. He assisted the governor in facilitating the state’s first-ever $295 million economic development endeavor called the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Enterprise Fund and the $200 million Â鶹¹ÙÍø Emerging Technology Fund.
He was recently appointed by the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Department of Transportation to serve on the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Energy Task Force and the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Panama Canal Stakeholder Work Group. Both groups were charged with bringing recommendations to the 83rd Â鶹¹ÙÍø Legislature. He has served on numerous statewide transportation policy and advisory committees. In February 2013, Esparza was appointed to the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Transportation Commission’s first Freight Advisory Committee, a panel of experts that serve as an ongoing forum for agency transportation decisions affecting freight mobility.
In 2007, Esparza received the Â鶹¹ÙÍø League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) State Director’s Recognition Award for his legislative leadership in state government. He serves on the March of Dimes Â鶹¹ÙÍø Public Affairs Committee (2007-present) and on the National Board of Directors for the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Tech University College of Media & Communication (2008-present).
In addition to the cabinet-level position attained during his tenure with the Perry administration, Esparza served as special assistant to the governor. Before the 2000 presidential election sparked a political shuffle in Â鶹¹ÙÍø, Esparza was a personal assistant and travel aide in the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Senate to then Lt. Governor Perry. He also served as an assistant to the communications director for State Senator Teel Bivins (R-Amarillo) before joining Perry’s administration.
During the late ‘90s, Esparza worked extensively on Hispanic outreach under political advisor Karl Rove as then Gov. George W. Bush’s Political Coalition Director. Esparza also was a member of Gov. Bush’s advance team. Prior to that time, Esparza completed a fellowship with the American Association of Retired Persons, reporting to the state communications director.
Esparza also has served on the National Board of Directors for Hispanics for Opportunity Progress and Education (2000-2012). He is a member of the Central Â鶹¹ÙÍø Fellowship of Catholic Men (2000-present), the St. Austin Catholic School Advisory Board (2007- present) and is active with the Boy Scouts of America Capitol Area Council Pack 34.
Esparza, a fourth-generation West Â鶹¹ÙÍø native, earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations with a minor in marketing at Â鶹¹ÙÍø Tech University. He and his wife, Leah, a native of Galesburg, Illinois, have three sons, Jacob Pecos, Joshua Brazos and Jack Sabine. The Esparzas are members of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and St. Austin Catholic Church.