
The State Fair of Texas Board of Directors consists of a long line of distinguished community leaders who have provided governance for the State Fair of Texas since it was originally chartered in 1886.

Gina Armour Norris
Board Chair
Gina Armour Norris is the first woman to join a long line of distinguished community leaders who have provided leadership for the State Fair of Texas since it was originally chartered in 1886. Prior to becoming chairwoman, Mrs. Norris has held multiple leadership roles within the State Fair. She joined in 2004 through the Youth Livestock Auction Committee, raising funds for the State Fair’s Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Program, and later served as co-chair of the committee. Gina is the co-founder of the Big Tex Champion Club fundraiser, which has raised more than $1 million for the Scholarship Program since its creation in 2013. Gina has served on the board of directors for 11 years and most recently served as chair of the Finance and Audit Committee.
Gina’s career spans thirty years in banking, oversight of operating businesses, and real estate investment, which has led to her current position as Senior Vice President of Partner Relations at Matthews Southwest. She began her career in corporate banking, spending 18 years at First Chicago Corporation and Banc One Corporation (now both a part of JPMorgan Chase). In 2000, she became the Managing Director in charge of the private operating business portfolio of Crow Holdings, and in 2010 she founded the Lending Division of Stratford Land, an investment fund focused on high growth corridors in the southern U.S.
In addition to the State Fair of Texas, Gina serves on the board of Dallas-based Texas Security Bank and is an active member of several organizations including the Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House and Museum Steering Committee, Executive Women’s Roundtable, Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance, National Association of Corporate Directors, and the CFA Society of DFW. Past board memberships include the Dallas Chapter of Financial Executives International (past president); Downtown Dallas, Inc.; The Real Estate Council; Trinity Commons Foundation; and City of Dallas Downtown Dallas TIF District.
Mrs. Norris was raised on a dairy farm in Illinois where she was an active member of 4-H for ten years. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Western Illinois University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.
Board of Directors
Gina Armour Norris, Chairwoman
Richard Knight, Jr.
Robert Abtahi
Sean Allen
Cheryl Amerine
Marissa R. Anchia
Victor Elmore
Robert Estrada
Lois Finkelman
Gilbert Gerst
John D. Harkey, Jr.
Steven Mancillas
Alyssa G. Martin
Frank Mihalopoulos
James M. Moroney III
William J. O’Dwyer
James C. Roberts
Bruce A. Sifford
Mary Suhm
Ruben E. Esquivel, Ex-officio/Non-Voting Director
Pete Schenkel, Ex-officio/Non-Voting Director
George A. Shafer, Ex-officio/Non-Voting Director
Robert B. Smith, Ex-officio/Non-Voting Director
Alan Walne, Ex-officio/Non-Voting Director
Board of Advisors
Joe Alcantar
Monica Alonzo
Lance R. Andrews
Norman P. Bagwell
Brent Berryman
Robert W. Best
Jan Hart Black
Billy Bos
Dr. Michael Bowie, Jr.
Richie Butler
John W. Carpenter, III
Terry R. Dallas
John de la Garza III
Paul Dyer
Matrice Ellis-Kirk
Randall R. Engstrom
Rob Farrell
J. Guadalupe V. “Lupe” Garcia
Gary Griffith
Donna Halstead
Douglas D. Hawthorne
Vonciel Jones Hill
James L. Hitzelberger
Chip Huffman
Brenda Jackson
Tom Lazo
J. Michael Lewis
Wendy Lopez
Felix J. Lozano
Alex Madrazo
Stephen L. Mansfield
Warren Mayberry
Todd C. Meier
Alice Murray
Donnie Nelson
David Osborne
Martin Peck
Jim Prewitt
Raymond F. Quintanilla
Rob Ramage
Robert Rhoads
Michael Rideau
Rowland K. (Robin) Robinson
Deirdre Ruckman
John F. Scovell
Chris Simmons
Blake Taylor
John Taylor
Doug Thompson
Nina Vaca
W. Kevin Walker
A.B. (Buck) Wharton
Joel T. Williams, III
Joe Willoughby
Craig A. Woodcook
Rev. S.M. Wright II