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Abbott Appoints Three to Broadband Development Council
Gov. Greg Abbott recently appointed Bill Hetherington, Akbar Kara and Hatch Smith Jr. to the governor’s broadband development council for terms set to expire on August 31, 2026. The council was created by the 86th Legislature in 2019 and expanded by the 87th Legislature in 2021. The council works to study and identify ways to provide Internet access to underserved areas of Texas.
Hetherington is chief executive officer of the Bandera Electric Cooperative, and brings more than 30 years of experience in technology development and the retail electric industry.
Kara is president and chief executive officer of Lonestar Education and Research Network (LEARN), a nonprofit created by the Texas Legislature to assist research/education institutions and health science centers with high performance networking.
Smith is chief executive officer and administrator of MidCoast Medical Center-Central in Llano, a rural hospital that he and other local business leaders saved from going out of business.
- ◦Policy/Gov't
