Tom Leppert, former mayor of Dallas and a longtime business leader, has been elected board chair of the North Texas Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors. He succeeds Renee Arrington, who now serves as immediate past chair.
Joining him in chapter leadership is Debra L. von Storch, a veteran EY executive and seasoned board member, who will serve as board vice chair for the 2025–2026 term.
The new officer appointments are part of a broader update from NACD North Texas, which also announced new and continuing board members, effective July 1. The organization serves nearly 1,000 members in the Dallas-Fort Worth region and focuses on advancing excellence in corporate governance through education, events, and networking.
Leppert brings decades of experience across both private and public sectors. His previous roles include chairman and CEO of The Turner Corp., CEO of Kaplan Inc., and CEO of Castle & Cooke Properties. He’s served on boards across three continents and currently sits on the boards of Austin Industries, Irving-based Fluor Corp., Dallas Theological Seminary, and NACD North Texas.
Leppert also served as a White House Fellow in 1984, working in the Office of Policy Development and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, before serving as mayor of Dallas from 2007 to 2011.
“We proudly serve our approximately 1,000 North Texas chapter members with events, programming, and networking that prepare directors to address boardroom challenges while creating a positive return and personal relationship with our sponsors,” Leppert said.
Board vice chair
Von Storch, who will serve as vice chair, has more than 40 years of experience guiding companies from startup to scale during her career at EY. She’s held boardroom roles with both public and private companies and chaired audit and compensation committees of Nasdaq-listed firms. She qualifies as a financial expert under SEC and exchange rules.
Her board service includes Vari (formerly VariDesk), Canoo Inc., CSW Industrials, and AT-RISK International. She also chairs the Zenith chapter of the Women Presidents Organization, composed of 21 CEOs from five countries, and serves on the board of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Foundation.
Secretary and treasurer
Todd Murray will continue to serve as secretary, the organization said. A partner at Foley & Lardner LLP, Murray is a vice president of the firm’s securities enforcement and litigation practice. Murray focuses his practice on securities litigation, director and officer fiduciary duty, and corporate governance disputes, litigation involving complex accounting, accounting fraud, financial issues, and energy-related matters.
Derek McClain will serve as treasurer. He is a former partner with Vinson & Elkins LLP, where he practiced corporate finance and securities law, and a former executive with Trammell Crow Co. and CBRE. He was the chief financial officer of Trammell Crow Co. for the seven years preceding its acquisition by CBRE. McClain is on the boards of directors of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co., where he serves as lead independent director, and The McShane Companies. He also serves on the board of trustees of The Fund for American Studies.
New and current board members
New board member Theresa Motter was the former CEO of Van’s Kitchen, a Dallas-based manufacturer of Asian snacks.
Motter has more than 35 years of experience, and she led the company for 10 years through tremendous growth, including a purpose-led rebrand, upgrade of facilities and equipment for additional capacity, as well as implementation of a strategic plan that integrated vibrant cultures and three different languages.
Motter was recognized by Walmart in an online Asian American and Pacific Islander feature and was a 2021 EY Finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year.
Motter serves as advisory board chair for Scouting America and serves on the board of Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House, Mary Immaculate School, and IDDBA, and as an active member of Orchid Giving Circle.
Current NACD North Texas board members also include Renee Arrington, immediate past chair; Gregg Ballew, nominating and governance committee co-chair; Matthew Bob; Bill Buechele; Ron Chu; Tracey Doi, membership engagement committee co-chair; Donna Epps, sponsorship committee co-chair; Shane Goodwin, programs committee co-chair; Selena La Croix, nominating and governance committee co-chair; Bets Lillo; John Mahalik, membership engagement committee co-chair; Bobby Majumder; Anne Motsenbocker, sponsorship co-chair; Cynthia Pharr-Lee; Don Robillard, Julie Silcock; and Mark Sinclair.
NACD North Texas said it provides a forum for NACD members to exchange knowledge and discuss leading boardroom practices in the Dallas and Fort Worth area.
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