Mayor and City Council Appoint New Houston First Board Members

Mayor and City Council Appoint New Houston First Board Members

From left: Houston First President and CEO Michael Heckman, Nicki Keenan, Wea H. Lee and Roxann Neumann.

May 8, 2024 — Today, Mayor John Whitmire and members of the Houston City Council nominated and approved several new appointees to the Houston First Board of Directors.

Since its founding in 2011, Houston First has been instrumental in developing the city’s brand strategy, promoting Houston around the world, driving tourism and convention activities, operating numerous facilities, organizing events to serve the community and collaborating with commercial and industrial partners. The new appointees will bring their unique perspectives and experiences to advance these initiatives.

The board of directors is responsible for establishing company policy and approving its major initiatives and expenditures.

The new appointments bring a significant change to the composition of the 13-member board of directors. This change is not just about numbers but also about diversity and expertise. The board will now be majority women and include the first person of Chinese descent to serve, a reflection of Houston’s global reach and relationships.

The following individuals have been confirmed to serve terms that expire December 31, 2026.

Wea H. Lee is president of Southern News Group in Houston, Texas. He owns and oversees a diversified media company with an international presence that includes print, radio, television and Internet services.

Nicki Keenan, is the Senior Vice President of Sales, directing and developing all strategic sales and marketing efforts affiliated with the Hospitality Division of Landry’s Inc., a nationally recognized restaurant, entertainment, hospitality and gaming company.

Shareen Larmond is the president of the West Gulf Maritime Association in Houston. As executive director of the 200+ member trade association, she is responsible for managing and establishing long-term goals, strategies, plans and policies that impact the maritime industry.

Shareen Larmond

Roxann Neumann is senior vice president of corporate affairs for Silver Eagle Beverages, one of the nation’s largest Anheuser-Busch distributors.

During today’s City Council meeting, Mayor Whitmire expressed confidence in the new appointees and emphasized the importance of the positive impact they will have on Houston First. “Each of the new appointees has a long history of community involvement and philanthropic initiatives and wishes the best for the city of Houston. I am confident they will do an excellent job working with the rest of the Houston First board and management. I thank each of them. “Houston First is one of our economic engines, and through its organization, Houston attracts hundreds of meetings, conventions, visitors and events to the city each year,” said Mayor Whitmire.