PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Contact: Ann Galassi

January 5, 2005 Sabine River Authority of Texas

(409) 746-2192

New Slate of Officers for

Sabine River Authority - Texas

(Orange, TX) A new slate of officers was elected by the Board of Directors at the annual meeting of the Sabine River Authority of Texas (SRA) recently held in Orange. Claudia Abney of Marshall was elected as Board President. Other elected officers include Vice President Sammy Dance of Center, Secretary/Treasurer Connie Ware of Marshall and Secretary Pro-Tem J. D. Jacobs of Rockwall. The officer positions take effect January 1, 2005. Other members of the SRA Board include Past President Earl Williams of Orange, Don Covington of Orange, Link Linkenauger of Greenville, Cal Ebner of Deweyville and Connie Wade of Longview.

President Abney is a partner in the CPA firm Abney, Simmons and Co. PLLC and Vice President of the firm Abney and Company, PC where she has practiced since 1976. She is an active member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. For several years she has served on the executive boards of many civic and cultural organizations including the Harrison County American Red Cross, Marshall Symphony Society, Marshall Symphony League, Cypress Junior Women’s Club, Trinity Episcopal School and various school and student support organizations. She currently serves on the Board of the East Texas Council of Governments and Forum Fifty. She is a graduate of the University of Arkansas where she was a Chi Omega. Claudia and her husband, Mac, have two children and one grandchild and are active members of Trinity Episcopal Church in Marshall.

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The Sabine River Authority of Texas is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor of Texas. The Board is responsible for overseeing the development of water resources in the Sabine River Basin. Members of the Board are required to reside within a county situated wholly or partially within the watershed of the Sabine

River. They are leaders in their communities dedicated to serve as active participants in the water issues being addressed by the Sabine River Authority of Texas. Created by the Legislature in 1949, the Sabine River Authority is an official agency of the State of Texas. The Authority was created as a conservation and reclamation district with responsibilities to control, store, preserve, and distribute the waters of the Sabine River and its tributary streams for useful purposes.

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