KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL ELECTS NEW OFFICERS AND BOARD
Austin’s Kyle Frazier Elected President
San Angelo’s Debbie Albert, San Antonio’s Susan Ghertner, Fort Bliss’ Rosie Zarate, and Austin’s Irene Guzman-Krill and Karla Vining Elected to Board

(Austin, Texas) - Keep Texas Beautiful, a statewide grassroots environmental organization, elected officers and new members to the board of directors at its annual meeting in Dallas. Kyle Frazier of Austin was elected as the organization's President along with the election of five new board members, Debbie Albert, San Angelo community volunteer, Susan Ghertner with H.E.B. Grocery Company, Karla Vining with Texas Municipal League, Rosie Zarate with MIRATEK International Consulting Group, and Irene Guzman-Krill with Keep Austin Beautiful.

Kyle Frazier, a prominent lobbyist with the Schlueter Group in Austin, has been actively involved with Keep Texas Beautiful for eight years. Originally from Lewisville, he came to Austin in 1982 and began his affiliation with Keep Texas Beautiful as a volunteer in 1995. Actively supporting the mission of KTB, Frazier served as a board member in 1996; Assistant Treasurer in 1997; and took on the vital role of Treasurer in 1999. Frazier currently serves as the Chair of the Government Partnerships Committee and functions as a liaison with the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas General Land Office, and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in obtaining funding for Keep Texas Beautiful. His fundraising efforts have been instrumental in obtaining sponsors to support Keep Texas Beautiful’s mission. Through partnerships and collaboration, the accomplishments of Frazier include being granted the new Texas Department of Transportation contract, the association with the Lake and River Cleanup Program, and beginning negotiations on the beach cleaning initiative. Frazier’s vision for Keep Texas Beautiful is to “continue along the upward trend of leadership within the organization to achieve goals.”

Debbie Albert from San Angelo is an energetic community volunteer who supports the programs of Keep San Angelo Beautiful. She served on the Warren and Omega Chisum Skeet Shoot committee for Keep Texas Beautiful this year and was recognized as the top fundraiser. Albert also volunteers her time with the American Road and Transportation Builders Association and the Association of General Contractors.

Susan Ghertner, the Environmental Affairs Manager with H.E.B. Grocery Company, has been instrumental in H.E.B.’s ongoing support of Keep Texas Beautiful. Over the years Ghertner has been involved in numerous non-profit organizations such as Lone Star Girl Scout Council, Texas Breast Cancer Coalition, Breast Cancer Resource Center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Austin, AIDS Services of Austin, Jewish Federation of Austin, and Leadership Austin.
Karla Vining is the Deputy Executive Director of the Texas Municipal League after serving as the Assistant to the Executive Director and Director of Communications at the Texas Municipal League. She has been essential in providing Keep Texas Beautiful valuable resources and materials through the Texas Municipal League. Vining is currently serving as a Board Member on the Government Technology Conference and the Texas Rural Leadership Programs, Inc.

Rosie Zarate from Fort Bliss is an outreach coordinator with MIRATEK International Consulting Group and an Ambassador for Keep Texas Beautiful. She has served as a board member for seven years with Keep El Paso Beautiful and Job Corp. Zarate engages politicians, law enforcement officials, and environmental organizations in fulfilling the Keep Texas Beautiful mission.

Irene Guzman-Krill, Executive Director for Keep Austin Beautiful, has been the local Keep America Beautiful coordinator and member of the conference committee for two years. She is actively involved in supporting the programs of Keep Texas Beautiful and judged the 2003 Keep Texas Beautiful awards and 2002 Governor’s Community Achievement Awards. Krill has been involved in numerous organizations such as the San Antonio Independent School District Committee to Prevent High School Dropouts, San Antonio Youth Drop-in Center, San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and People for Art in Public Places.

Keep Texas Beautiful, the statewide grassroots environmental organization and affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, strives to empower Texans through education to take responsibility for enhancing their community environment. KTB works with volunteers, elected officials, businesses and state and federal agencies to ensure that every Texan has the opportunity to take individual responsibility for making Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation. For more information on programs and events, call 1-800-CLEAN-TX or visit the website at www.ktb.org.

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