06-03 | Governor Abbott Names Foster Chair, Appoints McCall to Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission

June 3, 2025

Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030

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AUSTIN— Governor Greg Abbott announced the appointment of Paul Foster as the chair of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Additionally, John A. McCall Jr. O.D. was appointed to the commission for a term set to expire Feb. 1, 2031.

Background for each appointee is below:

Paul Foster of El Paso is the founder, CEO, and director of Franklin Mountain Investments, LLC (FMI). FMl’s affiliates include Franklin Mountain Capital, Franklin Mountain Energy, Franklin Mountain Industrial, and Franklin Mountain Property Services. He has served as a commissioner for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission since 2021. He is a former director of the National Petroleum Refiners Association and the Western Petroleum Marketers Association. Additionally, he is former chairman of The University of Texas (UT) Investment Management Company and served as chairman of the UT System Board of Regents. Additionally, he served on the UT System University Lands Advisory Board, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Texas Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, and the El Paso Branch of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank. He is a member of the board of the Baylor College of Medicine, serves on the Borderplex Alliance Executive Committee, and is a member of the World Presidents Organization. He is a director of WestStar Bank in El Paso. Foster received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Baylor University.

John A. McCall Jr., O.D. of Crockett is senior vice president and a founder of Vision Source, owner of Crockett Eye Clinic, co-founder and co-owner of Logansport Surgical Center, and founder and owner of Stealth Vision Optics and Rifles. He most recently served as acting chairman at the end of a six-year term on the Board of Regents for the University of Houston (UH) System and was recognized as Outstanding Alumni of the Year. He is a former city councilman and mayor of the City of Crockett. He is currently president of the American Academy of Optometric Medicine and Surgery and previously served as president of the American Optometric Association and the Texas Optometric Association, which presented him with Young O.D. of the Year, O.D. of the Year, and Distinguished Service Award. McCall received a Bachelor of Science and a Doctor of Optometry from UH.

The commission manages and conserves the natural and cultural resources of Texas and provides hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.