Tyler

By MEGAN MIDDLETON
and MALENA OGLES
Staff Writers

The Tyler ISD Board of Trustees welcomed a new member to its team Monday -- Eleno Licea, who is filling the District 1 seat on the board to replace Gene Shull, who resigned at the end of December.

After the board approved his appointment, Licea was sworn in and took his seat with the board for the rest of the special board meeting Monday.

"I'm honored that the board called upon me to represent the district. They really felt that someone with my background and capabilities in finance could help contribute to the board," Licea said after the meeting. "They hated to see the seat be left vacant, and my district needed representation."

Shull resigned from the seat effective Dec. 30. Shull recommended Licea, a District 1 resident, to be his replacement.

Licea said that with a young daughter in the public school system, education is important to him.

"I've been in public schools from kindergarten all the way up to my college years. I have really enjoyed it and am thankful for the opportunity to give back," he said.

Shull's term expires in May 2010. Licea will fill the seat until May when the board elections normally take place. Licea may run for election at that time, along with other eligible residents, to complete the term.

Licea said he would like to run to complete Shull's term until 2010.

"We are excited with his youth and energy that he will bring to the board," Board President Ron Vickery said. "The beauty of boards like this is that everybody comes from different backgrounds. Diversity is good and will help us as a body to be a stronger voice for public education."

Licea, 30, said in an earlier interview that he has lived in Tyler for about 12 years.

Born in Mexico City, he moved with his parents to Longview when he was a young boy. He attended Longview public schools, then Tyler Junior College and The University of Texas at Tyler. He said he received a bachelor's degree in communications and business.

Licea worked for Southside Bank as a banker, but said he started his own company a month ago -- the Eleno Licea Insurance Agency, which is a Farmers Insurance and Financial Services company.

He is also on the Planning and Zoning Commission in Tyler and president of the Hispanic Business Alliance. Licea said he also has been involved with the Boy Scouts of America as a former chairman of the Hispanic Outreach program and the Bethesda Health Clinic as a treasurer and board member.

He said he also is a member of the Tyler Vision 2010 steering committee for the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and the East Texas Medical Center internal review board, among other things.

Licea said that he wanted to serve on the school board because he has a longtime interest in education.

"Education is the great equalizer. I'm a product of public education," he said, adding he also has always wanted to give back to his community.

Licea also said, "Coming from a different background and having a diverse view will help."

Also at Monday's meeting, the school board received the Academic Excellence Indicator System/Adequate Yearly Progress and Achievement Gap report.

Included in the report was a variety of information, including students' scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills tests, dropout rates, attendance rates, teacher salary and SAT and ACT scores.

Resigning TISD District 1 trustee Gene Shull shake the hand of his appointed replacement Eleno Licea during a special meeting of the TISD board of trustees on Monday, January 12, 2009.
(Staff Photo By: Tom Turner)