Insurance official and community leader Everett Phipps will fill the Waco Independent School District board seat soon to be vacated by Keith Guillory.
After nearly two hours of closed-door discussions during a special meeting Wednesday, the Waco ISD board voted 4-2 to appoint Phipps to the at-large Place 6 seat.
Five candidates applied for the board vacancy after Guillory announced his resignation in February, effective May 2. Guillory is moving to Houston to serve as a deputy fire chief.
The board interviewed candidates on April 7 and April 8 then met April 16 to discuss candidates.
“Everyone was extremely qualified,” Trustee Angelo Ochoa said Wednesday. “And it’s very obvious that this is never an easy decision for the board. We have to choose among so many great candidates. I think that’s a good, good sign for Waco ISD.”
Phipps will be sworn in during the May 14 board meeting at 6 p.m., along with candidates beginning a new term. The district canceled its May 2 elections for lack of competitive races.
Phipps brings 15 years of business experience and a proven record of collaborative problem-solving to the board. He is currently a partner at Insurors of Texas, where he advises businesses on risk management and fiscal oversight.
His professional background also includes serving as a surety underwriter for Insurors Indemnity Company and a credit analyst at Community Bank and Trust.
Phipps, who is a parent of a Hillcrest Elementary School student, is looking forward to working with the board. He believes his financial background will help as the district navigates budget issues due to lack of state funding.
“We’re going to have to make tough financial decisions over the next coming years, just through that,” Phipps said in an interview Thursday with The Waco Bridge.
“I’ve been in Waco since 2007, love this town, love the school district … I want to make sure that our school has a chance for longevity and that we’re making the right financial decisions so that future generations will have a school that can be great for them as well.”
Beyond his professional work, Phipps serves on the boards of the Mentoring Alliance and City Center Waco and is a past president of the Associate Board for the Association of General Contractors (AGC).
“We are pleased to welcome Mr. Phipps to the board,” said board President Jose Vidaña. “His strong background in finance, combined with his perspective as a district parent and community leader, will help us continue to make student-centered decisions that prioritize accountability and excellence.”
Other candidates included Peaches Henry, an English professor and NAACP president who has run for school board twice; Kelly Lawson, a Methodist Children’s home administrator and Waco High School PTA president; and Marlayna Massey, the Duncan Scholars director at the Waco Foundation. Businessman Brian Ginsburg previously withdrew his application.
Vidaña stated all four candidates were equally qualified, but the board was deadlocked between Massey and Phipps until Wednesday’s vote. Trustees Jeremy Davis and Arash Abnoussi cast the dissenting votes.
After Guillory resigned, the board was divided on whether to appoint a board member or call a special election. The deadline for calling an election passed without a vote, leaving appointment as the only way to fill the position.
“Appointments are always hard,” said Vidaña, who supported the special election.
“I don’t recommend appointments, especially when it fell right on an election cycle. I would’ve rather have the people and take all that stress off of us.”
