The Baker Institute Board of Advisors added five new members in April, with expertise ranging from business and health to energy, finance and software.
The new members are Greg Armstrong, Paul Hobby, Rob Kaplan, Arshad Matin and Wade Rakes.
"The Baker Institute Board of Advisors plays an active role in helping to guide the institute's growth and impact,” said Edward Djerejian, founding director of Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. "The impressive qualifications of the new members will enhance the Baker Institute's leadership role in nonpartisan, data-driven public policy research."
Armstrong is the co-founder and retired chairman and CEO of Plains All American Pipeline LP, where he continues to serve as a member of its board of directors. Armstrong is a graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He is currently a director of NOV Inc. and Memorial Hermann Health System, a member of the adjunct faculty for the University of Oklahoma’s Executive MBA in Energy program and a member of the advisory boards of the Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business and the National Petroleum Council.
Hobby is the co-founder of private equity firm Genesis Park, which has led investments in several companies in the communications, business software and energy technology sectors. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Texas School of Law, where he has served as an adjunct faculty member. Hobby is on the boards of public and private companies including NRG, Eagle Global Logistics Inc., Stewart Title, Coastal Banc and Amegy Bank of Texas.
Kaplan is the retired president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School, where he previously served as a senior associate dean. Kaplan is currently the chairman of Project ALS and co-chairman of the DRK Foundation. He is also a board member of Harvard Medical School and St. Mark’s School of Texas and is a member of the advisory council of the George W. Bush Institute.
Matin is the CEO of Avetta, a company focusing on enhancing safety, sustainability and regulatory compliance outcomes for organizations throughout the world. Prior to joining Avetta, Matin served as president, CEO and a board member of Paradigm, a developer of software and analytics solutions for the global oil and gas industry. He currently serves as a board member or trustee for ASGN Incorporated and several nonprofit organizations, including the Houston Endowment, Texas Children's Hospital and the Asia Society Texas Center.
Rakes is the president and CEO of Peach State Health Plan, a subsidiary of Centene Corp., a multinational health care enterprise. Rakes received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University with a certificate in political economy and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan with a concentration in strategy. Rakes serves as the chair of the board of the LGBTQ Victory Fund and the chair of the board of Beyond Differences. He is also on the boards of directors of the Metropolitan Atlanta and Georgia chambers of commerce.
"The board is most pleased to welcome Greg, Paul, Rob, Arshad and Wade as new colleagues," said Marc Shapiro, chairman of the Baker Institute Board of Advisors. "Their skills, wisdom and experience will continue to strengthen the board’s guidance for the institute."
Including the newly elected individuals, the Baker Institute Board of Advisors consists of 36 active members.