Editor's note: This article was changed after initial publication to add a written statement from Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo about Nueces County's new appointee.
In its first meeting of the new year, the Nueces County Commissioners Court moved to change its appointee to one of the region’s most powerful governmental boards: the Port of Corpus Christi Authority commission.
The court opted not to reappoint Corpus Christi attorney Catherine Tobin Hilliard, who was first appointed in 2019 and is currently serving as vice chairwoman, for a second term. Instead, in a 3-2 vote, the court tapped Diane Gonzalez, a consultant working in governmental affairs and land development and a former San Antonio City Council member.
The port’s guiding commission is composed of seven appointed commissioners who serve without pay for a maximum of four three-year terms. The Nueces County Commissioners Court appoints three members, the Corpus Christi City Council appoints three and the San Patricio County Commissioners Court appoints one.
The appointment went to a vote after Precinct 1 Commissioner Robert Hernandez nominated Diane Gonzalez and County Judge Connie Scott, who was sworn in Sunday, seconded the motion. Precinct 4 Commissioner Brent Chesney, Hernandez and Scott voted in favor of the appointment while Precinct 3 Commissioner John Marez and Precinct 2 Commissioner Joe A. Gonzalez voted in opposition.
Two other nominations were made but were not seconded, resulting in those candidates not going to a vote. Marez nominated Hilliard for reappointment, and Joe A. Gonzalez nominated a Corpus Christi attorney.
The appointment was passed by a bipartisan vote of the court; Chesney and Scott are Republicans, and Hernandez is a Democrat. After the vote, the county’s newest appointee said she looked forward to helping grow the region's economic engine.
“I will be a voice for the people,” Diane Gonzalez, 57, said in an interview. “The Port of Corpus Christi is the most important economic asset of Nueces County in the region. Ensuring that we have strong fiscal oversight is extremely important. I seek to assist the port in restoring regional relationships and planning for our future and working to create greater jobs working in tandem with our customer base.”
Hilliard, who attended the meeting, expressed disappointment after the vote, saying it was “unfortunate” her record did not “transcend politics.” She attributed not being reappointed to her public support of former county judge Barbara Canales, who left office after a decisive defeat by Scott.
Scott said her decision was not because of “anything personal against” Hilliard. Rather, she said, she selected Diane Gonzalez because of her relevant work experience and her family’s legacy of community service.
“I think (Diane Gonzalez) is well suited for the job,” Scott said in an interview, adding that she would welcome Hilliard to apply for the position again in the future. “I think we made the right decision, and I think she will be a great asset on the commission.”
Hilliard’s monetary donations to the previous county judge’s campaign were the subject of political advertisem*nts by Scott on the campaign trail. In one of those ads, Scott alleged that Barbara Canales engaged in a “pay-to-play scheme” in Hilliard’s appointment to the port commission — which was also done by way of a bipartisan vote of the court. (Hilliard and Canales denied Scott’s allegation at the time.)
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Who is Diane Gonzalez?
A Corpus Christi native, Diane Gonzalez works at her firm, Diane Gonzalez-Cibrian & Associates, and serves on the board of directors of the Coastal Bend Food Bank and as the chair of the Mayor's Disaster Fund, according to her application.
She has volunteered in Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo’s campaigns for office and helped create the disaster fund, which is a vehicle for the mayor to receive funding for use in disaster recovery efforts. In a written statement Wednesday evening, Guajardo said Diane Gonzalez "is a highly qualified leader, and I am confident she will be an important voice for the residents of our region."
Diane Gonzalez represented residents in San Antonio’s District 8 from 2007 to 2009, overseeing a budget of more than $2 billion with the City Council. In 2009, she made an unsuccessful run to be San Antonio’s mayor.
She has deep roots with the port. Her grandfather and his brother were on committees that worked toward establishing the port authority in the early 1920s, she said, and her uncle, Eddie Galvan, was a port commissioner from 1973 to 1994. Her brother, Robert J. “Bobby” Gonzalez, served as a port commissioner from 2000 to 2012 and was instrumental in planning the port's Ship Channel Improvement Project, she said.
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“We are very proud of our legacy of service to Nueces County and the Port of Corpus Christi,” Diane Gonzalez said. “I'm honored to continue our service, and I will work very hard.”
Her sister, Rosie Gonzalez Collin, is part of the port’s leadership team as chief of staff. This relationship, which she disclosed on her application, was not discussed by the court during Wednesday’s meeting.
Other candidates
Two other people vied for the position.
Gabi Canales, who was ultimately not considered because her nomination by Joe A. Gonzalez lacked a second, is a Corpus Christi attorney serving on the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority board of directors.
The remaining applicant, Frank McNiff, a retired Corpus Christi attorney specializing in maritime law, was not nominated or discussed by the court. This was the first time applying for the position for both candidates.
One county resident spoke during the public comment period before the vote and voiced concern about what she saw as a short timeframe to submit applications. The county accepted applications for just short of two weeks in December. The court did not discuss this, and Scott, whom the resident specifically called on, said it would have been “disingenuous” to begin accepting applications again since the four who applied had already done so and met the deadline.
Upcoming city appointment
The Corpus Christi City Council, which has three new council members and one returning after November's election and subsequent runoffs, will soon consider who should represent the city on the commission.
David Engel, who is the city’s longest-serving port commissioner, is up for reappointment. The City Council will consider whether to appoint Engel for another term or go with a different candidate.
