Governor Abbott Appoints Coben, Niemeyer to Texas Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors

TEXAS, May 7 - May 7, 2025 | Austin, Texas

Governor Abbott appointed Lawrence “Larry” Coben, Ph.D. and Bruce Niemeyer to the Texas Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors for terms to expire at the pleasure of the Governor. The Corporation is the private side of a public-private partnership with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism tasked with marketing Texas, domestically and globally, as the best state for business.

Lawrence “Larry” Coben, Ph.D. of Houston is the Chairman, President, and CEO of NRG Energy, Inc. Previously, he was chairman and CEO of various affiliates of Tremisis Energy. He has served on the boards of SAESA and Prisma Energy, and the advisory board of Morgan Stanley Infrastructure II, L.P. He is the founder and chair of the ESCALA Initiative and former board president of New York Stage and Film. Coben received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yale University, a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.

Bruce Niemeyer of The Woodlands is the president of Americas Exploration and Production at Chevron. Previously at Chevron, he served as corporate vice president of strategy and sustainability, and vice president of mid-continent business unit. Niemeyer is a member of the Upstream Committee of the American Petroleum Institute and the executive committee of the Greater Houston Partnership. Niemeyer received a Bachelor of Arts in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.