Austin, Texas – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Aaron Negherbon and Patricia Rigney to the Business Advisory Council to the Texas Division of Emergency Management for terms set to expire on February 1, 2025. Additionally, the Governor appointed Matthew Powell and Michael Matthews for terms set to expire on February 1, 2026, and February 1, 2027, respectively. The Council provides advice and expertise on actions state and local governments can take to assist businesses in recovering from a disaster.

Aaron Negherbon of McKinney is the CEO of two non-profits, Troops Direct and Cops Direct. He is a board member of the Stonebridge Ranch Country Club Charity Classic. Negherbon received a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Marketing from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.

Patricia Rigney of Edinburg is an attorney and owner of Rigney Law Firm and is currently the city attorney for the City of Mission. Practicing law almost 20 years, she has served as a staff attorney for the Thirteenth Court of Appeals, assistant United States attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, and as a city attorney for the City of Pharr. She is vice president of the Texas City Attorneys Association-Rio Grande Valley Chapter, District 12E chair of the State Bar of Texas Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, and a member of The Edinburg Public Library Advisory Board and the CASA-RGV Board of Directors. Additionally, she is a former committee member of the Rio Grande Valley Diabetes Association. Rigney received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas (UT) Pan American and a Juris Doctor from the UT School of Law. 

Matthew Powell of Cedar Park is the principal of Powell Strategic Communications and Powell Municipal/Economic Development. He served 13 years on the Cedar Park City Council, including three full terms as Mayor. He is active with the Texas Economic Development Council and several local chambers of commerce, and previously served as the economic development director for Liberty Hill. He is a member of the Cedar Park Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees and a fellow with the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution at the UT School of Law. Powell received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from California Lutheran University, Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership from Concordia University, and his Professional Community and Economic Developer Designation through the Community Development Institute.

Colonel Michael Matthews (Ret.) of New Braunfels is the CEO of Patriotic Holdings, LLC. After thirty years of federal service, he served in several senior executive positions in the financial, information technology and aerospace fields, the last being with Boeing, where he led the historical expansion of the Port of San Antonio. He is a published author and has taught graduate and undergraduate courses on leadership, management, and organizational behavior, while serving as a department chair at the University of Oklahoma. He is a member of the National Small Business Association’s Leadership Council, and an active member of the New Braunfels community, continuing to serve on several philanthropic non-profit boards, dedicated to supporting military veterans and their families. Matthews received a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Master of Business from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Master of Science from Webster University, and a Master of Arts from the United States Army War College and has conducted post graduate work at Stanford’s Executive Leadership Program.