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Meet Our Board
TOM PERKINS- Board Chair
Tom joined Edward Jones following a distinguished career in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer (earning the coveted ranger tab) and a successful career in corporate America, where he worked for and with Fortune 500 companies at the director level. He was honored to complete his undergrad studies at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY, and received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. He currently serves as a Battalion Executive Officer in the Texas State Guard, has been married to his beautiful wife Sandy for 25 years, and has two wonderful children.
JOHN JONES- Immediate Past President
John Jones is CEO of the Jones Legacy Ventures, the parent company of Cassity Jones Lumber, Winn Tile Company, Allen Commercial and CJ Commercial company, which serve the construction industry in East Texas, Dallas and Bossier City, Louisiana. John grew up in Carthage and is a graduate of Texas A&M. He and his wife Lisa have two grown children and 5 grandchildren. In his community, John has served as President of the Henderson Optimist Club, Chairman of the YMCA, Commissioner of the Henderson Boy’s Baseball Association and Director of the Rusk County Electric Cooperative. John developed a passion for therapeutic riding while volunteering at the Spirit of St. Louis Therapy Center in Tyler, a predecessor to Starbrite.
ERIC PETERSON- Treasurer
Eric grew up in Longview and is a graduate of the University of North Texas and the University of Dallas. Eric moved back to East Texas and settled in the Tyler area in 2010. He and his wife Kathleen have one daughter, Abby, who loves being the center of attention. Eric works at Johnson Controls, Inc. as the West Territory Controller. Eric also volunteers on the board of the East Texas Down Syndrome Group and has seen firsthand the power that volunteering can have on the community.
FRED SMITH- Board Member
Fred Smith, author of "Where The Light Divides" and “The Edge Of The Inside” is a graduate of Denver University and Harvard Divinity School. He is the co-founder of Leadership Network with Bob Buford and served as President for 12 years. He founded the Fourth Partner Foundation in 1996 and served as President for 20 years. Fred is the founder of The Gathering, an international association of individuals, families and private foundations giving to Christian ministries and served as President for 35 years. He and his wife, Carol, have two grown daughters and a son-in-law. They also have four well-loved grandchildren.
KATIE BUTTS- Board Member
Katie has served on the Starbrite board since July 2022 but has been a rider mom since 2019. Katie is a mom of two teenagers, Will and Ellie, and wife to Reagan. Katie formerly taught high school students history but now spends her days driving kids around and attending the 832 activities her teens participate in as well as cooking for an army of teenagers that inevitably show up around meal times. A member of Marvin Methodist Church, Katie is also involved in several other non profits both locally and globally. In her spare time, Katie can be found floating in the water with a book or traveling the world exploring with her family.
BEDFORD HOLMES- Board Member
Bedford Holmes is a former Executive Director from the Christian camping world. He served at Pine Cove Conference Center for 16 years when he was a young man. One of his roles at Pine Cove was being the Ranch Camp Head Wrangle. Bedford has served as a volunteer with therapeutic equine programs in Oregan, Nevada and Texas. He has run youth camps in Texas, New Mexico, Oregon and Nevada. He currently does consultation work with non-profit organizations. Bedford and his wife Sara live on Lake Palestine and have been married 46 years. They have three grown daughters, three sons in law and eight grandchildren.
KELLY HOOD- Board Member
CHAD STANLEY- Board Member
Chad Stanley, a native of Ore City, Texas, graduated from SFA and went on to play 9 years in the NFL as a punter with the 49ers, Cardinals, and Texans. For over 13 years, he has served as VP of Development at Encouragement Media Group, driven by his passion for reaching the lost and sharing his faith. Chad's heart is to inspire others to be good stewards of their resources and generous toward God's work, believing that everything belongs to God and we are simply managers. He’s been married to his wife Jennifer for 23 years, and together they have three children. The family attends South Spring Baptist Church, and Chad’s favorite thing is spending time with them. He also enjoys team roping with his son, fishing, hunting, and mountain biking. His favorite color is green, and he’s a huge fan of Mexican food!
BRIAN SCARBROUGH- Board Member
Brian Scarbrough retired from the United States Marine Corps after 20 years of distinguished, faith-filled service, including combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and numerous other locations. A husband to April Scarbrough for 20 years, Brian is the proud father of three adult children and grandfather to three grandchildren. He serves as a Deacon at Landmark Baptist Church and is an active coach for Heroes to Heroes, as well as a key leader for Operation Heal Our Patriots (Samaritan’s Purse), serving over 25 veteran couples in the East Texas area. Brian’s journey with Starbrite began as one of the first veteran riders, and he now leads the weekly Starbrite Bible study. Known for his infectious joy and devotion, Brian is a true servant of Jesus, bringing leadership and passion to the Starbrite mission.
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