Texas Central expands executive team with new hires

Texas Central Partners LLC, which is developing a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston, has added three new executives to its ranks, Chief Executive Officer Tim Keith announced yesterday.

Joining the company is Holly Reed as managing director of external affairs; Doug Jones, as managing director of the design-build program; and Lori Willox, as chief financial officer.

Reed has 25 years of experience with AT&T and its predecessor companies, most recently as regional vice president of external affairs. She also held leadership positions in customer service, finance operations, data center operations, marketing and advertising.

A 38-year construction veteran, Jones previously worked with Balfour Beatty Construction. Most recently, he was CEO of Balfour Beatty's central region, which encompasses Texas and surrounding states. Jones also is a founding member and past chairman of the Construction Industry Outreach Advisory Council, a group that promotes diversity in the construction industry.

Willox is a certified public accountant with 25 years of experience in accounting and finance. Most recently, she served as senior VP and CFO for Balfour Beatty's central region, where she was responsible for strategy, accounting functions, operational and sales support, and risk management. She also has been involved in major construction industry projects with Balfour Beatty and previously at Turner Construction.

The new positions will report directly to Keith. Texas Central, a private company, expects to begin construction of the high-speed rail line in 2017.