Candidates for District 5 are Mike Cox and Jeff Vasgaard.
Mike Cox
Bio
Mike Cox, a strong Republican conservative, is intent on preserving private property rights.
Born in the Texas panhandle and raised on the Gulf coast, Mike is now a cattle rancher in Hays County. From 1979 to 2000, he resided with his wife and daughter in Saudi Arabia, working in various positions with the Saudi Arabian Oil Company as a Systems Engineer, a Project Manager, and in other positions in management. Prior to the overseas assignment, he worked and resided in Houston, Texas.
Mike was recently appointed by Governor Perry to the Board of Directors of the Texas School Safety Center. He is a life member of the Texas State Rifle Association and is Vice Chair of the TSRA Legislative Committee. He is a patron member of the National Rifle Association, an Election Volunteer Coordinator for the NRA-ILA, as well as a certified as an instructor of many of the NRA programs.
Mike is a Texas DPS certified Concealed Handgun License instructor and teaches CHL classes.
Mike is very generous with his time in the community. He volunteers as a fire fighter/rescue team member with the Wimberley Volunteer Fire Department, member of national Disaster Medical Assistance Team TX-1 (DMAT), former driver for Meals-on-Wheels, and member of the Motorcycle Special Events Team (Medics on motorcycles). He is an amateur radio enthusiast and holds the Extra rating call sign AC5FA.
In the past, he has been involved as a volunteer with the Blanco EMS, as President of the Board of Directors and as an EMT in Blanco. He has served as President of the Hays County Emergency Services District 7 and held the position of Chairman of the Hays County Republican Party.
Mike is a graduate of the University of Houston, receiving a BA in Business. He is married to his wife of 40 years and lives in Driftwood.
Ballot Application
Campaign Treasurer Appointment
Candidate Campaign Finance Report (ending 09/26/2012)
Candidate Campaign Finance Report (09/27/2012 – 10/26/2012)
Jeff Vasgaard
Bio
My wife Karen and I have lived in Wimberley for nearly 20 years. Our sons and their families (including four grandchildren) also live and work in the Wimberley and Dripping Springs areas. Our home depends on rainwater and occasional use of our water well.
I’ve lived in Texas for 28 years, but grew up on a 4th generation family farm/ranch in South Dakota. There, I learned about managing groundwater for irrigation, water quality, watersheds and land conservation. That early experience, along with recent workshops and conferences, has helped me better understand the local geology, aquifers and groundwater supplies.
Work Experience:
- 18 years Technical Sales and Engineering Support for manufacturing companies
- 10 years Engineering and Management for Texas Instruments, Dallas
- 7 years Combat Engineer Officer, US Army
Education:
- M.S. Engineering Science, University of Texas, Dallas, TX
- B.S. Agricultural Engineering, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
Local Board and Volunteer experiences:
- Certified Texas Master Naturalist, 2009-present; President of the board, Hays County Chapter, 2011 Wimberley Valley Watershed Association, Board Member, 2011-2012
- Member of the Hays County Stakeholder’s Group for Jacob’s Well Natural Area Master Plan, 2011-2012
- Volunteer, Habitat restoration projects and public tours at Jacob’s Well Natural Area, 2009-present
Ballot Application
Campaign Treasurer Appointment
Candidate Campaign Finance Report (07/26/2012 – 09/26/2012)
Candidate Campaign Finance Report (09/27/2012 – 10/26/2012)