Tom Pauken
Chairman
2008-Present

Tom Pauken is Chairman for the Texas Workforce Commission. Governor Rick Perry appointed him to the three-member Commission in March 2008. His Commission appointment expires February 1, 2013.

Chairman Pauken brings years of experience in public service to the Texas Workforce Commission. He has held numerous leadership and business positions and is an attorney and mediator.

In 2007, he served as Chairman of the Governor's Task Force on Appraisal Reform.

He served in the White House Counsel Office under President Reagan and was appointed by the President to serve as director of ACTION, where he founded the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program. He was instrumental with the implementation of First Lady Nancy Reagan's Just Say No to Drugs campaign.

Chairman Pauken is a United States Army veteran. He received a commission in Military Intelligence and served in Vietnam as a Province Intelligence Officer and as a senior analyst for the Office of Strategic Research Analysis.

He serves on numerous boards of directors and advisory councils, including President of TWP, Inc., Member, Future Matrix, Trustee of Capital Partners II, Ltd., Liquidating Trust, Member and former Chairman of Tutogen Medical, Inc., Member and former Chairman of TOR Minerals International, Inc., Past Vice President of Garvon, Inc., and Past President of KRZI Radio.

Chairman Pauken is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Knights of Columbus. He received a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from Southern Methodist University.

Chairman Pauken is the author of the book, The Thirty Years War. Married with seven children and nine grandchildren, he and his wife Ida reside in Dallas.

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Ron Lehman
Commissioner Representing Employers
1998-Present

Ron Lehman is Commissioner Representing Employers for the Texas Workforce Commission. Governor George W. Bush appointed him to the three-member Commission in July 1998. His initial term expired February 1, 2003, and he has continued to serve Governor Perry and the employers of Texas since that time.

Ron Lehman began his IBM career in 1967 as a member of the start up team of two IBM manufacturing plants in Austin, Texas. He's held management and staff positions in manufacturing, personnel, finance, engineering, customer engineering, management development and technical education in Austin and New York.

In 1983, he was appointed engineering and manufacturing technical education manager for IBM North America, responsible for technical education for more than 70,000 engineers and manufacturing staff at thirty-one plants and labs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

By operating this unit as a cost-centered small business, the solutions and services offered not only impacted IBM engineering and manufacturing operations, but the supply chain of suppliers and customers, as well.

During a portion of this time, he also started and operated a small manufacturing company, and he was a partner in another small business, both of which have been sold.

In 1989, as part of the IBM chairman's reinventing education initiatives, Lehman became executive-on-loan to the Capitol region to help create a world-class education system. This role was expanded in 1995 to include workforce development.

He was initially appointed to be the Commissioner Representing Employers at the Texas Workforce Commission in July, 1998, and has continued to serve Governor Rick Perry in that capacity. Lehman has worked diligently to help create a "market-driven" workforce system that treats employers as primary customers. He has focused on strategies and solutions to improve the overall business climate, help employers find or train qualified workers, and help reduce costs which support job creation. One of these projects, the WorkinTexas.com labor matching system now has more than 155,000 employers enrolled as customers. Another, a focus on the rapid re-employment of workers and improvements in UI Program integrity has saved employers hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and led to increased earnings for previously unemployed workers.

Concurrently, he has taken a number of steps to improve the agency's outreach and service to all employers. Among the services his office provides are: a toll-free Employer Hotline (1-800-832-9394) which fields approximately 3,000 calls per month; the Especially for Texas Employers Handbook (40,000 are distributed annually); the quarterly Texas Business Today Newsletter (with 100,000 subscribers); and the Texas Business Conferences (day-long business seminars attended by 50,000 employers since 1998). These seminars address many of the workforce and employment law issues business owners, managers, and HR professionals face each day.

In January, 2003, he was recognized by the National Federation of Independent Business for his service and commitment to the small business community of Texas. In December, 2006, he was awarded the Manufacturing Mainspring Advocate award by the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center for his efforts to sustain and grow a skilled manufacturing workforce.

Commissioner Lehman's range of experience in both large and small business gives him an understanding of the challenges and workforce needs of Texas employers. His hands-on experience in community and education issues gives him a broad perspective on the proper roles played by the public and private sector.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in management from St. Edward's University, and is a graduate of The President's Class-Advanced Business Institute - Harvard University and the Systems Approach to Education-Corporate Learning Institute - Vanderbilt University.

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Ronald G. Congleton
Commissioner Representing Labor
2003-Present

Ronald G. Congleton is Commissioner Representing Labor for the Texas Workforce Commission. Governor Rick Perry appointed him to the three-member Commission in October 2003. Governor Perry reappointed him on February 10, 2005. His Commission appointment expires February 1, 2011.

Nearly 35 years of experience in negotiations and commitment to representing working Texans give Commissioner Ronald G. Congleton a strong background for his new role.

Congleton joined the trucking industry as a driver in 1968 with Consolidated Forwarding then transferred to McLean Trucking in 1970. While with McLean, he became head steward with Teamsters Local 745 in Dallas where he cultivated his leadership skills. Congleton remained head steward with Local 745 when he moved to Yellow Freight Systems in 1986, where he also was a registered hazardous material handler. He remained with Yellow Freight Systems until 1997. Congleton was chosen to be president of the 7,500-member Local 745 in 1997 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2002. Prior to his retirement, he served as the chairman of the Southern Region Grievance Committee for nine southern states and was a member of the National Grievance Committee in Washington, D.C., from 2000 to 2002.

Before entering his career in trucking and serving Texas' workers, Congleton served our nation in the U.S. Navy from 1963 to 1967. As a shipfitter, he served aboard the cruiser U.S.S. Chicago from 1963 to 1965. From 1965 until 1967, he served aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise in Southeast Asia.

Community Activities

• 32nd Degree Mason
• Honorary Deputy Constable, Dallas
• Veterans of Foreign Wars, Lewisville Post 9168

Honors and Awards

• National Defense Service Medal
• Vietnam Service Medal
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal