District 1 | The Texas State Senate

Senator Bryan Hughes is serving his third term in the Texas Senate, representing one million people across 19 counties in beautiful East Texas.
 
 Dubbed as “one of the most effective legislators in the country” by Governing Magazine, Senator Hughes is known for passing the Heartbeat Bill, Critical Race Theory Ban, Election Integrity Bill, Social Media Censorship Ban, and the strongest data privacy law in the Nation, along with several other groundbreaking laws.
 
 Ranked as the most conservative member of the Senate, Hughes is the only member of the legislature to have two pieces of legislation argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.
 
 For his service in the Legislature, Senator Hughes has received the Taxpayer Champion Award, the Visionary Leader Award from Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, and the Horizon Award from Texas Right to Life. He has also been named Defender of the American Dream by Americans for Prosperity and Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business.
 
A graduate of Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Tyler, Senator Hughes earned his B.B.A. in economics, cum laude, and became the first member of his family to earn a bachelor’s Degree. He continued his studies at the Baylor University School of Law and served as law clerk to U.S. District Judge William Steger of Tyler before entering private practice which he maintains, helping families and businesses solve problems and deal with complex challenges. He has been honored as Baylor Young Lawyer of the Year and Outstanding Alumnus of both Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Tyler.
 
Senator Hughes chairs the Senate Committee on State Affairs and serves as Vice-Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Civil Discourse and Freedom of Speech in Higher Education. He also serves on the Senate Committees on Health & Human Services, Natural Resources, Redistricting, and Nominations, and is a member of the Energy Council’s Executive Committee.
 
 In his free time, Senator Hughes enjoys serving in his church, bird hunting, hiking, and spending time with family. He and his wife, Leyla, live in Tyler.

Rob Bourne is a seasoned technology and go-to-market leader with deep experience scaling innovative software businesses and driving strategic growth. He currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Manager of EZLynx at Applied Systems, where he leads the organization to deliver modern, AI-augmented solutions for independent agencies. Before joining Applied Systems, he held senior leadership roles at Podium and Athelas, leading sales teams, revenue strategy, and operations in fast-growth SaaS environments.  He holds an MBA from Cornell University, a BA from the University of Utah and is in located in Salt Lake City, Utah 

President

Insurance Agents Alliance of Texas

Rodney Watkins is a seasoned insurance executive and respected community leader, serving as Principal/President for Insurance Agents Alliance of Texas and shareholder with Watkins Insurance Group. With decades of experience in the insurance industry, Rodney is known for strategic leadership, operational discipline, and a steadfast commitment to agent advocacy.  His approach emphasizes integrity, long term value, and management solutions.

Beyond his professional leadership, Rodney is deeply committed to community service.  He has dedicated significant time to civic involvement and local initiatives which include serving in an elected capacity as city councilman, mayor, and school board trustee,  where he has served (11) years as a trustee and (4) years as school board President.  In addition, Rodney serves as board chair for UT Health Quitman hospital where he has served since 1998.

Rodney has proudly implemented The CISR designation program in conjunction with the Risk and Insurance Education Alliance in the Mineola Independent School District where every year for the past three years students have graduated with the CISR designation.

Rodney truly believes in giving back to the community and the insurance profession.      

Jon Petz is the world’s only Amazement Artist®, a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, two-time bestselling author, and award-winning emcee. Known for blending business insight with live performance, he delivers high-energy experiences that engage audiences and make ideas memorable.

A former sales and marketing executive and tech entrepreneur, Jon also performs professionally as a magician and mentalist for audiences around the globe. His unique mix of strategy, storytelling, and entertainment helps professionals think differently, connect more deeply, and perform at a higher level.

Jon is the author of Boring Meetings Suck and Significance in Simple Moments, with the latter supporting the Miracles & Magic™ Foundation, which brings joy to children facing serious illnesses.

Texas State Representative for HD5

Cole Hefner was born and raised in East Texas and currently resides in Mount Pleasant. He has been representing the people of House District Five since 2017. District Five encompasses Camp, Rains, Titus, Upshur, Wood, and parts of Smith counties.

Before being elected to the Texas House of Representatives, Cole served as County Commissioner for Upshur County. He also owned his own construction business for 16 years and eventually took over his family's commercial construction company. Currently, Cole is a small business owner in the insurance industry. He is actively involved in his community and is a member of the Lindale Chamber of Commerce, the Hide-A-Way Lake Kiwanis Club, the Mount Pleasant Lion’s Club and South Jefferson Baptist Church.

Cole has served on various committees during his time in the Texas House, including the Appropriations, Calendars, and Ways & Means committees. Currently he is serving as Chair of the Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans’ Affairs Committee, a member of the Transportation Committee, the Subcommittee on Transportation Funding, the Redistricting Committee, and the Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting. His experience in public service and private industry has given him a deep understanding of the need to reduce government intrusion into the lives and businesses of Texans.

Cole has been happily married to his wife, Kerri, since 2002, and they are blessed with seven wonderful children and one grand daughter.

Ciara Gravier is the CEO of The Bunker Insurance & Risk Management, an independent agency based in South Florida. With over 20 years in the industry, she’s built an agency that focuses on commercial insurance, serving the small to middle market segment. Ciara is on the Education committee of the LAAIA, where she helps coordinate the programming for the association across the country.