BIOGRAPHY

GEORGE A. NEWMAN, Ph.D.

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Dr. George A. Newman currently serves as County Judge for Taylor County, Texas.  As Judge, he has implemented new and innovative procedures to better serve the constituents of Taylor County.  During his tenure as County Judge, Dr. Newman was selected to attend the National Security Conference at Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery Alabama.  Upon completion of Air War College, Judge Newman was selected as one of 50 individuals, nationwide to attend the National Security Forum at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in 2008.  He serves on the Guardianship Advisory Board to the Health and Human Services Committee of the State of Texas, is a member of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce as a member of the Board of Directors, the Military Affairs Committee and the Governmental Affairs Committee.  In his various roles in government and military, Judge Newman has been a key player in the Base Re-alignment and Closure (BRAC) process and negotiations for Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas.  Through that process, he has made numerous trips to Washington D.C. to meet with top Air Force Officials as well as our National Senators and Congressmen.  He has also had the distinction to receive an incentive flight in the   B-1 Bomber.

Judge Newman has identified areas where Taylor County residents could benefit from the implementation of new services and systems.  He has served as a founding member of the Abilene/Taylor County Venue Tax Board creating a benefit to the Taylor County Expo Center, Abilene Independent School District and Frontier Texas Visitors’ Center from the implementation of a Hotel/Motel tax.  He has also played a key role in the negotiation of tax abatement agreements bringing numerous Wind Energy Farms to Taylor County.  Several neighboring counties have benefited from the Wind Energy Farms and many use Taylor County’s documents as a model for their own projects.  Judge Newman has implemented the use of a teleconferencing system to conduct mental health commitment hearings between Taylor County and Big Spring State Hospital.  This initiative received State-wide recognition with a Best Practices Award through the Texas Association of Counties at its annual conference in 2006.

Judge Newman was raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico where he was a top-ranked tennis player.  He began his collegiate career as a New Mexico State Aggie before transferring to Baylor University where he received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biology.  He earned the Ph.D. degree in Wildlife Biology as a Texas Aggie in 1975.

Dr. Newman and his talented wife, Carolyn, came to Abilene in 1967 where he served as Professor of Biology at Hardin-Simmons University for 25 years, until 1992.  Currently, he holds the title of Professor Emeritus of Biology.  He continues to be an educator as he is a popular speaker for numerous regional, civic and professional organizations and at conferences for County Judges through out the state.  Dr. and Mrs. Newman have two children; Jason who is married to Jamie and Laura who is married to Brian Kickhoefer.  The Newmans have also been blessed with 5 grandchildren; Rhett and Wyatt Newman and Kelsey, Kourtney and Kacey, Kickhoefer.

The experience he has gained through his many business interests: ranching, oil and gas, ecological consulting, investments, and education, has been invaluable as he serves on the bench of the Taylor County Constitutional Court, which includes Probate and Mental Health Jurisdiction as well as Administrative Jurisdiction.