H-GAC Names Ron Papsdorf Executive Director
Ron Papsdorf is the new Executive Director of the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), starting July 1, 2026.
HOUSTON — The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), the regional governing body that oversees planning for one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas, has officially named Ron Papsdorf as its new Executive Director.
The Board of Directors confirmed the unanimous appointment on June 19, 2026. Papsdorf, who has served as the agency’s Chief Transportation Officer since 2018, is set to assume his new role on July 1, 2026.
Papsdorf steps into the top leadership position at a pivotal time for the 13-county region, succeeding longtime executive Alan Clark. Clark, a fixture in Texas regional planning, is retiring after a distinguished 35-year tenure with the organization, including eight years as Executive Director.
To ensure a seamless transition, the H-GAC board retained the global executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates to conduct an extensive, nationwide search. After vetting a pool of candidates, the search was narrowed to three finalists before the board reached its final consensus on Papsdorf.
Papsdorf is a familiar face to both the H-GAC staff and the local government stakeholders he will now lead. A veteran of the organization, he first joined H-GAC in 2005 as a program manager. He ascended to the role of division director of transportation planning in 2010 before taking on the mantle of Chief Transportation Officer.
Throughout his tenure, Papsdorf has been a central figure in shaping the region’s infrastructure. He has overseen the development of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and has been lauded for his ability to navigate the complex web of federal, state, and local stakeholders required to secure funding and consensus across the eight-county transportation planning area. This includes coordinating transit and roadway solutions across Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller counties.
Papsdorf’s expertise in regional planning is supported by a strong academic background. He holds a Master’s degree in city and regional planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to his work in Houston, he served in planning capacities for the City of Dallas and the Atlanta Regional Commission, giving him a broad perspective on managing metropolitan growth.
The H-GAC serves as the Council of Governments for the 13-county Gulf Coast region, a jurisdiction that represents more than 109 cities and counties. The agency is responsible for facilitating cooperation on critical regional challenges that transcend municipal borders, including public safety, economic development, disaster recovery, environmental quality, and large-scale transportation logistics.
As Executive Director, Papsdorf will oversee an agency tasked with managing the infrastructure and policy needs of a region that continues to experience significant population influx and rapid urban expansion.
For more information regarding H-GAC’s programs and regional planning initiatives, visit h-gac.com.