Tom Pauken

Tom Pauken
Member of the Texas Workforce Commission for Employers
In office
March 1, 2008 – March 1, 2013
GovernorRick Perry
Preceded byRon Lehman
Succeeded byEsperanza Andrade
Chair of the Texas Workforce Commission
In office
March 1, 2008 – May 1, 2012
GovernorRick Perry
Preceded byDiane Rath
Succeeded byAndres Alcantar
Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas
In office
1994–1997
Preceded byFred Meyer
Succeeded bySusan Weddington
Personal details
Born
Thomas Weir Pauken

(1944-01-11) January 11, 1944 (age 80)
Victoria, Texas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican (1965–present)
SpouseIda Ayala
Children7
Alma materGeorgetown University
Southern Methodist University
WebsiteOfficial website
Military service
AllegianceUnited States of America
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1967–1970
Battles/warsVietnam War

Thomas Weir Pauken (born January 11, 1944) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party.

Pauken is a former member and chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission. A former long-term resident of Dallas, who now resides in the resort community of Port Aransas in Nueces County on the Texas Gulf Coast,[1] Pauken is a businessman, lawyer, and the author of two books. He served as chairman of the Texas Republican Party from 1994 to 1997 during the transition period when the party leaped quickly from minority to majority status at the statewide level. A staunch conservative, Pauken also served on President Ronald W. Reagan's White House staff.

On August 21, 2006, Governor Rick Perry named Pauken to chairman the Texas Task Force on Appraisal Reform (TFAR) to study and make recommendations on how to address Texans' continuing concerns over property appraisals.[2] In March 2008, Perry appointed Pauken chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC),[3] which administers state unemployment compensation benefits, provides workforce development services, and maintains and issues state labor market data.

During his time as TWC chairman, which ended in May 2012, Pauken oversaw the development of the Texas Back to Work program and the Texas Veterans Leadership Program (TVLP).[4]

He was a candidate for governor in 2014 but withdrew early in the contest and supported Greg Abbott, the state attorney general and the party nominee in the November 4 general election.[5]

  1. ^ "Jonathan Tilove, "Longtime GOP leader Tom Pauken to run for governor". statesman.com. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  2. ^ "Office of the Governor Rick Perry – [Press Release] Perry Creates Texas Task Force on Appraisal Reform". Governor.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  3. ^ "Office of the Governor Rick Perry – [Appointment] Gov. Perry Names Pauken as Chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission". Governor.state.tx.us. Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  4. ^ "Gov. Perry Launches Texas Veterans Leadership Program". Office of the Governor. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2012.Pauken resigned as a TWC Commissioner in March 2013.
  5. ^ "Tom Pauken withdraws from GOP governor's race". The Dallas Morning News. 5 December 2013. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.