Our Board

Temple’s Health and Bioscience Economic Development District is governed by a seven-member board. The board members are elected by the citizens of Temple and serve staggered three-year terms. The next election is in 2020. If interested, please contact [email protected] for the application. Please note, board members must live in Temple.

The operational activities of the District are led by an Executive Director who is appointed by the board. The District is devoted to the development and creation of health and bioscience/biotechnology opportunities within the City of Temple. The District is eligible to receive Federal, State, and private grants. In addition, the District identifies and recruits biotech and life science-related businesses to be located in Temple. Our Board offers insightful leadership, and we are extremely grateful for their time, expertise and dedication.

Thomas Baird

Chairman of the Board, THBD
President, Baird, Crews, Shiller & Whitaker, P.C.

Thomas Baird received a J.D. in 1977 from the University of Texas School of Law, Austin Texas, and a B.A. in 1975 from Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. Board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Estate Planning and Probate Law, Residential Real Estate Law, Commercial Real Estate Law, and Farm & Ranch Real Estate Law, Thomas Baird is the President and Shareholder of the law firm Baird, Crews, Shiller & Whitaker, P.C.

Thomas is married to Lucinda Baird and has six children.

Michael Norman

Vice Chairman of the Board, THBD
CEO and Founder, GBDbio

Michael Norman is an entrepreneur, investor and attorney who co-founded and led multiple early-stage companies that raised cumulatively more than $10M of investment. Michael chairs LivFul’s board of directors and leads the company as CEO.

Prior to working with LivFul, Michael was CEO of GBDbio, an early-stage biotechnology company that worked to launch the world’s first low-cost rapid diagnostic test for tuberculosis. He successfully obtained the support of a diverse shareholder group that included lobal charitable givers and NGOs, as well as institutional, social impact and individual investors. As a practicing corporate attorney, he executed capital fundraising projects, M&A transactions, and counseled clients on general corporate and board governance matters.

Michael received his law degree, with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas, and his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in International Studies from Austin College in Sherman, Texas. Michael lives in Temple, Texas, with his wife Brittany. They have one child in college and four at home. He and his wife are passionate about issues confronting the global poor, especially regarding orphan care, global health, poverty eradication through entrepreneurship and international education.

Gregg Strasburger

THBD Board of Directors
President of Ancillary Businesses, Strasburger Enterprises

Gregg Strasburger is the President of Ancillary Businesses for Strasburger Enterprises in Temple, Texas and President of GSI which owns several manufacturing companies. A native of Temple, Mr. Strasburger returned to live here after receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Baylor University. Mr. Strasburger has served on the Planning and Zoning Board for the City of Temple, headed the Quality of Life Task Force for the city and served on the board and as President of the Temple Economic Development Corporation.

Brian Reinhardt

THBD Board of Directors

President Central Texas South Region, Extraco Banks

Brian Reinhardt is Executive Vice President and Senior Lending Officer at Extraco Banks in Temple. Brian has been with Extraco Banks for over 16 years. He received his BBA in Finance and his MBA from Baylor University and graduated from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Brian is a graduate of Leadership Temple and a member of the Temple Rotary Club. Brian and his wife, JoElla, have three children.

John Kiella

THBD Board of Directors
CEO, Kiella Real Estate Group

John Kiella is the owner and CEO of Kiella Real Estate Group. He is an active business leader in the Temple-Belton communities and involves himself with many vital organizations important to the growth of the Bell County area. John is part of the Temple Reinvestment Zone Board as Project Chairman, is on the Temple Advisory Board for BBVA Compass, and is an avid supporter of both Temple and Belton education systems. He has been both an active member and on the Board of Directors for the Temple Chamber of Commerce, three-time President of Temple Area Builders Association, recognized by the National Association of Home Builders for State and Local Government Affairs, was a member of the Advisory Board for the Scott & White Children's Hospital, and Board Member President for the Temple Business League. He has served on the Planning and Zoning Commission, Temple Economic Development Corporation, Downtown Temple Restoration Committee, Keep Temple Beautiful Board, and City of Temple Parks & Leisure Foundation. John established Kiella Homebuilders in 1987 with his wife, Suzanne. The company has since evolved from solely homebuilding into a multifaceted entity known as Kiella Real Estate Group that specializes in land investments, development, homebuilding, commercial projects, retail planning, the revitalization of downtown Temple, and the growth of the city of Temple. They have three grown children, one wonderful granddaughter, and are active members of the First United Methodist Church in Temple.

Dr. Robert Cortes, Jr.

THBD Board of DirectorsCo-Founder & CEO, Advanced LifeCycle Management

With nearly forty years of experience working in the healthcare arena and an education from Baylor University and Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Cortes is no stranger to the emerging trends in bioscience in Central Texas. His career began with rural and inner city private clinical practice in Texas, and Dr. Cortes even served as a resident at Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple! It is no surprise that he now calls Temple, Texas home and is committed to the future of biotechnology in our city.

Dr. Cortes has dedicated the last 16 years of his career to consulting and leading organizations in the development of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical devices. His expert knowledge in bioscience, as well as business development and management, make him a perfect fit for THBD, which supports the economic development of the industry in Temple.