TxDOT Aviation Division Director David Fulton, TxDOT Aviation Advisory Committee Chairman James Schwertner, and new Texas Aviation Advisory Committee member Fred Underwood.
By Chris Sasser
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Former Texas Transportation Commissioner Fred Underwood is the newest member of the Texas Aviation Advisory Committee. Underwood was appointed to the commission by then Gov. Rick Perry on Jan. 8, 2007 and served until March 17, 2015. He was appointed to the Aviation Advisory Committee on February 23, 2017.
Underwood is president of the Trinity Company, a cotton bale storage facility. He serves as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the Cotton Warehouse Association, where he previously served as president. He is both past vice president and past director of the National Cotton Council.
Underwood also previously served as chairman of the Lubbock International Airport Board and as a board member of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce. Underwood received a bachelor’s degree in management from Texas Tech University.
He is also an avid aviation enthusiast and began flying in 1990. He is a commercial-rated helicopter pilot and holds a fixed-wing instrument rating.
At this year’s Texas Aviation Conference, Committee Chairman Jim Schwertner introduced Underwood’s appointment to the audience noting that “he was instrumental in helping us in the Aviation Division and made sure we were taken care of while he was a commissioner. We are honored to have you as one of our newest members on the advisory board.”
“I appreciate the honor of being appointed to the Advisory Committee and have always enjoyed working with Dave and his staff at the Aviation Division,” said Underwood while speaking to the audience.