Governor Abbott Reappoints Marchant, Thomas To Texas Department Of Housing And Community Affairs

TEXAS, January 6 - January 6, 2026 | Austin, Texas | Appointment

AUSTIN - Governor Greg Abbott reappointed Kenny Marchant and Ajay Thomas to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for terms set to expire on January 31, 2031.

Kenny Marchant of Coppell is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas’ 24th District from 2005 to 2021. He also served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1987 to 2005, and as a City Councilman and Mayor of Carrollton, Texas. He has prior professional experience as a real estate developer and homebuilder. He is a member of the Southern Nazarene University (SNU) Board of Trustees and the Former Members of Congress Study Group. Marchant received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and received an honorary doctorate of letters from SNU.

Ajay Thomas of Austin is the senior managing director and head of public finance at FHN Financial, a division of First Horizon Bank. He is a member of Southwestern University (SU) Board of Trustees and an advisory board member of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (HKS). Additionally, he previously served as a board member of the Texas Business Leadership Council. Thomas received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from SU, a Master of Public Policy from HKS, and a Juris Doctor from The University of Texas School of Law.