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Lufkin City Council


Top Row Left to Right:  
Rocky Thigpen - Former Ward 5 (Jimmy Ford is the current Ward 5 representative.)
Wes Suiter - Ward 4
Guessippina Bonner - Ward 1
Robert Shankle - Ward 2
Brent Watkins - Ward 3
Adam Lowther - Ward 6

Bottom Row Left to Right
Kristi Skillern - City Attorney
Kevin Gee - City Manager
Mark Hicks - Mayor
Gerald Williamson - Asst. City Manager
Kara Andrepont - City Secretary 

Map of Council Wards.

View Lufkin City Council Meeting Videos

Lufkin City Council

Mayor Mark Hicks
Mark Hicks Canva Glamour
Mayor Mark Hicks

(936) 633-0299
mhicks@cityoflufkin.com

Mark Hicks was sworn in on May 15th, 2021, as the new Mayor for the City of Lufkin. 


Mr. Hicks is a fifth generation Lufkinite with deep ties to Lufkin and Angelina County. He is a graduate of Lufkin High School and received a Bachelor of Arts from Stephen F. Austin State University. He and his wife Callie have 3 daughters, Caroline, Macy and Aniston.

Mr. Hicks is a real-estate developer with a focus on revitalizing many of the historic buildings in Downtown Lufkin.

Mr. Hicks was the 2011 recipient of the Golden Anvil award for his work revitalizing Downtown Lufkin. He currently serves on the Angelina County Chamber of Commerce board of directors, The Women’s Shelter of East Texas board of directors, Lufkin’s Economic Development Partnership, Past Chairman Angelina County United Way and is a member of Harmony Hill Baptist Church.

Guessippina Bonner
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Guessippina Bonner

Councilmember Ward 1
(936) 632-8029
gbonner@cityoflufkin.com

Guessippina Bonner was elected as Councilmember for Ward No. 1 in May 2016.

She was born and raised in Fairfield, Texas. After high school, she attend Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Science.

After teaching in both Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, she obtained her Masters of Science in Counseling and Psychology. After returning to Texas, she earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Cultural Studies from the University of Houston- College, Park followed by her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Massachusetts. She is currently admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, the Eastern District Federal Court in Texas and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Ms. Bonner currently serves as the president of the local NAACP chapter and is very active in the community. She is service oriented and enjoys helping children achieve their goals through community activities.
Robert Shankle
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Robert Shankle

Councilmember Ward 2
(936) 635-8195
rshankle@cityoflufkin.com

Councilman Robert Shankle was elected to Lufkin City Council as Councilmember of Ward 2 on May 9, 2009. Councilman Shankle is a lifelong resident of Lufkin Texas. He received his education in the Lufkin Independent School and graduated from Lufkin High School in the Class of 1985. Also, a Leadership Lufkin Graduate of 2012.

A Desert Storm disabled veteran, Councilman Shankle served in the United States Army, National Guard, and US Army Reserve for a total of 14 years. He founded several committees for the benefit of the community including The Lufkin Pro Day Group, The Neighborhood Leadership Council of North Lufkin, and Clergy and Police Alliance (CAPA). Councilman Shankle is a member of Texas Association of Black City Council Members and National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials. Councilman Shankle is a proud member of The Church by Christ Jesus where he is very active. His favorite quote is “To whom much is given, much is required.”
Brent Watkins
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Brent Watkins

Councilmember Ward 3
(936) 633-4214
bwatkins@cityoflufkin.com

Mr. Watkins moved to Lufkin in 2001, where he began working as an attorney for the Zeleskey Law Firm.  He is currently a member of the law firm of Skelton Slusher Barnhill Watkins Wells, PLLC.  Mr. Watkins has always enjoyed being involved in Lufkin, and has served on various boards and committees.  He currently serves as a board member for Crime Stoppers, Harold’s House, and the Family Crisis Center of East Texas.

He is a graduate of Texas A&M, College Station and South Texas College of Law.

Mr. Watkins and his wife, Tara, are members of the First Baptist Church of Lufkin, and they have one daughter.

Wes Suiter
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Wes Suiter

Councilmember Ward 4
936-366-3767
wsuiter@cityoflufkin.com

Wes Suiter was elected as Ward No. 4 Councilman in June 2021. 

Wes began his career in public service in 1980 with the Diboll Police Department. 

In 1989, he became the Chief of Police for the City of Cibolo,Texas (a suburb of San Antonio), later being named the Director of Public Safety for Police, Fire, and EMS. During his tenure with the City of Cibolo he twice served as Interim City Administrator before returning home to Lufkin.

In 2006, Wes was elected to the office of County Judge for Angelina County where he served his community for twelve years.  

Wes has been married to his wife, Dr. Cheryl Suiter, for 38 years and together they have an amazing son, Trace.

Jimmy Ford
Jimmy Ford
Jimmy Ford

Councilmember Ward 5
jford@cityoflufkin.com

Jimmy Ford was elected to City Council in February 2024.
 

Jimmy was raised in Lufkin and is a 1977 graduate of Lufkin High School. While in high school and college, he worked at Roland’s Tackle Shop. Upon his graduation from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1980, he began his career at Axley & Rode, CPAs. He retired as a CPA tax partner in 2019.

Jimmy is married to Kelley Jeffrey Ford, who is employed with The Advanced Financial Group. They have two adult children, Julianne and Parker, who both grew up in Lufkin.

He has been involved with various local organizations over the past 40 years and currently serves as the chaplain for the Lufkin Host (Noon) Lions Club and treasurer of the Z&OO Railroad.

He is a deacon at First Baptist Church in Lufkin and serves on the boards of the Angelina County Senior Citizens and the Ernest L. Kurth Charitable Foundation.

 

 

Adam Lowther
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Adam Lowther

Councilmember Ward 6
936-676-8446
alowther@cityoflufkin.com

Adam Lowther was elected to the City Council for Ward 6 in May 2023. 

He works as a Senior Project Buyer for Corrigan OSB, an oriented strand board mill in Corrigan, TX. Mr. Lowther previously held Marketing and Supply Chain roles at Brookshire Brothers. 

He and his wife, Chandler, have been married since 2016 after meeting at Texas A&M. They have a son, Wesley, who was born in May 2022.  

Mr. Lowther said he ran for Lufkin City Council because he wanted to help improve the city for his son and future generations.

"We have a lot of great things happening in our city and we need leaders in place to continue guiding us into the future."