Former Cedar Park mayor joins state advisory council

Matthew Powell, a former Cedar Park council member and three-time mayor, has been appointed to a Texas state advisory council.

The two-minute impact

Gov. Greg Abbott announced that Powell would be joining the Texas Business Advisory Council to the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The 12-person advisory council provides expertise on how the state can help residents and business owners affected by natural disasters, according to a news release.

"I am deeply honored to be appointed by Gov. Abbott to the Business Advisory Council," Powell said in the release. "I look forward to collaborating with fellow council members and the highly-capable team at TDEM to develop strategies that support Texas businesses in their recovery and resilience efforts.”

Digging deeper

Powell is the founder and principal of Powell Strategic, a Cedar Park-based firm that advises local businesses, nonprofits and public entities on the best practices for increasing engagement. Powell was first elected to the Place 1 seat of Cedar Park City Council in 2005 and was elected mayor in 2012, a position he held for three terms. He declined to run for a fourth term and stepped down in 2018.

Powell will serve on the advisory council until the position expires Feb. 1, 2026.