Board Members

Sheila Lidstone

Chairman

A fifth-generation Galveston native and a 1975 honor graduate of Ball High School, Sheila earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Houston. She was the first in her family to complete college.

Sheila’s career in administration and communications spanned several industries, from oil and gas exploration to social services, health care and public education. She retired in 2021 from The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), where she last served as Vice President and Chief of Staff to the university president.

Sheila’s civic and community service has been diverse. In addition to the Wharves Board, she currently serves in volunteer leadership roles with the Galveston Education Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of Galveston County and the UTMB Galveston National Laboratory Community Liaison Committee. She served on the Park Board of Trustees from 1998 to 2004 and as board chair in 2000-2001. She has also served on the boards of the Galveston County Food Bank, the United Way, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and numerous other organizations.

Sheila is married, raised her two grown children in Galveston and has recently welcomed her first grandchild.

Willy Gonzalez

Vice Chairman

Waiting on Bio

Captain Scott Hickman

Trustee

Captain Scott Hickman is a 37 year USCG licensed captain , federally permitted charter boat and commercial reef fish harvester in Galveston Texas.  Capt Scott is a prior service United States marine and served in the Texas army national guard.  Capt Scott has spent 12 years on the flower garden banks national marine sanctuary coucil and was chair during the sanctuaries boundary expansion.   Capt Scott was sanctuary volunteer of the year for the United States in 2016, also recieved the Gladding conservation award from the gulf and Carribean fisheries institute in 2017 and still serves on the GCFI conservation committee.  Capt Scott is currently the chairman of the Texas seagrant advisory committe and has served on many gulf council advisory panels and currently still serves on the coral and data collection APs, he is the vice chair of the coral AP.   Capt Scott Hickman served on the National Academies standing committee on offshore wind and fisheries committee until it was disbanded last year.   Captain Scott is a founding and current board member of the Charter Fisherman’s Association which is the largest federally permitted charter association in the Gulf. Recently he was appointed by the Texas land commissioner to the coastal managment committee for the Texas general land office and in addition recently appointed to the National Academies standing committee on offshore energy, orphaned wells and coastal management. Capat Scott also currently serves on the Texas gulf coast protection district’s environmental committe.   Capt Scott Hickman has given testimony on sustainable oceans and fisheries in front of the US senate multiple times and been on many panel discussions on the house and senate side.

Richard Moore

Trustee

Waiting on Bio

Victor Pierson

Trustee

Victor Pierson is chairman, president, and CEO of Moody Bank; vice chairman of the Texas Independent Bancshares – Dallas; vice chairman of the Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees; a former mayor of Jamaica Beach, Texas; and a past chairman of the Texas Bankers Association. He serves on the board of directors of Moody Bank, Moody Bank Holding Company, Moody Bancshares, Inc., and Gal-Tex Hotel Corporation. Pierson is a past chairman of the United Way of Galveston, a past chairman of the Galveston Chamber of Commerce, a past chairman of the Galveston Economic Development partnership, a past chairman of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking Foundation at Southern Melodist University, and a past chairman of The University of Texas Medical Branch President’s Cabinet. He is a member of the Texas A&M University at Galveston Board of Visitors and previously taught accounting at Galveston College for over 16 years.

Erik Stramblad

Trustee

Erik Stramblad was born and raised in Galveston, Texas. He graduated Ball High School 2006 and enlisted in the US Navy 2009, where he served four years and completed two deployments in Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four as a Builder (Navy SEABEE).  He was honorably discharged in 2013 from active duty as Second Class Petty Officer.  In 2018, Erik graduated from Texas A&M University at Galveston with a Master of Science in Maritime Administration & Logistics – Summa Cum Laude.

Upon graduating, he went to work for Gulf Copper Dry Dock & Rig Repair in Galveston as a Project Manager.  During his time at Gulf Copper, he managed various projects including ship, rig, and bridge repairs, pressure vessel fabrication, fuel storage depot modifications, and even had the opportunity to drydock the Tallship Elissa.  In 2021, he took a position at US Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston Headquarters, before being offered the role of Director of Operations for the Galveston – Texas City Pilots, where he has been employed since 2022.

Erik Stramblad is the recipient of the following awards and accolades: US Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two bronze stars, Army Meritorious Unit Citation, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, US Navy Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Medal, US Navy Good Conduct Medal, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Flag Letter of Commendation.