John Yochem Jr. was appointed by Governor Abbott to fill the Goliad Director position recently vacated by the retirement of former director Alicia Lott Cowley. The term is set to expire on December 31, 2027, or until a successor is duly elected and qualified.

John, a Goliad native, has long had an interest in the San Antonio River and the San Antonio River Authority. He has previously served on the River Authority’s Environmental Advisory Committee, which assists the agency with the Clean Rivers Program and other environmental initiatives. In addition to enjoying living near the River Authority’s Branch River Park in Goliad, he has enjoyed hiking along the river near Riverdale, admiring old-growth Burr Oak and Pecan trees. 

John is retired after over 47 years in furniture sales and interior design. He is chairman of the City of Goliad Board of Architectural Review for Historic Districts and Landmarks and former chairman of the City of Corpus Christi Arts & Cultural Commission, formerly the Municipal Art Commission. Yochem Jr. received a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from The University of Texas at Austin.