Texas Forest Country Partnership
 

The Silver Bucket Award

TFCP/DETDA annually presents the prestigious Silver Bucket Award for outstanding community service. Past recipients include:

  • Allen Sturrock of Woodville
  • Dr. Kent Adaire of Nacogdoches
  • Leon Adickes of Hemphill
  • The Temple Family of Diboll
  • Charles Bright of Nacogdoches
  • Sam Force Collins of Newton
  • Eugene Koci of Woodville,
  • C.G. Maclin of Lufkin
  • Congressman Jim Turner of Crockett
  • State Representative Jim McReynolds of San Augustine
  • The late Jerry Johnson of Nacogdoches
  • Bryan Lake of Crockett
  • Mark Evans of Trinity
  • Gene Nethery of Milam
  • Bob Bowman of Lufkin
  • Judy McDonald of Nacogdoches
  • Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Todd Staples
  • Murphy George of Lufkin

 

Man of the Century

When TFCP/DETDA celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2000, the late Arthur Temple, one of the organization's founders, was honored as the Deep East Texas Man of the Century.


 

About Texas Forest Country Partnership

The Texas Forest Country Partnership (TFCP) is one of the state's oldest regional economic development groups dedicated to promoting the natural and human resources of central East Texas. The counties represented by the Partnership are:

  • Sabine
  • San Augustine
  • San Jacinto
  • Shelby
  • Trinity
  • Tyler
  • Angelina
  • Houston
  • Jasper
  • Nacogdoches
  • Newton
  • Panola
  • Polk

TFCP was established in 1960 as a regional effort to develop new highways, public parks, boat landings and related infrastructure in and around then-developing Lake Sam Rayburn and what would become the Toledo Bend Reservoir. TFCP, formerly known as the Deep East Texas Development Association (DETDA) is recognized in Texas as a model for regional cooperation and progress. Its meetings have become a popular forum for state leaders, especially during the organization's legislative previews and post-session reviews.

A number of East Texas visionaries are among TFCP's founders and leaders. Instrumental in the early days were R.N. Stripling and D.N. Beasley of San Augustine, Elbert Reese of Nacogdoches, Arthur Temple and Horace Stubblefield of Diboll, H.J. Shands of Lufkin and Leon Adickes of Hemphill. These leaders understood the necessity of the rural counties coming together to promote the development of East Texas' water and timber resources, to encourage new highway construction and to develop tourism attractions.

Since its inception, the organization has been instrumental in advancing numerous regional initiatives, including:

  • Developing a marketing campaign touting central East Texas as a retirement destination
  • Targeting employment prospects to stimulate job growth
  • Developing strategic short-term and long-term plans to make the region a transportation hub
  • Promoting its forests, lakes and rivers to build the region's tourism industry
  • Assisting key industries in the region to help them remain competitive and sustainable
  • Building relationships with key state and federal officials so that TFCP has a strong voice in Washington, DC and Austin

TFCP is governed by a Board comprised of individuals from all participating counties and representatives of the Economic Development Corporations in each of the counties which supports one. Board members come from both public and private sectors, large and small businesses, associations and governmental agencies and all share a vision for the future of this region. Board meetings are held quarterly.

View the TFCP Board of Directors.