ESD COMMISSIONERS

The Commissioners are appointed by the county Commissioner for two year cycles.

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Karl Wolfe

President

Appointed Position

Term ends 12/31/26

Karl has served on the Llano County ESD No. 5 board since January 1, 2023. He retired in 2021 having worked as an Executive in the Energy Industry for 35 years. Karl has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University and worked internationally in multiple different countries on major capital projects and operations for over 20 years. He and Cathy have 2 daughters who are married, 4 grandchildren, and enjoy serving on numerous community organizations in the Texas Hill Country. They also enjoy church activities along with water sports, hiking, hunting, woodworking, DIY projects, and spending time as a family.

Mike has served on the Llano County ESD No. 5 board since January 1, 2023. Recently retired, he brings 4 decades of leadership and operational expertise in EMS, Law Enforcement, Emergency Management, and Fire Protection to the ESD. Mike has a degree in Management from Concordia University and numerous certifications in emergency management and disaster response from FEMA. He is a FEMA / TDEM ICS instructor, having taught many ICS courses to public safety agencies in the Austin area, the Texas Military Department, and the 720th M.P. Battalion at Ft. Hood TX. He and his wife, Katherine, spend their time between their homes in Sunrise Beach Village and NW Austin. They are involved in community activities and enjoy travel in the Texas Hill Country.

A man wearing a black shirt with a texas flag on it

Michael von Wupperfeld

Vice President

Appointed Position

Terms ends 12/31/25

m.vonwupperfeld@llanocountyesd5.org

Open

Secretary

Appointed Position

Term ends 12/31/20xx

a.spencer@llanocountyesd5.org

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Jean has served on the Llano County ESD No. 5 board since January 1, 2023. She retired in 2017 after 44 years in the accounting field as a Certified Public Accountant. She attended The University of Texas at Austin. She serves on several boards and committees in the community. Jean and her husband, Erle, live in Sunrise Beach, Texas. They have one married son and 2 grandsons.

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Jean D. Glass
Treasurer

Appointed Position

Term ends 12/31/26

j.glass@llanocountyesd5.org

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Michael Thomas

Asst. Treasurer

Appointed Position

Term ends 12/31/26

m.thomas@llanocountyesd5.org

Mike has been a serving member of Llano County ESD No. 5 Board since January 1, 2023. He is retired from the Houston Fire Department after 30+ years of services as a Firefighter, Paramedic, and Senior Officer in the Fire Marshal’s Office. He graduated from the University of Texas School of Allied Health Sciences. He is married to his wife, Karen, for 28 years and has a son and a daughter. He and Karen moved to Sunrise Beach full time in 2018 from Sugar Land after purchasing their home in 2011.

Patrick has served as the Fire Chief for Llano County ESD 5 since June 2024. He brings extensive experience from previous roles with fire departments in Travis and Williamson counties, as well as in Virginia and the U.S. Navy. Patrick holds an AAS in Fire Protection Technology from Austin Community College and advanced certifications, including Fire Officer IV, Instructor III, and Head of Department with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP), and Master Firefighter and Master Instructor with the State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas (SFFMA). He has been married to his wife, Alice, for over 30 years and has three sons.

Chief Patrick Cates
Fire Chief

firechief@llanocountyesd5.org