This article was originally published in the Beaumont Business Journal on Nov. 3, 2016 and in The Examiner on Nov. 17, 2016.
By Eleanor Skelton
Staff Writer
Tim Funchess was elected president of the County Treasurer’s Association of Texas on Sept. 21. A fourth generation Beaumonter and eighth generation Texan, he’s served as the Jefferson County treasurer since taking office in January 2011.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be elected president, but I’m even prouder to be able to represent Jefferson County on a state-wide level,” he said. Funchess recently attended the 68th annual County Treasurer’s Association of Texas Conference in South Padre Island, held from Sept. 19-22 this year.
Funchess explained that the conference serves a dual purpose: “It’s another way to get your continuing education hours, but it’s also the venue to conduct all of the CTAT business.”
“We have a business meeting that includes all the treasurers from across the state of Texas and we have different committees that meet,” he explained, listing the legislation committee, the education committee, and the fundraising and scholarship community.
“So all these committees meet and plan ahead for the year,” he said. “On Wednesday night, they have the installations of officers, and that’s where you take the oath of office and there’s the opportunity to give an acceptance speech.”
His theme for this year’s conference was “Focus on the Future,” according to the President’s Welcome announcement posted on the CTAT website.
“I chose this theme because there are so many variables that affect the job we were elected to do. For instance, we need to focus on the economy, bond markets, oil markets, interest rates, market values, and be prepared to adjust to any effects this has in our daily cash management,” he wrote in the statement. “We will focus on preserving the integrity of the office of county treasurer.”
Funchess also recently attended the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas Conference in Galveston.
“I just look forward to working with my fellow treasurers going forward through the year,” he said.
Funchess also currently serves on the board of trustees of the Southeast Texas Governmental Benefit Board and is the vice chairman on the Jefferson County Bail Bonds Board, the treasurer for CrimeStoppers, and the investment officer for the county as well as DD3, DD6 and the Sabine-Neches Navigation District.
Funchess attended Beaumont ISD schools and graduated from Lamar University with a
BA in finance. He has three children and four grandchildren.
He worked in the banking industry for several years, eventually becoming vice president and head of the commercial credit division.
He served on the United Way Budget and Allocations Committee for 18 years and on the executive board of United Way of Beaumont and North Jefferson County. He was also on the board of directors for the Young Men’s Business League and served as treasurer of Reformed Presbyterian Church, where he also attended.
“When this position opened up for treasurer, I just thought my experience and my qualifications matched perfectly for what needed to bedone,” he said. “That is why I ran for it.”
His experience is wide and varied, however. He was president of Westbury Farms, according to the biography posted on his election Facebook page, and he served on the South Texas State Fair Committee for four years.
His election page also said he was a sixth generation Texan, but now he knows his heritage goes back even further.
“I discovered that my great-great-great-great-great grandfather was one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico,” Funchess said. “So if you count them back, I think that makes me eighth.”
Funchess also practiced taekwondo for over 20 years under Fred A. Simon, a 10th degree black belt in his 80s who in 2013 became the first African-American man in Texas to earn that rank.
“I helped Fred Simon out for years, trained under him, studied under him and had the opportunity to teach as well,” he said.
Funchess is now a fifth-degree black belt. He was part of the Amateur Organization of Karate (AOK) from the mid to late 80s until 2011 when he took office and no longer had time to train. He won two state championships and a division in
United States Karate Championships in Dallas for doing forms.
“I can easily go through a one-inch yellow pine board,” he said. “Simon likes to bust concrete blocks.”
Simon had trained under Jhoon Rhee, one of the original ininstructors from Korea, according to Funchess, so his training was only one degree removed from one of the masters of the art.
Simon said he was Funchess’ fourth-grade teacher at Sallie Curtis Middle School back in 1970.
“He worked his way up to his black belt,” Simon said. “His first years as a black belt he
made rookie of the year.”
Eleanor Skelton 