Board of Directors

Curtistene Smith McCowan - President - Curtistene graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. She previously received an Associates degree in Business Management from El Centro College. Curtistene was employed by the Federal Trade Commission for over 32 years where she served as a Senior Investigator for more than 18 years. Curtistene retired from the federal government on January 1, 2005

Curtistene is active in her community. Prior to her election as president of DeSoto EDC, she served in the positions of vice-president and internal audit chair. She currently serves on the Board of Regents, Texas Southern University; Advisory Board, Charlton Methodist Medical Center; RWTC Advisory Board, Red Cross-Dallas; founding president and at-large board member, DeSoto ISD Education Foundation; former member and president, DeSoto ISD Board of Trustees; founder and past president, Concerned DeSoto Citizens; past president, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.-Dallas Alumnae Chapter. She is also an active participant in DeSoto ISD’s One-on-One Mentoring Program and currently serves on DeSoto ISD’s Discipline Management Committee. In honor of her contributions, in 2007, DeSoto ISD named and dedicated the “Curtistene S. McCowan Middle, School.”

Curtistene serves on the Trustee Board and as Volunteer Coordinator at Kirkwood Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, where she has been an active member for many years.

Curtistene and her husband, Leon R. McCowan have lived in DeSoto for over 32 years. They are the proud parents of two sons, Danny and Leon Curtis, both graduates of DeSoto High School. They are also the proud grandparents of Tiana, Kirsten and Taylor McCowan. Curtistene is the recipient of many awards.

Michael Hurtt - Vice President - Michael Hurtt came to Dallas from Casper, Wyoming in 1971. After attending Casper College, he graduated from Mortuary Science College in Dallas, and has been in this area ever since. He was first elected to the DeSoto City Council in May of 1998, and served as Mayor Pro Tem those three years. He was elected Mayor in 2001, and again in 2004. He has served as Council liaison to the DeSoto Economic Development Corporation, the Arts Commission, and Keep DeSoto Beautiful. He was the organizer of Dining and Dialogue in DeSoto, (one of the key features for our All-America City award in 2006). He served on the North Texas Commission Board of Directors. In 2007 the thirty-one suburban cities elected him to the Dallas County Appraisal District Board of Directors. He is on the Board of Directors for Canterbury Episcopal School, and recently was appointed to the Advisory Board of Methodist Charlton Medical Center.

Past service in DeSoto includes being a member of the executive board of directors of the Dallas Zoological Society. He also served on Tex21, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities, and was vice-chairman of the Medical Center of Lancaster Board of Trustees, and board member of Select Specialty Hospital.

In the past, Mr. Hurtt has served on the DeSoto Park Board, Strategy 2000, and the Charter Review Committee. He was also chairman of the DeSoto Chamber of Commerce and the Best Southwest Chamber Partnership, and past president of the DeSoto Rotary Club, the North Texas Funeral Directors Association, and Texas Funeral Directors Board of Directors.

Michael and his wife Marilyn have lived in DeSoto since 1988 and have two grandchildren. They have owned West/Hurtt Funeral Home in DeSoto since 1988.

Lucious Lawrence Williams - Secretary-Treasurer - Lucious Lawrence Williams is currently Chairman of the Board for Dikita Enterprises, Inc. Prior to his current role, he served for 30 years as President and CEO, where he utilized his leadership skills to conceptualize, plan and set corporate policy and direct marketing initiatives. A seasoned professional with more than 40 years of proven leadership and management experience in both the non-profit and public sectors, he has been involved in all facets of the development and administration of the business world and understands the dynamics of running and growing a business.

Lucious is active as an officer and member of numerous civic groups in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex and serves as Founder of the Coalition of Minority Chambers of Commerce and the D/FW Minority Design Professional Council; Past President of Dallas Bonding Assistance Corporation; Board Member of St. Paul and Zale Lipshy University Hospital-UT Southwestern Medical Center, Oak Cliff Chamber, and Board Chairman of West Dallas Community Centers, Inc.

Lucious and his wife, Rubee, have lived in DeSoto since 1979 and are members of Friendship West Baptist Church. He is the proud father of three daughters and three granddaughters.

Perry Holloway - Board Director - Perry is currently Chief Executive Officer for National Sporting Events. He has received extensive training in sales and marketing throughout the course of his career. Prior to his current role, he was Executive Vice President of Business Development for Ointeraction/Offshore Call Center (Philippines) and Vice President of Business Development for Teleservice Resources, a division of American Airlines.

Perry received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications/Marketing from Ashland College.

Bill Dendy- Board Director - Bill Dendy is a DeSoto-based construction consultant with over three decades of commercial and heavy construction experience. He is certified by the Project Management Institute as a Project Management Professional (PMP), a Level 2 Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) by the American Institute of Constructors, and certified by the Green Building Institute as a LEED AP+ with a specialty in building design and construction. Bill is a journeyman bricklayer and a graduate of the Bricklayer’s and Allied Craftsmen Local #6 Apprentice program.

A member of the American Society for the Testing of Materials (ASTM) Masonry & Concrete committee, Bill is a frequent presenter for Lorman Education Services on “The Tricks, Traps & Ploys of Construction Scheduling in Texas” and has provided training for CPM Scheduling to the Texas Department of Justice Construction Division. Bill is also a Facilitator for the Rotary International Leadership Institute of District 5810.

Bill’s practice areas include; CPM Scheduling, Forensic Scheduling, Claims Preparation & Defense, Green Building Consulting, Constructability Reviews, Expert Testimony, and Surety Default Close-Outs. Additionally, Bill is a two-time Past President of the DeSoto Rotary Club and Past President of the Woodlands on the Creek Homeowners Association in DeSoto.