AUSTIN, Texas -Texan by Nature (TxN), a Texas-led conservation non-profit founded by former First Lady Laura Bush, today announced Vistra (NYSE: VST) among the 20 honorees of the 3rd annual Texan by Nature 20 (TxN 20) - an official ranking of companies with Texas operations that have made a demonstrative commitment to conservation.

The TxN 20 recognizes the best and most innovative work in conservation coming from business based and operating in Texas. As part of the TxN 20, Texan by Nature honors companies across 12 industries in the Lone Star State whose ingenuity cultivates impactful programs and forges new, beneficial paths in conservation. With 168 million acres of land and global leadership across multiple industries, Texas is fortunate to have industry leaders who see the value in partnering with conservation initiatives while also developing innovative, sustainable methods and processes within their business.

“From reclaiming over 86,000 acres of land and planting more than 42 million native trees, to collaborative partnerships with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and making significant progress towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, Vistra Corp. exemplifies commitment to building a sustainable future,” said Joni Carswell, CEO & President of Texan by Nature. “We are excited to honor Vistra’s leadership for the second year in a row as a leader in the Energy Industry category for the 2021 Texan by Nature 20.”

A catalyst for thought leadership, innovative partnerships, and community-led solutions, Texan by Nature has been working with the Texas business community to implement Texas-led conservation practices. The TxN 20 provides not only recognition to honorees, but a catalogue of best practices and metrics to industry peers. The honoree’s commitment to conservation, their projects and programs, best practices, and lessons learned are examples and inspiration for us all.

“Congratulations to this year’s TxN 20! Each year, I’m impressed by the leadership the TxN 20 honorees display. They are innovators, collaborators, and changemakers. I am thrilled to celebrate their efforts, and I encourage other companies to follow their example. Together, we can secure a future where our economy, natural resources and communities thrive,” said former First Lady and Texan by Nature Founder, Laura Bush.

To select the 2021 TxN 20, company data submissions were evaluated and independent research across 2,000+ of Texas’ publicly traded and private companies was conducted for 12 industry sectors. All companies were evaluated on key criteria through a 17-point scoring system to narrow down the list to the top 60 companies in Texas. Key scoring criteria included: stated commitment to conservation; reported metrics related to conservation; measured investment in conservation; reported Return on Conservation; positive conservation impact on land, water, wildlife, people, waste, energy, and more; and activities such as infrastructure, production and supply chain, employee engagement, and more. Each year, an esteemed selection committee of top industry leaders is formed to evaluate the top 60 companies and select the final honorees for the TxN 20.

2021 TxN 20 HONOREES INCLUDE:

1. Alamo Group
2. Bank of America
3. BNSF
4. CEMEX
5. City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability
6. Dell Technologies
7. Desert Door Texas Sotol
8. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
9. Farmer Brothers
10. H-E-B
11. HDR
12. Sanderson Farms
13. Shell Oil Company
14. Sysco
15. Texas Health Resources
16. Texas Instruments
17. The Beck Group, Ltd.
18. Vistra Corp.
19. Walmart
20. Waste Management

To read more about each 2021 TxN 20 honoree, please visit: www.TxN20.org/2021-Honorees/ 

The TxN 20 2021 Selection Committee members included:

• Rick Archer, Founder & CEO – Overland Partners
• Andrejs E. Avots-Avotins, MD, PhD, The Elizabeth & Drayton McLane, Jr. Chair in Health & Wellness Vice President of Medical Affairs – Baylor Scott & White Health – Temple
• Tracee Bentley, President & CEO – Permian Strategic Partnership
• Garrett Boone, Cofounder – The Container Store, Board – Trinity Park Conservancy
• Stoney Burke, Public Policy – Amazon Web Service
• Joanne Caldwell, Director, Environmental Data Analytics – Phillips 66
• Joe Crafton, Principal – Wingshooter Investments, LLC
• Wayne Craig, Vice President & Director of Information Technology – Cactus Feeders
• Edward Craner, Sr. Vice President – HOLT CAT
• Matthew Crommett, Director – LH Capital, Inc, Lyda Hill Philanthropies
• Michael Dorff, Communications and Public Affairs  – Raytheon
• Chad Ellis, CEO – Texas Agricultural Land Trust
• Savannah Friedkin, President – Friedkin Foundation
• Smith Getterman, Director of Sustainability and Special Projects – Baylor University
• Robert Horton, Vice President, Environmental Affairs & Sustainability – Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
• Devin Hotzel, Government Relations – Enbridge
• Nathan Loftice, Director, Planning Permitting Sustainability – BNSF Railway
• Tyler Lowe, Director, Governmental Affairs – Vulcan Materials Company
• Bob Malone, Chairman, President & CEO – Sonora Bank
• Adair Margo, Author and Founder – Tom Lea Institute
• Richard McDonald, Corporate Director, Environmental Affairs & Sustainability – H-E-B
• Julia Murphy, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer – City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability
• Angie Rosales, Business Development – Sundt
• Meghna Tare, Chief Sustainability Officer – University of Texas – Arlington
• Darrel Ward, Sr. Vice President – Dell Technologies – APEX
• Neal Wilkins, President and CEO – East Foundation

Activating new investments, amplifying and accelerating innovations, and connecting partners to the resources they need to succeed, Texan by Nature offers select programs to help engage Texans in stewardship of the state’s rich land and diverse communities including the Conservation Wrangler program, TxN Certification, the Conservation Summit, Symposia series,the TxN 20, and select statewide initiatives. For more information on TxN partnerships and programs, or to learn how to get involved, please visit www.texanbynature.org.

ABOUT TxN:

Texan by Nature (TxN) brings conservation and business together to advance conservation - positively impacting natural resources, prosperity, and health across Texas and beyond. TxN partners deeply with conservation groups and business, acting as an accelerator for conservation groups and a strategic partner for business. Their projects and programs have impacted 7M+ people, 19.5M acres, and all of Texas' 254 counties over the last 2 years. Get involved and learn more at www.texanbynature.org and follow on Facebook @TexanbyNature, Twitter @TexanbyNature, and Instagram @texanbynature.