Ray Perryman, 59, a Waco-based consultant and multiple award winner in the fields of economics and finance, has been named Texan of the Year. He received the award during ceremonies last week at the 46th annual Texas Legislative Conference in New Braunfels. The award is presented each year to a Texan who has made a mark in the field of public service. “I can’t begin to say now much this award means to me,” Perryman said Monday. “I am a Texan above all else. The list of past recipients is overwhelming, and it is humbling to join this list, many of whom are friends, heroes and mentors.”
Perryman grew up in Tyler, received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Baylor University and a doctorate in economics from Rice University. The Perryman Group, 510 N. Valley Mills Drive, serves as headquarters for his ventures, which include newsletters focusing on economic trends across the state. He also offers a subscription service, a weekly syndicated column and a daily syndicated radio commentary. State lawmakers and agencies often ask Perryman to prepare economic-impact reports. He said his work on the “Texas, Our Texas” economic development study probably played a role in his selection as Texan of the Year. “Texas, Our Texas” represented a massive undertaking by Perryman and his consulting firm to analyze the state’s economic development efforts and suggest ways to improve them. His first report, presented in 2002, urged the state to simplify the process for getting tax credits for investments; create a “deal-closing” fund to land industrial prospects; improve Texas’ image with site-selection consultants; overhaul tax policies that punish capital-intensive companies; improve air quality in urban areas; upgrade the state’s highway and transportation systems; and improve the job readiness of students. “We were able to get its key recommendations implemented, and Texas moved from 37th to first in manufacturing locations in about a year,” Perryman told the Tribune-Herald . 
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