RICHARD L. COFFMAN BEGINS TERM AS 17³Ô¹ÏBOARD CHAIR
17³Ô¹Ïis pleased to announce that Richard L. Coffman began a three-year term as Chairman of the Board of Trustees on July 1, 2016. The 17³Ô¹ÏBoard unanimously and enthusiastically elected Coffman to the position at its April 2016 meeting in Washington, D.C. Coffman follows Dr. B. W. Ruffner who served as Board Chair for three years.
Coffman, a native Texan, is a trial lawyer and managing partner of the Coffman Law Firm in Beaumont, Texas. He received his B.A. in Accounting from Texas Lutheran University in 1978, and both his Master in Professional Accountancy (1980) and law degree (1989) from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to attending law school, Coffman, who also is a Certified Public Accountant, worked for two international public accounting firms. He also taught courses in accounting as an adjunct member of the University of Washington and University of Texas business school faculties.
As a trial lawyer, Coffman represents individuals and businesses throughout the United States in complex commercial litigation, class actions and mass actions. His litigation practice is focused in the areas of antitrust, RICO, ERISA, data breach, agriculture, consumer, and other commercial disputes. Coffman is admitted to practice in all Texas courts, the United States Supreme Court, and numerous federal appellate courts and district courts throughout the United States.
Coffman also is active in civic and charitable organizations, most recently serving as Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Board, respectively, of Beaumont Crime Stoppers. While in Houston, he was a charter member of the Westchase Rotary Club, where he served as its first Treasurer, and later was a member of the Downtown Houston Rotary Club, where he served on the Lombardi Trophy Committee for several years.
Coffman was first introduced to 17³Ô¹Ïat a joint ASOR/BAS seminar in 2012. A member of the 17³Ô¹ÏBoard of Trustees since 2013, he served as Treasurer from his election to the Board until he assumed his post as Board Chair. Coffman regularly travels to East Africa—principally South Sudan—on mission trips.
Coffman married his wife and law partner, Sonya, during law school. They have one daughter: Carson.