John L. Nau, III

John L. Nau, III was appointed by President George W. Bush to a four-year term as Chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in November, 2001. He was also appointed by the governor to be Chairman of the Texas Historical Commission. He is also a prominent Texas beer distributor. In 1992, he was president and chief executive officer of Silver Eagle Distributors, the distributors in Houston of Modelo and Anheuser Busch. In 1987, Nau and his partners sold a Florida distributorship and bought a 49 percent share of Southwest Distribution in Houston. Two years later, they purchased the rest of the company and renamed it Silver Eagle Distributors. At the time they purchased it, the company had a 24% market share. By 2008, it had more than a 65% share, and Nau now claims his company is the largest Anheuser-Busch distributor in the country.

Political donations and connections
Governor Perry appointed Nau to the Historical Commission in 2003 -- a job that paid $185,260/year -- one day after Nau gave Perry's campaign $12,500. Nau is a heavy donor to Republican candidates and issues. In August, 2010, Time magazine reported that Nau had given Texas Gov. Rick Perry $327,000 and said that Now "periodically ferries the governor on his corporate jet." The Texas Tribune reported that Nau has given 20 donations totaling almost $309,000 to Texans for Rick Perry, nine donations totaling $161,000 to Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, and 20 donations totaling $378,000 to the Beer Alliance of Texas (a lobby group).

According to Jim Hightower, 95 percent of Nau's political donations go to Republicans.