ADVISORY BOARD

CHARLES DAWSON

CEO, Chairman of Advisory Board
Charles is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of GeoSurfaces. He also serves as the Chairman of the Advisory Board. He has designed, coordinated, managed and/or installed more than 17,000,000 square feet of artificial turf and the installation of more than 5,000 sports lighting fixtures.

Charles is a voting member of the ASTM and a member of the American Sports Builders Association. He was recognized in 2011 as the first CERTIFIED MASTER INSTALLER of the GeoFlo dynamic drainage blanket and shock pad. Charles’ installations include such high profile projects as the NFL Challenge Field in the Cayman Islands, LSU’s Alex Box Stadium and Tiger Park, the indoor practice facility for the UCLA Bruins, Louisiana Tech University’s baseball and softball fields. Red Wolf Stadium, home of the Arkansas State University Red Wolves, McNeese State University’s Cowboy Stadium and Cowboy Diamond, the University of San Diego, the baseball field, the football field as well as the softball field at the University of Central Arkansas, Vanderbilt University’s baseball field, Delta State University’s football field and Henderson State University’s football, baseball, softball and multi-purpose fields. Charles was also a member of the design team that developed the first synthetic turf running track in the world, GeoTrax, and handled the first North American Installation at Zachary (LA) High School. Additionally, he advanced the technology of the PATENTED GeoFlo drainage blanket and continues to work as a valuable consultant to the manufacturers of the GeoFlo dynamic drainage blanket.

PAUL RAINWATER

CSO, Vice Chair of Advisory Board
Paul became the Chief Strategic Officer for GeoSurfaces in 2014. A retired U.S. Army Colonel, he most recently held the title as Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s Chief of Staff. He resigned in February of 2014 to pursue a career in the private sector. Prior to his latest position, Paul held the title of Commissioner of Administration, serving as the chief financial officer / chief operating officer for the state of Louisiana presiding over a $29 billion dollar budget. Before that, he served as Governor Jindal’s Deputy Chief of Staff, where he was responsible for managing policy and the Louisiana Executive over the administration and execution of the BP oil spill clean up. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA). On multiple occasions, Governor Jindal tasked Paul with managing evacuation and clean up of large scale disasters including Hurricanes Gustav, Ike, Isaac.

In addition to his public service duties, Rainwater also served as a Colonel in the Joint Director of Military Support for Disaster Response Unit. He has served two tours in the Global War on Terrorism , serving in Kuwait , Iraq and Afghanistan , and also previously served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Congressional Liaison Office of the Louisiana Army National Guard. For his military service, Rainwater has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Combat Action Badge.

Rainwater earned a bachelor’s degree in government from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, a master’s degree in international relations from Salve Regina University in Rhode Island, and is certified as a local government manager by Louisiana State University.

GABRIELLE KEES

Treasurer
Gabrielle earned a Juris Doctor from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1996 and was admitted to the Louisiana Bar Association. After graduation she served as a law clerk for the 20th Judicial District Court. She joined Cornerstone Affairs in 2009. She joined the Louisiana Association of Justice for Six Year and prior to that was a staff attorney for various committees in the Louisiana House of Representatives. She began her professional career in the House as liaison to the Legislative Auditor’s Office. She then staffed the House Committee on Agriculture, and eventually served as the attorney for the House Commerce Committee, where she specialized in drafting legislation on occupations and professions, banking and financial institutions, business associations, river navigation and piloting, and commerce in general.

LEE HERRINGTON

Secretary
Lee is an attorney specializing in civil matters. He is a graduate of LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center and has served as GeoSurfaces’ General Counsel since the formation of the company. Lee is a member of the Louisiana State Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States district court for the Western District of Louisiana as well as all Louisiana State Courts. He is also admitted to practice in the federal courts of Louisiana and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal.

RAYMOND FRITZ

Vice President of Operations, Master Installer, Board Member
Raymond is one of the original members of the GeoSurfaces team and holds a seat on the Advisory Board. He has installed more vertical-to-horizontal draining fields than just about anyone in the world. He has worked on such high profile projects as LSU’s Tiger Stadium, Alex Box Stadium and Tiger Park as well as Louisiana Tech University’s JC Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. He was the lead installer at the NFL Challenge Field as well as the projects at UCLA, Arkansas State, Delta State, Vanderbilt, University of North Carolina, and “the Stripes” at the University of Central Arkansas. Raymond has installed millions of square feet of the GeoGreen, GeoTrax and GeoFlo shock pad/drainage blanket. Raymond was awarded the prestigious title of CERTIFIED MASTER INSTALLER of the GeoFlo product by the manufacturer in 2011.

ERIC FASBENDER

Member
Eric is one of the most recognized Sports Turf Managers in the world. Eric was the Director of Athletic Facilities and Grounds at LSU and was responsible for the playing surfaces at Tiger Stadium, Alex Box Stadium, Tiger Park as well as the LSU Football Operations Center. Eric is a Certified Sports Field Manager (CSFM). Before taking over at LSU, Eric held the same position for the Oregon Ducks athletic department. Eric is a graduate of the University of Tennessee.

JEAN C. ROJAS

Member
Jean joined the advisory team in 2008. She exhibits a wealth of knowledge in business building and management. She has structured multiple business models in industries such as restaurants, electronics, petroleum and child safety. Each model surpassed targeted revenues and growth expectations and were all purchased by investment groups. Jean’s entrepreneurial experience brings a broad level of leadership and strategic expertise to our management staff.