Chris Traylor — the chief of staff at the state's Health and Human Services Commission — moves to associate commissioner of Medicaid and CHIP. Traylor will replace David Balland; the chief of staff job is open for the moment.

Texas Tech has narrowed the list of candidates for chancellor to "fewer than ten and more than two" according to a spokeswoman. Beyond that, they're not saying much about timing or names. Among the candidates: Former House Speaker Pete Laney, former Texas Education Commissioner and Tech Vice Chancellor Mike Moses, and former congressman and Texas Railroad Commissioner Kent Hance.

After 12 years at Consumers Union, Rafael Ayuso is moving to AARP-Texas as communications manager.

Two more ERCOT officials have been sentenced for their part in a scam that had the agency paying shell companies they controlled for services that were never rendered. James Uranga got seven years in prison and was told to pay $505,000 in restitution. Kenneth Shoquist was sentenced to eight years in prison and $120,000 in restitution. Uranga was director of IT operations and security. Shoquist was the agency's chief information officer.

Red Oak Mayor Ron Bryce, who's also an M.D., will join the Texas Physician Assistant Board. Gov. Rick Perry appointed him to a term that runs through January 2009... the Guv named William Wayne "Rusty" Ballard of Waxahachie to the Texas Credit Union Commission. He's a securities dealer... Dr. Carmel Bitondo Dyer of Spring is Perry's pick for a spot on the Nursing Facility Administrators Advisory Committee, which advises state regulators on nursing facility administration... He reappointed former San Antonio Mayor Bill Thornton, a dentist, as presiding officer of the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority... and he named Robert Shepard, an American Airlines pilot from Weatherford, to the North Texas Tollway Authority Board of Directors.