RSD Leadership

RenEarl Bowie, Assistant Director
RenEarl Bowie is the Assistant Director in charge of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Regulatory Services Division. 

During RenEarl’s 17-year career he has distinguished himself as a leader with the Department. After beginning his career in 1994 as a State Trooper assigned to the Highway Patrol Division, he transferred to the Criminal Intelligence Service where he promoted to Sergeant, and later to Lieutenant. In 2004, RenEarl transferred to the Administration Division to supervise the Department’s Recruiting Bureau. In 2005, he transferred to the Private Security Bureau - Investigations Section to oversee enforcement activities, advancing to Captain in 2008. Capt. Bowie promoted to his current position of Assistant Director in 2009. 

He graduated from Southwest Texas State University with his bachelor's degree in 1993 and his master’s degree in 1999, both in criminal justice. He has served as an adjunct professor of criminal justice for Austin Community College, Concordia University - Austin and Northwestern University Center for Public Safety - Evanston.

RenEarl's focus is on the consolidation of five legacy regulatory programs into one unified division that combines resources to license and regulate all of these programs in a more effective and efficient manner.

Oscar Ybarra, Deputy Assistant Director
Oscar Ybarra is the Deputy Assistant Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Regulatory Services Division.

Joining the division in 2012, Oscar was attracted to RSD because of its “drive to accept change, and create solutions and systems to better serve Texans.” He’s been with DPS since 1994.  His most recently assigned area was the Finance Division where he served for over 15 years.  For the past 8 years, he has been working closely with Department leadership and the Texas Legislature, presenting the Agency’s budgetary needs. He said he has the utmost respect for DPS, its mission and employees. “DPS touches all Texans, either directly or indirectly, and I’m honored to be a part of it.”

When Oscar graduated from Southwest Texas State University in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, he set three professional goals for himself: utilize his education, build a future and have a family. He began his career in the private banking industry while working closely with distressed assets and Wall Street firms.

Oscar was born and raised in the Texas Rio Grande Valley, graduating from Mercedes High School in 1984. He’s the son of a United States Air Force father and educator mother. As the eighth of 10 children, he said he was taught to work hard, respect others by using sirs and ma’ams, and be down-to-earth and personable. He and his wife, Patricia, have two daughters and one son. He’s a self –proclaimed “lake bum,” who enjoys fishing, hunting and baseball.

JoJo Heselmeyer, Senior Manager   Licensing and Registration Service (LRS)
JoJo Heselmeyer is the Senior Manager of Licensing & Registration Services, overseeing all regulatory programs.  JoJo sees herself as “a hardcore public servant,” grounded in her belief in and love of helping to save the lives of Texas.

JoJo began her 23year career with the Department in the Safety Responsibility Bureau in 1988.  Her leadership skills were quickly recognized resulting in 17 years serving the agency in a supervisory capacity. JoJo provides the Division with a wide array of experience in programs including the Safety Responsibility Bureau, Driver's License Bureau, Commercial Driver's License Bureau, Accident, Motor Carrier, and Vehicle Inspection. JoJo was the first non-commissioned staff member with the Department to hold a Director position. She served on the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) board in 2007 and received a Director’s Citation for the implementation of the SIDS Computer Program in 1999. JoJo played a key role in the Vehicle Inspection Bureau identifying opportunities to automate manual processes in the Texas Automated Vehicle Inspection System (TAVIS).

JoJo’s leadership expertise in process improvement provides the driving force behind the Regulatory Services’ lean and efficient initiative going forward.

Jere C. Ferguson, Senior Manager   Operations and Shared Services (OSS)
Jere Ferguson is the Senior Manager of Operations & Shared Services, managing and coordinating regulatory public safety functions including division operations, administration, quality management, process auditing and improvement. In this position, he provides direction and guidance in strategic operations and planning.

Jere brings a wealth of professional knowledge to the department. Jere has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the private sector.  He has held leadership positions such as vice-president, chief operating officer, president, and chief executive officer in both public and privately held companies. He has 30 years of active and reserve experience in the U.S. Navy, and retired as Captain (O-6). He was recalled to active duty as a field commander during Desert Storm.

Jere’s experience in lean operations and transformational leadership are helping to drive the department’s efforts to meet its visions of being Lean, Efficient, Nimble and Scalable.

Dennis W Dobias, Senior Manager, Compliance & Enforcement Service (CES)
Dennis is the Senior Manager responsible for the compliance and enforcement activities of the Regulatory Services Division. Dennis began his 17 year career with DPS in the former Vehicle Inspection Service as a Vehicle Inspection Technician in Houston. He promoted through the ranks and moved to Waco as a Regional Supervisor before being promoted to his current position as Senior Manager in Austin.

Dennis brings a wealth of knowledge and private sector experience to the department, having spent over 20 years automotive and retail business. Regarded as an innovator, Dennis constantly strives to apply sound business logic to process improvement.

Dennis is a Vietnam Era veteran having served overseas in the Republic of South Korea and is a member of the American Legion, Department of Texas, active in Veterans issues.

Dennis’s focus within the division is to create a program and philosophy of the firm but fair application of the rules and regulations that govern the regulated business entities and individuals for which the Regulatory Services Division is responsible while providing personal and financial protection to the citizens that use the services of the regulated businesses.

Jay Alexander, Major of the Regulatory Crimes Service
Major Jay Alexander oversees the Regulatory Crimes Service (RCS), which is the criminal enforcement component of the Regulatory Services Division (RSD). The Regulatory Crimes Service consists of a headquarters section commanded by a captain and four districts commanded by captains who oversee the operations of seven lieutenant areas. The lieutenant areas are comprised of highly trained agents specialized in conducting criminal investigations involving regulated businesses and individuals.

Alexander entered into law enforcement in 1993 and began his career with DPS in 1997. He was a trooper in the Texas Highway Patrol and promoted to sergeant and then to lieutenant before transferring to the Office of Inspector General where he rose to captain.

In 2010, Alexander was selected for captain in the recently created Regulatory Services Division and he was responsible for the oversight and building of the Regulatory Crimes Bureau. In 2012, Alexander was appointed to major in the renamed Regulatory Crimes Service.

Alexander is known for his leadership abilities and he believes supporting, training and equipping personnel must be a priority of management. Alexander is very proud and honored to lead such a highly effective and exceptional group of personnel. He credits each of them and the civilian support staff for building the Regulatory Crimes Service and for making it such a success. He believes hard work and dedication of every person assigned to his service is the reason it is able to effectively combat fraud and ensure the integrity of regulated programs.