Meet Your Mayor + Council Members

Rick Stopfer was re-elected to a third term as Mayor in May 2023. Stopfer was originally elected as a councilmember to the Irving City Council in 1998 and served through 2012; he was appointed Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem in 2007-2008 and Mayor Pro Tem 2008-2009. While on City Council, Mayor Stopfer was chair to the Planning and Development Committee, a member of the Audit and Finance Committee, Legislative Committee, Public Works Committee, Communications Committee, Community Services Committee and the Transportation and Natural Resources Committee.

In 2013, Mayor Stopfer was appointed by the City Council to be the Irving representative to the DART Board. While on the Board, he has served as chair of DART Revenue and Public Relations Committee, Vice-Chair of DART Rail Program Committee, a member of the DART Administrative Committee and the DART Audit Committee. He is also a member of the Trinity Railway Express Advisory Committee, the Transit Oriented Development Committee and an alternate member on the Regional Transportation Council. Mayor Stopfer is the liaison to the Irving Chamber of Commerce and the DFW Airport Board.

Mayor Stopfer has an extensive history of serving on various municipal boards and government agencies. He has served as a board member and/or a liaison to the Trinity River Corridor Advisory Committee, DFW International Airport Board, Dallas Regional Mobility Commission/TEX-21, Irving Flood Control District-Section I, Irving Flood Control DistrictSection III, North Central Texas Council of Government, National League of Cities and the Planning and Zoning Commission.

John Bloch was elected to District 1 of the Irving City Council in June 2022 and is serving his first term in office. Councilmember Bloch was appointed to Deputy Mayor Pro Tem in June 2024.

Councilmember Bloch is a web software developer and currently leads the Dallas-area development team for a DC-based technology company. He has spoken at conferences around the country and worked on projects for Fortune 500 companies.

In 2008, John graduated cum laude from the University of Dallas in Irving with a B.A. in English.

While a student, he was a member of UD’s Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity, where John helped organize and participate in community service projects in Irving.

He served as the chapter’s pledgemaster and inducted the largest pledge class in the chapter’s history. Since then, John has continued to serve the community by volunteering with soup kitchens, church community events, and school events.

Brad LaMorgese was elected at-large, to District 2, of the Irving City Council in May of 2022.

Previously, he was elected to the Irving City Council, District 6, in May of 2012 and re-elected in May of 2015. He served as Deputy Mayor Pro Tem in 2015 and Mayor Pro Tem in 2016.

Councilmember LaMorgese is Board Certified in Family Law and one of the few appellate family lawyers in Texas. He has had success in dozens of cases in Texas Appeals Courts, Texas Supreme Court and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Brad is a frequent author and lecturer on Family Law issues. Over the years he has received numerous recognitions in legal publication including The Best Lawyers in America, Texas Super Lawyers and Top 100 Lawyers in Texas.

Abdul Khabeer was elected to the office of City Council, District 3, in June 2023, becoming the first Muslim elected to public office in the City of Irving. Abdul is a passionate community leader and seasoned entrepreneur with global professional experience. Councilmember Khabeer holds a master’s in business administration.

With a career rooted in fostering growth and development, Abdul has consistently demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the betterment of his community. Abdul's entrepreneurial journey spans multiple industries, providing him with a rich, multifaceted understanding of business dynamics that are crucial for economic development. He has served on various non-profit boards and Homeowner Associations (HOA’s).

Councilmember Khabeer is ready to extend his commitment to public service as a City Council Member. His vision for the city is anchored on the principles of diversity, accountability, and inclusion. He aims to foster growth by promoting small businesses, enhancing public safety, community engagement and improving infrastructure in South Irving.

Luis Canosa was elected to the Irving City Council, District 4, in June 2024, becoming the youngest Councilmember in Irving’s history to be elected when he was 24.

Canosa is a professional violinist and a successful business owner, who runs a piano restoration and refurbishing operation.

Before stepping up to serve in the City Council, Luis performed in over 30 charity concerts in Irving.

Mark Cronenwett was elected to the Irving City Council in June 2023 to represent District 5. Mark was born and raised in Monroe, Michigan. An alumnus of the University of Dallas and the Catholic University of America Law School, Mark is a financial services, business, and real estate litigator at Mackie, Wolf, Zientz & Mann.

Mark began his legal career at the Tenth District Court of Appeals in Waco. He came to Dallas to join Kuntz & Bonesio in 1997 and moved to Fanning Harper & Martinson in 1998. Mark later joined Cowles & Thompson where he practiced for 10 years before joining Higier Allen & Lautin. He joined Mackie Wolf Zientz & Mann in 2012 and serves as the Managing Attorney of the firm’s Litigation Section.

After moving to Irving, Mark began his service to the community as a YMCA coach. He was member of the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau and La Buena Vida Foundation and served as Chairman of the Board of the Irving YMCA. Mark has been appointed to the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 1, the 2019 Municipal Bond Commission and the Planning and Zoning Commission. Councilman Cronenwett currently serves on the Community Services Committee and the Transportation and Natural Resources Committee. He is the council liaison for the Dallas County Utility Reclamation District (DCURD) and the Irving Flood Control District, Section I.

Albert (Al) Zapanta was re-elected to District 6 of the Irving City Council in May 2024 and is serving his third term in office.

Councilmember Zapanta is President and CEO of the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, which operates eight regional offices in the United States and eight in Mexico. He was the founding member and Chief Executive Officer of PAZ Resources, LLC, and was Chief Executive Officer of PAZ Energy. Al worked in upstream operations of Atlantic Richfield Co. (ARCO Oil & Gas) and retired as Director of Governmental Affairs. He was responsible for negotiations with U.S. and Mexican governments on oil and gas matters and coordinated ARCO’S effort to deregulate the natural gas market, which later became the Natural Gas Policy Act.

Al is a retired Major General, U.S. Army. His military record includes the award of the Silver Star, 5 Bronze Stars for Valor, the Purple Heart, and 30 other awards during the Vietnam War era. He was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Restore Hope in Somalia and Restore Democracy in Haiti.

Zapanta held numerous Presidential appointments throughout his career, including White House Fellow with the U.S Department of Transportation, Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Management and Administration, U.S. State Department Advisory Committee on International Trade Technology and Development, and private sector delegate to the U.S.- Mexico Partnership for Prosperity and Chairman for the Reserve Forces Policy Board, U.S. Department of Defense.

Al has a BA in Industrial Psychology, MA in Public Administration and has completed work for his PhD in International Political Economics from the University of Southern California. He graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Business, the Inter-American Defense College at the National War College, Washington, D.C.

Dennis Webb was re-elected at large, to District 8, of the Irving City Council in May 2024 and is serving his second term. He was appointed as Mayor Pro Tem in June 2024 and was Deputy Mayor Pro Tem in 2023. Previously, Webb served as the District 3 council person for nine years from 2011 to 2020.

Dennis has lived in the City of Irving for over 30 years, graduating from Nimitz High School in 1977. After 30 years of service with the Grand Prairie Fire Department, where he served as Lieutenant for 19 years, Dennis retired in 2014. He is the founder and Senior Pastor of the Bear Creek Community Church in Irving.