Our Staff

The staff at Kirkwood & Darby is committed to meeting the needs of our clientele. We stay abreast of developments in the property tax industry with continuing education and training. We take pride in our ability to work with our clients and bring a level of professionalism unmatched in the industry.

Debbie R. Welch, Property Tax Consultant

Ms. Welch has been with the firm since 1988 and specializes in the administration and management of property taxes on royalty interests and non-producing mineral interests. She also has the responsibility of directing our tax payment service. She currently is responsible for overseeing approximately 25,000 mineral interests and is responsible for tax payments exceeding $2.3 million. She is a member of the Texas Association of Property Tax Professionals and is a registered Texas Property Tax Consultant.

D. Bruce (Skip) Kongable II, Senior Property Tax Consultant

Mr. Kongable joined the firm in September 1991 after seven (7) years at a competing firm. Prior to that he was employed by the Parker County Central Appraisal District. He is currently responsible for approximately one hundred (100) million dollars of industrial plant property and two hundred (200) million dollars of pipelines. Mr. Kongable holds a Masters Degree in Agricultural Economics with an emphasis on Real Estate Economics from Texas A & M University. He has served on the Personal Property Committee of the Texas Association of Property Tax Professionals including one term as chairman. He is also a member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation and is a registered Texas Senior Property Tax Consultant.

Ronnie L. Marino, Property Tax Consultant

Mr. Marino joined the firm on December 1, 2008. He has worked in the Ad Valorem Tax field for over 30 years. He has appraised oil and gas properties for a major Appraisal Firm, and worked at Tarrant County Appraisal District for 10 years in Business Personal Property. While at the Appraisal District he earned his RPA designation in 1995. In 2001 he became a registered tax consultant and has worked major commercial, personal and Industrial accounts accross the United States.

Jeff A. Hammonds, Property Tax Consultant

Mr. Hammonds joined the firm in October, 2009 after (10) years as an appraiser for Pritchard & Abbott, Inc., where he specialized in the valuation of over $1.8 billion in industrial, utility and business personal property throughout the State of Texas. Prior to that, he was employed by the Tarrant Appraisal District for approximately two years as a residential appraiser. Mr. Hammonds holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Real Estate from Tarleton State University. He is a member of the Texas Association of Property Tax Professionals and is a registered Texas Property Tax Consultant.

Richard A. Yeager, P.E., Consulting Engineer

Mr. Yeager graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He has been employed by Amoco Production Company, W.R. Grace & Company, Southland Royalty Company and Marshall R. Young Oil Company before forming his own consultant petroleum engineering firm in 1986. He has provided consultant engineering support for the Railroad Commission of Texas and has appeared before numerous Appraisal Review Boards on behalf of operators.