Executive Advisory Committee
Learn about your peers and colleagues serving on the committee.
DR. WALTER WENDLER, CO-CHAIR
Wendler has served as president of West Texas A&M University since September 2016. He comes to WTAMU from Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale, where he served as chancellor from 2001-2007. He later returned to teaching architecture and retired as director of the School of Architecture at SIU at the end of 2015. Before joining SIU, Wendler served as vice chancellor for Planning and System Integration at The Texas A&M University System. He previously had served as executive assistant to the president, dean of the College of Architecture and other administrative and faculty roles at Texas A&M University in College Station.
DON POWELL, CO-CHAIR
Don has more than 50 years of experience in the banking industry, beginning in 1963 with First Federal Savings and Loan of Amarillo. He joined Amarillo’s First National Bank in 1971 and was named the institution’s chief executive officer in 1987. He later bought the Fritch State Bank, moved it to Amarillo as the First National Bank and served as its president and CEO. Powell also was a member of the Board of Regents for The Texas A&M University System, serving as its chairman for four years. In 2001, he was named the 16th chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation by President George W. Bush and the federal coordinator of Gulf Coast Rebuilding in 2005. Powell has served on the boards of Bank of America, Stone Energy, QRE Energy and is currently a member of several private boards. The 1959 graduate of Palo Duro High School graduate earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics in 1963 from what was then known as West Texas State University. He also is a graduate of Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University.
SALEM ABRAHAM
Salem is the president of Abraham Trading Company, a company he launched in 1988. His company is no stranger to East Coast publicity, garnering recognition from Barron’s and the New York Times. Salem and wife, Ruth Ann, established the Salem & Ruth Ann Abraham Endowed Dance Scholarship for WT dance majors. They also established, along with T. Boone Pickens, the Pickens-Abraham Foundation to aid all aspiring college students from Hemphill and Roberts counties. Salem graduated cum laude with a B.B.A. in finance in 1987 from the University of Notre Dame.
JIM AUSTIN
Jim has developed, owned and operated business interests that include banking, oil and gas, farming and ranching, real estate and manufacturing. He is presently the president of the Amarillo Independent School District Board of Trustees. He has served on various boards including the Amarillo College Foundation, Potter/Randall County Appraisal District Review Board, the Texas Tech Medical School Advisory Board, the United Way of Canyon and Amarillo and Amarillo Chamber of Commerce. Jim graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.B.A. in 1974.
JOE AUSTIN
Joe, a resident of Washington state, is the co-founder of the S20 Group. He is the former general manager of Microsoft Managed Solutions and COO of Microsoft Worldwide Services and general manager of Integrated Solutions Development. Joe and his wife, Rhoanna, established the Joseph and Rhoanna (Griego) Austin Scholarship in 2007 for students pursuing careers in nursing or computer information systems. He graduated from WT in 1979 with a degree in computer information systems and received a WT Distinguished Alumni Award in 2003. The Austin’s are Old Main Society members at the Sustainer level.
MIKE BAIN
Mike, president of First United Bank, has served on the WTAMU Foundation Board, the WTAMU College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences Advisory Board and the Canyon Main Street Advisory Board. He is a member of Old Main Society at the Sustainer level. Mike played football for the Buffs and has continued to be a big supporter of WT athletics. His generous support was instrumental in the naming of the Bain Athletic Center and the First United Bank Center. He graduated from WT in 1990 with a B.S. in agriculture business and economics.
DR. KELLY BEIERSCHMITT
Kelly is the Deputy Director Operations of Los Alamos National Laboratory. He has worked more than 30 years in the service of critical DOE missions. His entire career has emphasized the synergistic integration of science, technology and engineering with operational excellence. Kelly has a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Texas Tech University and a BSc in engineering mathematics from West Texas A&M University. He is currently registered as a Professional Engineer, Certified Safety Professional in Comprehensive Practice, and is a member of the American Nuclear Society, Materials Research Society, and other professional societies.
SCOTT BENTLEY
Scott is the Amarillo market president and serves on the Board of Directors at First United Bank. A Perryton native, Scott is very active in his community having served on numerous civic boards. The most recent ones include Golden Spread Council of Boy Scouts, where he currently serves as president, board member and past campaign co-chair of Amarillo/Canyon United Way and founding board member and past president of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He also serves on two boards with the City of Amarillo focused on downtown revitalization.
CARL BIRDSONG
Carl is the president and chief compliance officer of Maxor Pharmacy in Amarillo. He was a National Football League punter for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1981-1985. He attended WT before transferring to Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). He graduated with honors from SWOSU School of Pharmacy in 1983. He was inducted into the WT Hall of Champions in 1994 and the Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
MARK BIVINS
Mark is a rancher and partner in Corsino Cattle Company. He currently serves on the board of the WTAMU Foundation and the Buffalo Council. He is a former commissioner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the current vice chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. Mark is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and a member of the University of Texas Chancellor’s Council. He also is a member of the Texas A&M Chancellor’s Council, the Texas Cattle Feeders Association and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. He is past chairman of the following boards: The McDonald Observatory Board of Visitors, St. Andrew’s Day School, the Amarillo Area Foundation, the Don and Sybil Harrington Foundation and the Don Harrington Discovery Center. Mark also helped establish the Betty Teel Bivins Leadership Scholarship as well as the Teel Bivins Professor of American Politics Professorship at WT.
TOM BIVINS
Tom is the vice-president and director of Excel Cattle Company and a founding partner of Corsino Cattle Company. He serves as the vice-chairman for grants and scholarships of the Mary E. Bivins Foundation and a former board member for the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation. Bivins has a B.S. in sociology from Westminster College and a B.S. in ranch management from Texas Christian University.
RON BOYD
Ron is president of Duncan & Boyd Jewelers. He attended Amarillo College (AC) and was named an AC distinguished alumnus in 2015. Ron transferred to WT and earned a bachelor’s degree. He went on to become a certified gemologist appraiser, the most prestigious title bestowed by the American Gem Society. In 1994, he was campaign co-chair for the United Way. He was named the Amarillo Globe-News Man of the Year in 2008.
EDDIE BRADLEY
Eddie is the CEO of AutoInc., a conglomerate of automobile dealerships which includes Texas Dodge, Tri-State Ford, Autoplex BMW, Amarillo Hyundai, All Star Dodge Chrysler Jeep and All Star Family Ford in Amarillo and a number of other dealership outside of Potter and Randall counties. Eddie received his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Southern Methodist University in 1965.
KARL BRADLEY
Karl has been a human resource consultant for KWB Enterprises, Inc. since 1998. He was a consultant for TXU Energy from 1998 through 2005. He is now caregiver for his mom and works as a contractual concession operational manager for the Fort Worth School District. Karl is a 1986 WT graduate in general studies. He served with David Willis on the 2010 and 2012 African American Student Reunion and helped spearhead the efforts to bring his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, back to WT. He and William Fifer are currently co-chairs of the “Maurice Cheeks Bronze Statue & Endowment Scholarship Campaign.”
JIM J. BREWER
Jim J. is the co-founder and president of J-Brex Company. With nearly 30 years in the oil and gas industry, he served as director of Sandridge Energy, Inc. from 2011-2016. In 1999, he co-founded EnergyNet.com, Inc. and currently serves as a director. He has degrees in geology and mathematics from WT. He serves as a member of the advisory board at FirstCapital Bank of Texas. Jim J. is a board member of the WTAMU Foundation and a founding member of The Buffalo Council, a group supporting WTAMU. He has been named a 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. He also is an avid hunter.
BILL BRITAIN
Bill is the co-founder, chairman and president of ENET Holdings, LLC. In 1999 he co-founded EnergyNet, Inc. and J-Brex Company in 1987. EnergyNet is based in Amarillo with offices in Houston, Dallas, Midland, Oklahoma City and Denver and is the largest on-line oil and gas acquisition and divestiture adviser in the United States. In 2000, EnergyNet sold the first-ever oil and gas property on the internet. More than 55,000 properties valued at $4.1 billion have sold through the platform for clients like Chevron, Shell, Conoco Phillips and the Bureau of Land Management, plus 5,000 other sellers to over 20,000 buyers in all 50 states. Bill, an Amarillo native, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served in the United States Army Infantry. He holds FINRA Series 63, 22 and 39 securities licenses and is a licensed Texas auctioneer. Bill is a past president of St. Andrews Episcopal School and a founding member of the Buffalo Council.
CONEY BURGESS
Coney has served as the president and chairman of the Burgess-Herring Ranch Company since 1972 and as a member of the boards of Chain-C, Inc. Herring Bank, Southwestern Public Service Company and Xcel Energy. Coney is a Director Emeritus for Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch. Additionally, he has served as the president of the board of directors of the Harrington Cancer Center and the Downtown Rotary Club of Amarillo. Coney also has served on the boards of the American Quarter Horse Association, the National Cattleman’s Beef Association and as chairman of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. He received a B.S. and a B.A from Mississippi State University in 1960 and a postgraduate degree in 1964.
DAVID COLE
David enjoyed a 34-year career with Southwestern Bell/AT&T in St. Louis, Mo. and Dallas prior to his retirement in 2004. He’s been on the AT&T Cotton Bowl Board and was a board member of the Field & Mary Scovell Foundation. In 2007, he was inducted into the Missouri Athletic Club Hall of Fame and in 2009, he was inducted into the WT Hall of Champions. David graduated WT in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics.
THE REV. JAMES COLLINS
James has served as the pastor for Mount Zion Baptist Church in Amarillo since 1998. He also has served as pastor for several other Baptist churches in Texas including Corsicana (1995-1998) Cuney (1986-1995) and Pittsburg (1981-1986). James was honored for 18 years of service by the Original West Texas Baptist District Association, where he served as the 2016 moderator for the annual congress and association meeting.
STEVE DALRYMPLE
Steve is president, CEO and general counsel of Baptist Community Services. Steve is also president, CEO and general counsel of the High Plains Christian Ministries Foundation. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Baylor University in 1973 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas School of Law in 1976.
HASSAN DANA
Hassan and his wife, Jill, are co-owners of the Amarillo/Canyon McDonald’s franchises. As Connecticut natives, they visited Amarillo in 2004 and were sold on the lifestyle and friendly community. Hassan is a graduate of the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. The Danas have been generous supporters of the Amarillo Symphony and WTAMU, where their generosity has placed them in the President’s Circle and the Old Main Society at the Sustainer level.
SCOTT DOORES
Scott is the owner of Scott Doores Management Trust. He was the former president and owner of AudioTel Corporation before selling the company in 2007. He established the Scott Doores Scholarship Fund at WT for former Perryton High School students. Scott earned a bachelor’s degrees in education and English from WT in 1974. He’s a 2006 inductee into the WT Hall of Champions and a member of the Old Main Society at the Patron level.
F. SCOTT DUESER
Scott is chairman, president and CEO of First Financial Bankshares, Inc. He is immediate past president of the International Financial Conference and has served as chairman of the Texas Tech Board of Regents and the Texas Bankers Association. Scott currently serves on the boards of the Texas Tech Alumni Association and the Abilene Industrial Foundation and is a former board member of the Texas Tech Foundation. He was the 2009 Outstanding Citizen of the Year for Abilene and was inducted into the 2015 Texas Bankers Hall of Fame. Scott earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Texas Tech University in 1975 and a graduate degree from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University in 1981. He is recognized as a distinguished alumnus of both universities.
PAUL ENGLER
Paul was the founder of Cactus Feeders, which under his leadership, grew to be the largest cattle feeding operation in the world. Recently Paul, through the Paul F. and Virginia J. Engler Foundation, committed to funding $1 million a year in perpetuity to WTAMU, making it the largest gift in the university’s history and the largest gift to any university in the state of Texas in 2017. In response, The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has granted naming rights to the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences and the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business. Paul graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1948 with a degree in agriculture and received that university’s Distinguished Alumni Award. He has received numerous honors throughout his career which include induction into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame and the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame. He has been active with the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Texas Cattle Feeders Association. Paul is a former WTAMU Foundation Board member.
ALEX FAIRLY
Alex is president of The Fairly Group. He began his career as a database analyst and worked his way through the ranks until he was hired as an insurance producer at HRH, world’s largest publicly-traded insurance and risk management company. HRH became Willis Towers Watson, which then became The Fairly Group in 2016 when he bought the company. Alex earned a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from WT in 1985 and received a WTAMU Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017. His commitment to the revitalization of downtown Amarillo has provided the necessary leadership for a new multi-purpose event venue and the signing of a professional baseball team to call it home.
GARY FLETCHER
Gary is the president of the Salt Fork Family Ranch Management, LLC. Gary and his family ride in team penning events, using the same horses they use to work the ranch. He is the former president of the United States Team Penning Association. Gary loves the sport for “the competition.” He has been in the banking business for 34 years and the ranching business for 45 years. Gary served in the United States Army with one tour in Vietnam. He is an executive committee member and a former president of the Tri-State Exposition Executive Board, Chairman and Member of the Bivins Foundation Board of Directors and a former member of the WTAMU Foundation Board. Gary’s wife is a 1970 graduate of WTAMU.
BOB GARRETT
Bob is a broker/owner of Coldwell Banker First Equity, Realtors. He has been in the commercial real estate and real estate development business since 1975. He is a past president of the Texas Association of Realtors and a past Realtor of the Year for the State of Texas. Bob, a former member of the WTAMU Foundation Board, earned a B.B.A. from WT in 1973.
J. GAUT
J. is a fourth generation Amarillo real estate broker and a partner in Gaut, Whittenburg, Emerson Commercial Real Estate. After 32 years, he has developed a specialty of assisting buyers with their acquisitions of land, investment properties, net leased properties and 1031 exchange alternatives. He attended New Mexico Military Institute and earned a bachelor’s degree in international business from the University of Texas in 1982. J. is an advisory director for First Capital Bank of Texas and sits on the advisory board at the University of Texas School of Social Work.
BILL GILLILAND
Bill leads The Gilliland Group, an umbrella for companies with real estate holdings and oil and gas interests. Bill began his career in the automobile business by working as a cashier for his uncle W. J. Helms, owner of Plains Chevrolet in Amarillo. Bill eventually became the president and chairman of the board and later formed Cross-Continent Auto Retailers, Inc. amassing a chain of dealerships in Amarillo, Oklahoma City, Las Vegas and Denver. Cross-Continent, under Gilliland’s leadership, became the first automobile dealership to publicly trade shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Bill led the campaign to raise the necessary $30 million to build the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts. He received a B.B.A. in accounting from North Texas State University. Bill was named Amarillo Globe-News Man of the Year in 2006, Maverick Boys & Girls Club Man of the Year in 2000 and received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of North Texas.
PAUL HARPOLE
Paul joined the army in 1968, after graduating from high school. From 1969-1971, he served two tours of duty in Vietnam. He received an Army Commendation Medal and 19 Army Air Medals. He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was affiliated with the Kappa Alpha social fraternity and graduated from the Anderson School of Management in 1976. In 1982, Harpole became the vice president and general manager of John Chandler Ford. He left in 2009 to start Paul Harpole Motors. He served as mayor of Amarillo from 2011–2017, and before this served two years on the Amarillo City Council. Paul was instrumental in advancing the revitalization of Amarillo’s Center City.
JOLLY HAYDEN
Jolly is the chief operations officer for Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc. Jolly currently serves on the advisory boards of both the School of Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics at WT as well as the Power & Energy Institute of Kentucky. He also is a senior adviser with NEAH Energy Asset Management. He has served as the president and board member of the Working Group for Investment in Reliable & Economic Electric Systems (WIRES). Locally,Jolly serves as an executive board member of the 7 Star Therapeutic Riding Center. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky (1983) and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Eastern Kentucky University (1991).
JACK HAYWARD
Jack owned and operated the First State Bank in Elkhart, Kan. He came to WT as aretiree and earned a master’s degree in professional counseling in 2006. Jack was alsopart of the WT marching band. He and his wife, Helene, gifted WT with the HaywardSpirit Tower and have supported the marching band, arts program, Panhandle-PlainsHistorical Museum and the Buffalo Habitat. He serves on the WT Veterans War MemorialCommittee. Jack and Helene are Old Main Society members at the Patron level andreceived the WT Pinnacle Award in 2012.
J. PAT HICKMAN
Pat has been chairman and CEO of Happy State Bank and Trust Company for more than 28 years. He and a group of investors purchased Happy State Bank, a $10 million financial institution with six employees, in 1990. It has since grown to $3.4 billion and employs more than 700 people in 25 communities. Pat attended Texas Tech University and WTAMU. He served on the WTAMU Foundation Board and currently serves on the Texas Tech University Foundation Board. His commitment to civic responsibility led to a leadership gift in 2006 and the naming of the Happy State Bank Studio Theatre in the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex. His continued support of WT over the years has led to the recent naming of the Happy State Bank Academic and Research Building in the new agricultural sciences Complex. This marked the largest gift given to any organization by Happy State Bank.
JERRY HODGE
Jerry is the founder of Maxor National Pharmacy Services Corp. Beginning with a single pharmacy in Amarillo, Jerry created a company that continues to build on its legacy of innovation and service. With corporate offices in Amarillo, the company also has regional offices in 13 states. Hodge is a former mayor of Amarillo and a former member of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. He also served on the Texas State Board of Pharmacy for six years and as its president for one term. Hodge earned a degree at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1965 and has been a major player in supporting the building of downtown Amarillo’s new multi-purpose event venue and securing the professional baseball team that will call it home.
THE HONORABLE ERNIE HOUDASHELL
Ernie has served as Randall County judge for 15 years and oversees all actions of the Randall County Commissioner’s Court. His other court responsibilities include Probate, Guardianship Court and Mental Health Court. Ernie has a B.S. degree from WT and was involved in the WTAMU Veterans War Memorial groundbreaking as a Vietnam veteran.
DAVID HUDSON
David is the president of Xcel Energy—New Mexico and Texas. He received a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Texas Tech University in 1983 and a master’s degree in business administration from WT in 1990. In conjunction with Xcel Energy, David assisted in financial support to the WT’s School of Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics while establishing new internships for students majoring in electrical engineering. He volunteers with United Way and currently serves on or has served the boards of numerous civic groups, including Amarillo Parks and Recreation Commission, The Bridge, Amarillo Chamber of Commerce and the Panhandle Twenty/20 strategic planning group.
MIKE HUGHES
Mike serves as president of FMC Management, Inc. Family Medicine Centers is made up of a comprehensive network of primary and urgent care clinics throughout Amarillo and Canyon. Mike and his family own the Prairie Dog River Ranch in Palo Duro Canyon and have recently helped to enact a conservation easement to protect the ranch against development.
KYLE INGHAM
Kyle was named the executive director of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission (PRPC)in 2017 after serving as the PRPC’s director of local government services. He graduated from WTAMU with a B.B.A. in business in 2001 and an M.A. in political science in 2008.
DR. ALAN KEISTER
Alan is a practicing physician and an associate clinical professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo. Alan is the founder of Heal the City, a free clinic which provides urgent care to the uninsured of our city and seeks to connect them to existing health care resources. After graduating from Baylor University with a bachelor’s degree in biology, he attended the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and graduated in 1996. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and later served as chief resident at St. Thomas Hospital.
MUFF LONDON
Muff is currently the director of operations at The Greenways subdivision in Amarillo. In 2006, Muff became a partner in DDS, a specialized plant-based and on-site shredding business. She earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations and advertising from Texas Tech University. Muff helped create the Mariwyn McPherson Webb Memorial Scholarship at WT honoring the memory of her good friend.
DR. RUSSELL LONG
Russell served as WT’s ninth president from 1995-2005. He previously served as the University’s provost and vice president for academic affairs before being named interim president. He received unanimous endorsement for the presidency from the TAMUS Board of Regents. Russell earned a bachelor’s degree from Sul Ross State University in 1965, a master’s degree from New Mexico State University in 1967 and a doctoral degree from Texas A&M University in 1977.
JOHN LUTZ
John is the vice president of sales and marketing for Davidson Oil and directs all of the sales-related efforts for Davidson’s five integrated businesses. For more than 15 years, he has worked in downstream petroleum, focusing on sales, supply and technology. He holds two degrees from Southwestern University in Georgetown and has pursued graduate studies at Texas A&M University. John serves as the chairman of Amarillo’s Local Government Corporation formed for the purpose of managing the redevelopment of downtown Amarillo and has held leadership roles with Downtown Amarillo Inc. and Center City.
JOHN H. MARKMADUKE
John is the president of John H. Marmaduke Family Limited Partnership, managing member of New Normal LLC and a partner in Chop Chop Japanese Steakhouse LP. He previously served as chairman and CEO of Amarillo’s Hastings Entertainment Inc. (1976-2014) and president and CEO of Western Merchandisers Inc. of Amarillo (1982-1994). John is an active community member and currently serves as vice chairman for the Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation and as a board member for the Amarillo Museum of Art and Amarillo Recovery From Alcohol and Drugs. He is a past chairman for the Harrington Cancer Center and the Amarillo Area Foundation and a past president of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers. John was inducted into the Variety Home Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Amarillo High School Hall of Fame in 2009. He received the WTAMU Pinnacle Award in 2008 and the Humanitarian Award from the American Jewish Committee of New York in 1993. He was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Southwest Retail/Consumer Products Industry in 1998.
BRAD MARTIN
Brad is a consultant for mechanical engineering and business management. He was president and CEO of Scottco Mechanical Contractors for more than 18 years. He previously served as a business coach at Nexstar Network and is one of the founding trustees and board members for the Nexstar Legacy Foundation. He received both hisbachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and his M.B.A. from Texas Tech University.Brad currently serves on the advisory board for the WT Enterprise Center in Amarillo.He has served in leadership roles for several organizations, including the AmarilloEconomic Development Corporation, Amarillo Executive Association, Eveline River’sSunshine Cottage and the Better Business Bureau.
CHRIS MATTHEWS
Chris is a director of the WTAMU Foundation and has served as a WT COFAH Advisory Board member. She has also served on the board of directors of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and the Amarillo Area Foundation. She is also very interested in creating an artist-in-residence in Clarendon where school children can go to see presentations as a way of generating artistic activity in the rural areas of the Panhandle.
GREG MITCHELL
Greg is the president and CEO of Toot’n Totum Food Stores, L.L.C. He has 45 years of grocery and petroleum retailing experience. He established the Toot’n Totum Endowed Scholarship at WT, which includes gifts from Toot’n Totum as well as revenue generated from ticket sales from the I AM WT scholarship raffle. Greg was appointed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by former Gov. William Clements and has served on the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Amarillo and Canyon, the Don and Sybil Harrington Foundation and Amarillo Area Foundation. Greg earned a B.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma in 1973.
PUFF NIEGOS
Puff is a CPA and Treasurer of HB Realty and has ties to Western Sales Testing. She is President of the WTAMU Foundation. Puff helped establish the WTAMU Community Partnership for Learning Disabilities Resource Center to help aid the lack of local resources for learning disabled children and continues to be very involved with this initiative. Puff graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.B.A. in Accounting in 1985. She serves the community on various boards including the Amarillo Area Foundation, and the Golden Spread Council of Boy Scouts of America
ALICE O’BRIEN
Alice is passionate about Amarillo. She currently serves on the WTAMU Foundation Board and is a past board member for the Amarillo Area Foundation and the Amarillo Museum of Art. Alice has served on school boards for the Amarillo Independent School District, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch. Alice is a past member of the Mary Bivins Foundation Board, Harrington Foundation Board and currently serves on the St. Andrews Foundation. The Bill and Alice O’Brien Education Center at the Amarillo Zoo is dedicated to school and group programs, teacher workshops and special exhibits for families. She was named Woman of the Year by Amarillo Globe-News in 2007. Alice graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1964 with a B.A. in English literature and art history.
LARRY OLDHAM
Larry is the founder, former president and CEO of Parallel Petroleum Corporation in Midland. He has served as director of the Midland Country Club and Petroleum Club of Midland. He and his wife, Sandy, are co-owners of Oldham Properties. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from WT in 1975. He was named Man of the Year at WT in 1975 and received a WT Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012.
JUDGE MORRIS OVERSTREET
Judge Morris Overstreet made history when he was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest court in the state of Texas. He became the first African American elected to statewide office in the history of the state of Texas. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Angelo State University and a law degree from Texas Southern University (TSU) School of Law in 1975. He served at TSU as a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law, director of the Legal Clinic and professor of evidence and criminal procedure classes. He served five years as a prosecutor in the 47th Judicial District Attorney’s office and later advanced to first assistant district attorney. He then presided over the Potter County Court for four years.
GEORGE RAFFKIND
George, is the third-generation owner of Raffkind’s, a family business and luxury specialty retailer established in 1910 in Amarillo. He has played a leadership role in a number of civic affairs in Amarillo. He sold the store in 2016, but remains connected to his longtime customers and employees. He currently managers Raffkind Family Investments.
DYKE ROGERS
Dyke is highly invested in agriculture, fuel and real estate. He is a managing partner of Frontier Fuel Co., North Texas Gas Co. and Rogco Management. Dyke and wife, Terry, are both supporters of WT, mainly to the Dyke and Terry Rogers Leadership Education and Development Progrom (LEAD WT) and also to athletics, sponsorships and professorships. Dyke served on the WTAMU Foundation board as president from September 2013 until August 2015. Dyke graduated from WT with a B.B.A. in business and economics in 1970. He and Terry received the Old Main Society’s Pinnacle Award in 2014. He has served as a trustee for Dalhart ISD, president of the Lions Club, president of Dalhart’s Chamber of Commerce, chairman of People’s Church Board of Elders and was Dalhart’s Citizen of the Year in 2000. Locally, he is former board chairman of the Amarillo Area Foundation, Harrington Foundation and served on the Harrington Regional Medical Campus board. Dyke and Terry were awarded the Association of Fundraising Professionals National Philanthropy Day 2014 Family Philanthropic Spirit Award.
JERRY ROHANE P.E.
Jerry is the president and co-owner of Western Builders of Amarillo, Inc., a general contractor in Amarillo. Western Builders has been the general contractor on a number of projects at WT, including Centennial Hall, Founders Hall, JBK Student Center, Classroom Center, the Agricultural Sciences Complex and the Engineering and Computer Science Building. He serves as an advisory director for First National Bank of Midland. He also currently serves on the board of directors of the First Capital Bank of Texas, N.A.
RODNEY RUTHART
Rodney is the executive vice president and chief credit officer at First United Bank. As an alumnus, he has served on Cal Farley’s board of directors since 2009 and served as chair from 2013-2017. Rodney also has served as vice chair and secretary of Cal Farley’s Foundation since 2013. Rodney previously served on the Potter-Randall County Child Welfare Board, Amarillo Education Foundation,Buffalo Club Association and Amarillo Area Court Appointed Special Advocates, Inc., the Amarillo Hospital District Board of Managers and the Amarillo Firemen’s Relief and Retirement Fund Board. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance at WT in 1987.
DAVID SCHAEFFER
David is a CPA in Dimmitt. He also has interests in multiple companies including First United Bank, Bar G Feedyard and Frontier Capital Group. He is the chairman of the board at First United Bank. David graduated from WT in 1979 with a B.B.A. in accounting. He is a WT Foundation Board member and has helped create several endowments including the Shawn David Schaeffer Memorial President’s Honor Scholarship and the David and Sherry Schaeffer Experiential Learning Scholarship. He and wife, Sherry, are Old Main Society members at the Sustainer level. He also is a supporter of various other charities and organizations and has been nominated for a Golden Nail Award for multiple years.
STANLEY SCHAEFFER
Stanley is a business leader, philanthropist and distinguished alumnus of WT. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from WT in 1955 and an M.B.A. in 1970. Stanley also has been inducted into the Canyon High School Hall of Fame. He received a Golden Nail Award from the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce and the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Stanley served on the WTAMU Foundation board of directors. He and his late wife, Geneva, are Old Main Society members at the Benefactor level. They also received the inaugural WT Pinnacle Award in 2005. In 2017, the Dr. Geneva Schaeffer STEM Lab for Educator Preparation opened at WT as a result of Stanley’s generosity.
EDWARD “EDDIE” SCOTT
After three decades as a real estate lawyer and CPA, Eddie Scott became a land developer in Amarillo, when he launched The Greenways sub-division project. He is an original shareholder in both Matador Petroleum Corporation and Matador Resources Company. He was a CPA at Price Waterhouse & Co. and an attorney at Gibson, Ochsner & Adkins. He served on the West Texas State University Board of Regents. He earned a B.B.A. in accounting from WT in 1962 and a L.L.B. from The University of Texas School of Law in 1965. Scott is a founding member of the Buffalo Council, an independent organization formed to support West Texas A&M University and is being honored as a 2018 Distinguished Alumnus.
STAN SIGMAN
Stan grew up in Hereford. The decision to complete his education at WT opened opportunities for him with Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., where he eventually became president and chief executive officer of Southwestern Bell Mobile System. He eventually joined Cingular Wireless as president and chief executive officer, then orchestrated the purchase of AT&T Wireless and formed the partnership with Steve Jobs and Apple that brought us the soon-to-be iPhone. Stan earned a B.B.A. from WT in 1970. Through the Stan and Gerry Sigman Foundation, the Sigman’s have been supportive of many WT students. Room and board scholarships were established in memory of his late grandmother, Oma Sigman, who ran a boarding house for boys across the street from the Joseph A. Hill Memorial Chapel. More recently, the Stan and Gerry Sigman Foundation made a significant lead gift in support of the new Agricultural Sciences Complex.
LES SIMPSON
Les served as publisher of the Amarillo Globe-News from 2002-2018 and as regional publisher for the Morris Publishing Group since 2012. He previously served as managing editor and executive editor with the Athens Banner-Herald and the copy editor for The Augusta Chronicle. In 2017, he was elected president of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. He served in several community roles including chairing a United Way campaign and serving as its president in 2006. He helped to establish the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts and served as the founding chairman of Downtown Amarillo, Inc. He also served on the WTAMU Foundation board of directors. Les is a graduate of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and also the University of Georgia in 1987.
DR. AUBREY SMITH
Aubrey is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with more than 25 years of experience. His practice is focused on shoulder surgery and complex arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the upper extremity and the knee. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. His education includes Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, the University of Texas, the University of Kentucky, Mayo Clinic, the Shriner’s Hospital in Lexington and the Christine Kleinert Institute. He is an active member of the community and has supported many Amarillo and Panhandle charitable organizations.
BOB STEWART
Bob is the former chief financial officer for a local oil and gas engineering firm and a licensed CPA. The Friona native earned a B.B.A. in accounting from WT in 1972. He and his wife, Mary, have been faithful Buffalo Club members for 35 years and in 2016, they established the Bob and Mary Stewart Athletics Scholarship Endowment.
LAURA STREET
Laura is a private consultant and serves on the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation Board. She is the former executive director of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She is the chairwoman of the Panhandle Behavioral Health Alliance, the founding executive director of the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts and serves on the Amarillo Symphony Board. Laura is the former president of the WT Foundation Board. She was named Woman of the Year by the Amarillo Globe-News in 2006. Laura earned a B.S.N. in 1984 and a master’s in nursing in 1988. She is being honored as a 2018 Distinguished Alumnus.
JOHNNY TROTTER
Johnny owns Bar G Feed Yard and is president of Livestock Investors, Ltd. His generosity, leadership and commitment have earned him numerous accolades and awards including being inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Tri-State Western Heritage Hall of Fame in 2006. Johnny was honored with the Chester A. Reynolds Award by The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 2017. Johnny is a past president of the American Quarter Horse Association. He has been active with many charitable organizations. The Hereford Lions Club named him Deaf Smith County 2005 Citizen of the Year. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Agricultural Business and Economics from WT in 2015. Johnny and wife, Jana, have demonstrated their commitment to higher education through the establishment of scholarships and support of programs at WTAMU including their most recent gift establishing the Dr. Johnny and Jana Trotter Honors Scholarship in Agriculture.
CHARLES “CHARLIE” VAUGHAN
Charlie retired as the chairman and CEO of Atmos Energy. In 1983, he was named CEO of Energas where he served as a board member from 1997-2012. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business from WT in 1965 and received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006. He and his wife, Barbara, who is a WT alumna, are longtime supporters of the university. Their support includes the establishment of a President’s Honor Scholarship. In 2013, recognizing Charlie’s many years of service, Atmos Energy named the pedestrian mall the Charles K. and Barbara Kerr Vaughan Pedestrian Mall. They are Old Main Society members at the Benefactor level and received the WT Pinnacle Award in 2013.
RICHARD WARE II
Richard is the chairman of Amarillo National Bank, the largest family-owned bank in the United States. Richard earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 1968 and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He has served on the board of trustees for SMU, where he was voted Trustee of the Year on three occasions and received a SMU Distinguished Alumni Award in 2008. Richard and Amarillo National Bank are huge supporters of WT, having made gifts to virtually all areas of the University. They provided the lead gift for the Amarillo Center and were awarded the Pinnacle Award in 2017.
JAMES WELCH
James is the current CEO of YRC Worldwide, a $5 billion transportation company. He recently announced his plans to retire in July of 2018. James left the company after 29 years of service in 2007 to become CEO at Dynamex, Inc. He was recruited back to YRCW in 2011 to orchestrate a turnaround strategy. James earned a B.S. degree from WT in 1976 and received the WT Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014. He has made sizable gifts to the WTAMU Alumni Association and the Bain Athletic Center. James also was named a member of the “Power 100” by the Kansas City Business Journal in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
BOB WILLIAMS
Bob is president and CEO of BSA Health Systems. He joined High Plains Baptist Hospital in 1980 and became chief financial officer in 1994. In 1996, when High Plains Baptist Hospital and St. Anthony’s Hospital merged, he became senior vice president of the new entity, Baptist St. Anthony’s Health System. He was named CEO of BSA in 2009 and led the hospital through its change in ownership from Christus Health and Baptist Community Services to Ardent Health Services. Bob’s leadership has helped shape the landscape of medical services in Amarillo.
DAVID WILLIS
David is owner of Renaissance Enterprises Inc., the managing partner of Renaissance Capital Group and Cedar Crest Development Company. His alma mater, WT, hired him as the head coach of track and field at the age of 26, making him the youngest Division I track and field leader. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1979. He also earned a Doctor of Divinity and Ministry from Trinity International Seminary. David was appointed to the inaugural edition of Who’s Who in Black Dallas in 2012, and he is the immediate past president of the WT Alumni Association Board of Directors. David was inducted into the 2017 WT Hall of Champions for his accomplishments in football, track and field.
ROSS WILSON
Ross is the president and CEO of Texas Cattle Feeders Association. His visionary leadership has expanded the membership and services of the association and also improved the fed-cattle industry and the general state of Texas agriculture. Ross was awarded the Gerald W. Thomas Outstanding Agriculturist Award from Texas Tech University and the Texas A&M AgriLife Distinguished Texan in Agriculture Award in 2011. He has served on numerous state and national organizations related to agriculture. Ross is an honors graduate of Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics. He was named a Distinguished Alumni of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in 2001.