cLass noTes

Class N�tes ’68 MiLLie hughes-fuLford, B.s. in biology, directs the Hughes-Fulford Laboratory in the

Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco. The lab’s goal is to understand the mechanisms that regulate cell growth in mammals. The former astronaut lives on Kauai in Hawaii. ’75 susan haynes, B.s. in agricultural business, has become the director of preschool at the

KinderCare Christian Preschool at Graham Street Church of Christ in Stephenville. Haynes previously served as a principal and teacher for early childhood through 12th grade and has taught special education, physical education and secondary English. ’76 PaTricia a. Maurer, M.ed. in school leadership, is head of preschool and lower school at Trinity School in Midland, Texas. She has spent 47 years in education, and is married to Dr. William

Maurer, director of the Bynum School. ’77 Terry PiLgriM, B.s. in agriculture education, is coordinator of industrial programs at

Weatherford College. He oversees the welding, heatingventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and electrical programs, as well as equine classes. ’78 Larry MiTcheLL, B.s. in plant and soil science, is administrator of the Grain

Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration, regulating the grain and livestock industries. A fifth generation Texas farmer, he was appointed deputy administrator of farm programs in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency under President

Bill Clinton. He left federal service in 2001 to become chief executive officer of the American Corn Growers

Association but returned in 2011 as associate director of the USDA’s Office of Advocacy and Outreach prior to taking his current position in 2012. reggie underWood, B.s. in animal science, has been named Vice President of Sales, Nutritionals, for the

Southern and Eastern Regions of Verdesian Life Sciences.

Underwood has served as national sales manager for SFP and worked in sales and managerial roles for Ciba-Geigy,

Helena Chemical Inc. and Albaugh Inc. ’85 KeLLi horry, B.B.a. in marketing, has been named Vice President – Mortgage Lending for

TexasBank Stephenville. Upon graduation, Horry began work at the former Stephenville Bank and Trust Co., staying with that institution until 2009, when 14 she and her husband, Bob, and son, Bradley relocated. Her new position brings her back to Stephenville. ’87 randaLL r. chiLders, B.a.a.s. in industrial technology, was reappointed to the Texas Industrialized Building Code Council to oversee the enforcement of state standards. Childers is a certified building inspector, residential combination inspector, building plans examiner and building code official, working for the City of Waco. A member of the International Code Council, he also is a board member of the International Association of Building Officials and a board member and past president of the Building Officials Association of Texas. ’89 Jeff riPLey. B.s. in agribusiness, is interim Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service associate director for county programs in College Station. Previously an extension agent in Tom Green and Travis Counties, Ripley has been district extension administrator in Corpus Christi. ’90 sTan coPPinger, M.a., has been appointed director of the University Scholars Program at East Texas Baptist University. A professor of English, Coppinger previously directed the honors program at LeTourneau University. In addition to his master’s degree from Tarleton, he has a bachelor’s degree from Biola University and a Ph.D. from Baylor. ’92 ron adaMs, B.s. in chemistry, has joined Horn, a distributor of specialty ingredients and raw materials, as a member of its technical sales team in Composites and Fabrication Materials. Adams serves South Texas and South Louisiana. He formerly worked for Ashland Performance Materials as a composite and pultrusion technical service expert, working closely with customers to support product development and raw material replacement for cost reduction projects and production efficiency enhancement. Adams is a Certified Composite Technician. Karen Munoz , B.s. in education, was named an Outstanding Principal of the Year for Region 14. Principal of Cooper High School, Abilene, for the past 10 years, she previously served as principal at Ortiz Elementary. In addition to her Tarleton degree, she has a master’s from Abilene Christian and a doctorate from Texas Tech. sTeve sTurTz, B.s. in agricultural education, lives in San Angelo, where he raises border collies and goats. He served as a judge at the 2015 Brown County Youth Fair market goat division. He has served as an extension agent and is involved with youth as a livestock mentor and volunteer with 4-H and FFA. ToBy virden, B.s. in agricultural development, is station manager and morning broadcaster for KRUN-AM in Ballinger in the Abilene area. He provides news, weather and sports and handles regional and national sales for the country station. ’94 deWayne Burns, B.s. in agricultural services and development, won election to the District 58 State Representative’s seat and is participating in the legislative session. A Cleburne native, Burns is a business investment manager. His family owns and operates a cattle ranch. He previously worked as a legislative analyst for state representatives and in the Texas Department of Agriculture.

JuLie gardner, B.s. in home economics, has been named the health specialist for a collaborative program between The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Scott & White Health Plan. Gardner has been AgriLife Extension family and consumer sciences agent in Coryell County since 1999. She previously was 4-H and Youth Development agent in Williamson and Grayson counties and an assistant agent for home economics in Lamar County. charLes redMan, B.s. in agricultural business, has been named Schleicher County agent for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Redman previously worked for Glendarroch Homes of Fort Worth. He grew up in Saint Jo and was involved in the 4-H youth development program and FFA.

’95 PhiLiP MonTgoMery, B.s. in exercise and sports studies, has been named head coach of the University of Tulsa football team after having been offensive coordinator at Baylor University since 2008. Montgomery began coaching at Tarleton in 1996 as a graduate assistant. He joined the Stephenville High School staff under Art Briles, later joining Briles in 2003 at the University of Houston and then at Baylor. Jason haLL, B.s. in agricultural business and M.B.A. in accounting, has been named chief financial officer of Behringer Harvard Opportunity REIT II, Inc. He continues as senior vice president and chief accounting officer for the company. He has been the principal accounting officer and treasurer since 2010. Hall began with the company in 2005 as an SEC reporting manager. Prior to that, he was controller with Aegis Communications group and is a certified public accountant. ’97 JaMes BucK giLcrease, M.ed., has been named superintendent of the Alvin Independent School District. He previously served as superintendent of the Hillsboro and the Haskell Consolidated Independent School Districts, as well as a principal, teacher and coach. He has been the legislative chair for the Texas Association of School Administrators. ’98 eva BarK, M.B.a., has been named Human Resources Director at Killeen Independent School District. Bark joined the ISD in 1995 as a professional personnel specialist and was promoted to coordinator for professional personnel in 2004. She previously was an interview supervisor for the Texas Employment Commission. randi MiTcheLL, B.B.a. in marketing, has been named District Director for Congresswoman Kay Granger, R-Texas, 12th Congressional District. Based in Fort Worth, she oversees the district office’s daily operations. Honored in 2009, she received the 40 Under 40 distinction from the Fort Worth Business Press, and in 2012 she participated in Leadership Fort Worth. ’02 TrenT anderson, B.s. in agribusiness, has been promoted to district manager of the El Paso office of Professional Service Industries. Anderson has 17 years of experience in commercial construction and was branch manager of the El Paso office. avaLoy Lanning, B.s. in social work, has been named the executive director for the Bennington County (Vermont) Coalition for the Homeless. She obtained a degree from Tarleton and later was an assistant professor in social work at the university. Prior to her current position, Lanning was a senior director for Safe Horizon, a New York nonprofit to aid victims of human trafficking. She is the former director of the New Jersey Anti-Trafficking Initiative. Brian LiXey, M.B.a., is leading Bank SNB’s new Fort Worth branch team as Market President. Lixey has more than 18 years of banking and management experience, having served as a senior commercial loan officer and vice president of commercial banking. ’05 shaWnTay sParKs-huBBard, B.s. in nursing, is associate professor of nursing and director of the bachelor of science in nursing program at Howard Payne University. She obtained a master’s degree from the University of Phoenix in 2008 and currently is working toward her doctorate. She has worked as a registered nurse at CHS/Abilene Regional Medical Center and program coordinator at Comanche County Medical Center as well as a program chair at Texas State Technical College. ’09 MushaWn d. sMiTh, B.s. in political science, is an Army Captain, serving as a logistics capabilities development analysis officer in the Science and Technology Branch of the Combined Arms Support Command’s Sustainment Battle Lab. He is a graduate of the Combined Logistics Captains Career Course and Capabilities Development Course. ’10 John crafT, ed.d., was named Superintendent of Killeen Independent School District. He had been deputy superintendent since 2012, and previously served as a physical education and biology teacher, assistant principal and principal. ’13 Larry adaMs, B.s. in criminal justice, has been promoted from Sergeant to Patrol Captain with the Woodway Public Safety Department. A Navy veteran, Adams has been with the department since 1999, previously serving as a K9 handler and field training officer. Certified as a Master Peace Officer, he is the accident reconstruction specialist for the department and a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics team. He is working toward his master’s degree in criminal justice at Tarleton. KyLa McKenzie Lynch, B.s. in agribusiness and M.S. in management and leadership ’14 has passed her insurance license test. She is a financial adviser at Capital Choice in Waco. aManda ogLe, B.s. in communications, works in the Fort Worth office of Brown, Dean, Wiseman, Proctor, Hart & Howell LLP Law Firm and received a scholarship from the University of North Texas Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism.

Contact us

Send your alumni and class updates to Tarleton State University: Box T-0730, Stephenville, TX 76402 media@tarleton.edu (254) 968-9460

TeXans 15

TeXans

advance to ncaa finaL four, enjoy historic season

The final four―it’s where every team starts the season aspiring to be. The 2014-15 Tarleton Texans got there!

In one of the most memorable men’s basketball seasons in Tarleton’s treasured history, the Texans set a school record with 31 wins, nailed down its first ever outright Lone Star Conference Championship and slam dunked the NCAA Regional Championship Tournament in Wisdom Gym. What a year!

Despite losing in the national semifinal, the Texans, among 319 Division II programs, enjoyed the aura of March Madness and danced into the Final Four for just the second time in the program’s senior college era.

Ranked seventh in the nation, the Texans bowed out in the national semifinal held in Evansville, Ind. to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 72-68. In the quarterfinals, the Texans overcame a slow start to best Mount Olive, 77-59.

The Final Four loss concluded the historic season with a 31-4 record. Tarleton’s tradition of maintaining an excellent fan base continued as the Texans drew the largest crowds in the Lone Star Conference and among the Top 10 in Division II.

Winning the LSC championship and the conference tournament’s No. 1 seed, Tarleton held a No. 1 ranking in the NCAA South Central Region and earned the right to host the regional tournament at Wisdom Gym for the third time.

The architects of that remarkable success, head coach Lonn Reisman and associate head coach Chris Reisman, again relied on scoring defense as the Texans entered the post-season tournament allowing just 60.2 points per game. They finished the 2014-15 campaign ranked third in the nation in that statistical category at 60.5 ppg.

“We had an outstanding season and I thank God for the opportunity to experience it with this excellent group of young men,” Reisman said after the season-ending semifinal loss, which concluded collegiate careers for seniors Davene Carter, Damion Clemons, Malcolm Hamilton, Mercedes Lane, and Mo Lee, the LSC’s Most Valuable Player.

Under Reisman’s guidance the Texans have amassed an impressive 59-7 record over two seasons and have reached the NCAA D-2 playoffs 12 of the last 14 seasons. This year’s squad also added 31 victories to Reisman’s 589 career wins at Tarleton, tying for 16th all-time among Division II coaches.

“For me, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Dallas-native Clemons, who was named to this year’s LSC All-Defensive Team, at the post-game press conference. “I wouldn’t say we were just happy to be here, we wanted to win it all, but we got this far and it was a great season.”

“This is a tremendous group of young men who represented Tarleton extremely well, not only on the basketball court but in the communities in which they played,” said Tarleton President F. Dominic Dottavio. “We enjoyed the thrills of their accomplishments, and have great expectations for their futures.”

reneW your PurPLe!

Join the Tarleton Alumni Association today and help more students realize the impact of a Tarleton education.

Every dollar of TAA memberships goes directly to scholarships for students.

Annual membership

 Loyalty $50  Joint Loyalty $75  Century Club $100  Joint Century Club $150  Purple Century Club $500  Joint Purple Century Club $750

Benefits of joining the TAA

 Access to membership to the

Tarleton Rec Sports Center  Free Tarleton alumni swag  Discounts to hotels and rental cars To learn how to join or renew, go to www.tarleton.edu/org/alumniassociation

or call the Alumni Center at (254) 968-9682.

Connected for Life

The official Tarleton ring story

The official ring of Tarleton State University embodies the pride and possibility that have built our heritage of excellence and achievement since 1899.

It is a lasting symbol of your lifelong connection to that heritage and the people and experiences that are your Tarleton State University.

This beautiful, commemorative ring has a unique and meaningful design. The top of the official ring is adorned with the traditional border of the University seal encircling the Tarleton “T”. The sides reflect the university—the campus gates and cannon surrounded by the oaks and antique lamp posts on one side, and on the other, the impressive architecture of the administration building.

The Tarleton State University class ring was the first ring in the world to feature series numbering as part of the design. As graduates and alumni order the new ring, a series number is etched into the outside of the ring adding to the tradition and meaningful achievements it represents.

The official Tarleton State University ring serves as a constant reminder of the lifelong friendships and achievements that you have gained. The official ring also tells the world that you are loyal to the Tarleton heritage and proud to be affiliated with the prestige and distinction reserved for Tarleton alumni. Congratulations on your outstanding accomplishments and welcome to the Tarleton State University alumni family. You’ve earned the right to wear the official Tarleton ring...wear it well!

Box T-0570 Stephenville, TX 76402 (254) 968-9000 | www.tarleton.edu

Deja View

One of the most symbolic gateways to the Tarleton State University campus are the east rock gates located at the intersection of Military Drive and McIllhaney Street, seen here in 1976. Today, this gateway provides entry to the Trogdon House and Alumni Island, which is being transformed into a campus pedestrian plaza featuring a tribute to the university’s founder and a nod to Tarleton’s rich traditions.