Class Notes 2015

Kent Flanagan Class of 1968

Kent Flanagan, a long-time journalist for the Associated Press and Shelbyville (Tenn.) Times-Gazette, was elected in August of 2015 to the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame.

Posted 2015

Jim Slaughter Class of 1968

Jim Slaughter retired in July of 2015 after a long career in Texas high school athletics. He spent the last four years as athletic director for the San Angelo Independent School District.

Posted 2015

Charlie Ramirez Class of 1972

Charlie Ramirez retired in 2015 after 40 years with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Posted 2015

Delta Emerson Class of 1973

Delta Emerson was promoted to president of global shared services at Ryan, an award-winning global tax services firm based in Dallas, in December of 2014.

Posted 2015

Arnold Garcia Jr. Class of 1973

Arnold Garcia Jr. joined Crosswind Media and Public Relations as a senior advisor in June of 2015.

Posted 2015

Benny Cox Class of 1975

Benny Cox, sheep and goat sales manager at Producers Livestock Auction in San Angelo, won a 2017 Fred T. Earwood Memorial Award from the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association in August 2017. The Earwood Award is the TSGRA’s most prestigious award and honors those whose loyalty and dedication to the sheep and goat industry exemplify land and livestock values.

Posted 2017

More Notes

Dr. Les Plagens Class of 1977 & 1979

Dr. Les Plagens in July of 2015 took over the role of director of instructional support services at Texas State Technical College in Brownwood.

Posted 2015

Drew Montgomery Class of 1978

Drew Montgomery, who played on the Rams’ 1978 NAIA National Championship football team, was named president of the Madisonville High School Alumni Association in 2015.

Posted 2015

Dr. Brian Shannon Class of 1979

Dr. Brian Shannon, the Charles “Tex” Thornton Professor of Law at Texas Tech University, was named a Horn Professor by the TTUS Board of Regents in March of 2015. The professorship recognizes scholarly achievement and outstanding service to Texas Tech.

Posted 2015

Dr. Mark McFarland Class of 1980

Dr. Mark McFarland retired on Aug. 31, 2015, after 35 years with the Texas A&M University System. His final posts were Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service soil fertility specialist in College Station, Extension Service water quality coordinator, and associate head of the Soil and Crop Sciences Department at Texas A&M.

Posted 2015

Edwin Miranda Class of 1981

Edwin Miranda (1981) was named vice president of quality for Cytovance Biologics Inc. in January 2018. Cytovance Biologics is a leading biopharmaceutical contract manufacturer of mammalian and microbial biologics.

Posted 2018

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Linda Stephens Class of 1983, 1991 & 2001

Linda Stephens was named chief nursing officer at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital in Katy in January of 2015.

Posted 2015

Adm. Eric Coy Young Class of 1984

U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Eric Coy Young received his second star and assumed command of the Navy Reserve Forces Command in Norfolk, Va., in November of 2014. He had served as deputy chief of the Navy Reserves since 2012.

Posted 2015

Martha Anne Langston Class of 1986

Martha Anne Langston was honored in August of 2015 by Capital Who’s Who Branding for her distinguished accomplishments and contributions in the field of religious service. Langston is the secretary and ministry assistant at Belmore Baptist Church in San Angelo.

Posted 2015

Mitchell G. Perry Class of 1986

Mitchell G. Perry was elected in July of 2015 as the 2015-16 secretary of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Posted 2015

Mike Hayworth Class of 1987

Mike Haworth was promoted to police chief of the Pinellas Park Police Department in Florida in April of 2015.

Posted 2015

Pam Cunningham Class of 1987

Pam Cunninghamwas named executive vice president of Southside Bank in Tyler in September of 2014.

Posted 2015

Ricky Peacock Class of 1987

Ricky Peacock was named head football coach and athletic director at McCamey High School in May of 2015.

Posted 2015

Paul Michalewicz Class of 1987 & 2006

Paul Michalewicz was hired in June of 2015 as the new superintendent for the Florence Independent School District.

Posted 2015

Steven Jason Hall Class of 1989

Steven Jason Hall was elected chief financial officer of Behringer Harvard Opportunity REIT II Inc. by the company’s board of directors in October of 2014.

Posted 2015

Randy Penson Class of 1989

Randy Pensonwas named the assistant director for global safety and risk management in the Global Education Office at Virginia Tech University in July of 2015.

Posted 2015

Lane Porter Class of 1989

Lane Porterwas named president of Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association at the organization’s 100^th anniversary celebration in July of 2015 in Kerrville.

Posted 2015

Heather Tessmer Class of 1989

Heather Tessmer was named a 2014 Outstanding Lawyer by the San Antonio Business Journal and was honored at a ceremony in November of 2014.

Posted 2015

Richy Womack Class of 1989

Richy Womack was elected to the Board of Directors of City National Bank in Colorado City in January of 2015.

Posted 2015

Kim Spicer Class of 1989 & 1995

Kim Spicerwas named the new assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Wylie Independent School District in August of 2015.

Posted 2015

Donna King Class of 1992

Donna King was appointed judge of the 26^th Judicial District of Texas in Williamson County by Gov. Rick Perry in October of 2014.

Posted 2015

Lucy Snyder Class of 1992

Lucy Snyder received two Bram Stoker Awards from the Horror Writers Association in May of 2015 at the World Horror Convention in Atlanta. The Stoker Award is the highest honor given by the HWA, and Snyder has now won four Stoker Awards for her writing.

Posted 2015

Del Van Cox Class of 1992

Del Van Cox was promoted to head football coach and athletic director at Abilene High School in March of 2015.

Posted 2015

Juan Villarreal Class of 1992

Juan Villarrealwas named the principal of Gunn Junior High School in Arlington in December of 2014.

Posted 2015

Rikke Black Class of 1993

Rikke Blackwas named the new principal at Lee Middle School in San Angelo in June of 2015.

Posted 2015

Tracy Meador Class of 1993

Tracy Meadorwas named principal of McNeil Elementary School in McKinney in December of 2014.

Posted 2015

Mike Jinks Class of 1994

Mike Jinks was named head football coach at Bowling Green State University in December 2015.

Posted 2016

More Notes

Joseph Gillespie Class of 1994

Joseph Gillespie was hired as linebackers coach at the University of Tulsa in January of 2015.

Posted 2015

Leslie Cope Class of 1995

Leslie Cope was elected to the Board of Directors of the Commercial Bank in Mason in March of 2015.

Posted 2015

Stephanie Howard Class of 1995

Stephanie Howard was named the superintendent of the Plains Independent School District in April of 2015.

Posted 2015

Marty Gibbs Class of 1996

Marty Gibbs was named the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service district extension administrator for District 7 in September of 2014.

Posted 2015

Richard “Rick” Minzenmayer Class of 1996

Richard “Rick” Minzenmayer retired in April of 2015 after 30 years with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

Posted 2015

Jeff D. Hamilton Class of 1996 & 1998

Jeff D. Hamilton was hired as the new head football coach and athletic director at Bandera High School in May of 2015.

Posted 2015

Rosa Avendaño Class of 1996 & 2004

Rosa Avendaño was named the new principal at Keyes Elementary School in the Irving Independent School District in June of 2015.

Posted 2015

Katharine Eagan Class of 1997

Katharine Eagan was named chief executive officer of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) in Tampa, Fla., by the company’s board of directors in November of 2014. In August of 2015, she was nominated for the U.S. White House “Champion of Change” program as an innovator in transportation for the future.

Posted 2015

Gregory Conaway Class of 1998

Gregory Conaway was named vice president and chief accounting officer at Carizzo Oil & Gas Inc. in Houston in September of 2014.

Posted 2015

Rebecca Cline Class of 1998 & 2006

Rebecca Cline was named the new principal at Lincoln Middle School in the San Angelo Independent School District in July of 2015.

Posted 2015

Farrah Gomez Class of 1999

Farrah Gomez was promoted in June of 2015 as an executive director of schools for the San Angelo Independent School District.

Posted 2015

Dana Cooper Class of 2000

Dana Cooper, an associate professor of history at Stephen F. Austin State University, was featured in the documentary “Million Dollar Princesses” on the Smithsonian Channel that aired in January of 2015. She was also named to Nerdwallet.com’s list of “40 Under 40: Professors Who Inspire” for 2015 in March.

Posted 2015

Dr. Mark Boyle Class of 2000

Dr. Mark Boylewas named medical director of First Choice Emergency Room’s Houston-Jones Road facility in Houston in October of 2014.

Posted 2015

Dr. Quentin Wright Class of 2000 & 2002

Dr. Quentin Wright was named the new vice president of instruction at Lone Star College-Tomball in June of 2015.

Posted 2015

Chad Ellis Class of 2001

Chad Ellis was selected as the Society for Range Management’s 2015 Young Range Professional Award at the society’s annual meeting in February of 2015.

Posted 2015

Sterlin Gilbert Class of 2002

Sterlin Gilbert was named offensive coordinator at University of South Florida in January 2017.

Posted 2017

More Notes

Justin Carrigan Class of 2002

Justin Carrigan was named the first-ever head football coach at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin in Odessa in January of 2015.

Posted 2015

Delia Cullins Class of 2002

Delia Cullins was promoted in February of 2015 to assistant vice president of operations at TexasBank in Brownwood.

Posted 2015

Matthew Gutierrez Class of 2002

Dr. Matthew Gutierrez was hired as the new superintendent of the Seguin Independent School District near San Antonio in July 2017.

Posted 2017

More Notes

Dr. Jason Skelton Class of 2002

Dr. Jason Skeltonwas named the new principal at San Angelo’s Holiman Elementary School in July of 2015.

Posted 2015

Angela Taylor Class of 2003

Angela Taylor (2003) joined the CBS North Carolina (WNCN-Raleigh) team as an evening news anchor in March 2018.

Posted 2018

More Notes

Whitney Bownds Class of 2003

Whitney Bowndswas promoted to loan officer at the Commercial Bank in Mason in January of 2015.

Posted 2015

Kayla Davidson Class of 2004

Kayla Davidsonpublished a children’s book titled “The Ride” through Virtuous Books for Kids in February of 2015. She is also the author of “Daddy’s Little Squirrel.”

Posted 2015

Kirk Byrd Class of 2004

Kirk Byrd was named the new head coach and athletic director at Crane High School in April of 2015.

Posted 2015

Zach Ramirez Class of 2005 & 2011

Zach Ramirezin July of 2015 was named the new principal at Goliad Elementary School in the San Angelo Independent School District.

Posted 2015

Kyle Youngblood Class of 2006

Kyle Youngblood was hired as the Texas AgriLife Extension Service agriculture and natural resources agent for Throckmorton County in December of 2014.

Posted 2015

Aaryn Valenzuela Class of 2006

Aaryn Valenzuela joined the news team at WALB-TV in Albany, Ga., as a weekend anchor and reporter in August of 2015.

Posted 2015

Cory Robinson Class of 2007

Cory Robinson was promoted to curator of history at San Angelo’s Fort Concho National Historic Landmark in August of 2015. He has been at Fort Concho for 13 years.

Posted 2015

Megan Hastings Class of 2007

Megan Hastings was recognized with a 2016 Impact Award: Four for the Future by the Auto Care Association in September 2016. The award honors four aftermarket professionals age 40 or younger who have made remarkable contributions within the auto care industry. Hastings is the digital marketing and training manager for Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc.

Posted 2017

More Notes

Fred Dietz Class of 2008

Fred Dietz was hired as the new head football coach and athletic director at Coahoma High School in July of 2015.

Posted 2015

Dr. Joshua McGinty Class of 2009

Dr. Joshua McGinty was named the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agronomist for South Texas in September of 2014.

Posted 2015

Lindsay Carr Class of 2009 & 2011

Lindsay Carr was named the new principal at Belaire Elementary School in the San Angelo Independent School District in July 2016.

Posted 2016

More Notes

Kaycee Taylor Class of 2011

Kaycee Taylor (2011), a former All-American softball player at ASU, was hired as assistant softball coach at Pittsburg State University in October 2017.

Posted 2018

More Notes

Michael Wilkinson Class of 2011

Michael Wilkinson was promoted to director of student life and services at the University of Houston-Victoria in August of 2015.

Posted 2015

Justin McGriff Class of 2011

Justin McGriffwas hired in March of 2015 as the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s new agriculture and natural resources agent for Fisher County.

Posted 2015

Daniel Chavez Class of 2013

Daniel Chavezjoined the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation in June of 2015 as vice president of business recruitment.

Posted 2015

Darius Flowers Class of 2014

Darius Flowers was named assistant principal at Glenn Middle School in San Angelo in July of 2015.

Posted 2015

Emily Yanez Class of 2015

Emily Yanezwas hired by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in June of 2015 as the county family and consumer sciences agent for Glasscock County.

Posted 2015