Willie T.
Langston II ’81
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Year Awarded: 2020
Houston, TX
He is founder, past chairman and CEO and current executive vice chairman of Avalon Advisors, LLC, a $9 billion asset advisory and management firm.
As a student at A&M, he was president of the Business Student Council, president of the Baptist Student Union, and envisioned and led the first Business Student Council Career Fair in 1980 — today, it is one of the largest in the country.
Langston is a board member of Breakaway Ministries, chairman of the board for Glorieta Camps in New Mexico and chairman of the deacons at Second Baptist Church of Houston. He was finance chairman for 2016’s Ted Cruz for President campaign and served five years as board chairman for Houston Christian High School.
He is a Bronze-level member of The Association’s Century Club, with 30 years of giving.
Langston is on the Mays Business School dean’s advisory board and is a former outside investment advisor to the Texas A&M Foundation and former trustee of the 12th Man Foundation.
While on the 12th Man board, he helped create the idea for the Champions Council, which today is the 12th Man’s primary fundraising arm.
He has also supported the Mays Family Foundation Building Expansion Fund and created a Department of Accounting endowment, a business honors scholarship and an MBA fellowship.
He and wife Marian Lyles Langston ’82 have three children, Laura ’10 (married to Jonathan Bonck), Rebecca ’15 (married to Sam Voncannon ’15) and Will ’16; they also have one granddaughter.
Texas A&M “was a crucible that the Lord, in his wisdom alone, used to mold me into a man with a bigger, broader, bolder vision of life and a true dependence on Him to get me there… wherever ‘there’ may be.”
- Willie T. Langston II '81
Tim
Leach ’82
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Year Awarded: 2020
Midland, TX
Leach is the founder, chairman and CEO of Concho, one of the energy industry’s leading companies, and vice chairman of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.
As a student, he was an officer in the student chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, a member of petroleum engineering honor society Pi Epsilon Tau and engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi, and a four-year resident in Davis-Gary hall.
Leach has supported A&M projects including the Zachry Engineering Education Complex, E.B. Cushing Stadium, Leach Teaching Gardens and MSC renovation; he is a Diamond-level member of The Association’s Century Club, with 30 years of giving, and has supported the 12th Man Foundation and the George and Barbara Bush Foundation and created a scholarship, professorship and chair in petroleum engineering.
He is a Petroleum Museum Hall of Fame honoree and a member of the All-American Wildcatters Association.
His service to A&M and his community includes serving as president of the board of the Scharbauer Foundation, on the Midland College Foundation board of directors and Midland Memorial Foundation board of governors, as a former member of The Association of Former Students’ board and as an emeritus member of A&M’s College of Engineering Advisory Council.
He and wife Amy Leach ’84 have two sons, William ’12 (married to Kimberley ’12) and Patrick ’14 (married to Courtney ’15).
"Texas A&M gave me the technical credentials, teamwork experience, work ethic and contacts to make a successful career, and the Aggie core values gave me the tools for a successful life.”
- Tim Leach '82
Turney W.
Leonard ’42
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Year Awarded: 2012
Turney W. Leonard, Class of 1942, graduated from the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas with a bachelor of arts in agricultural administration. While at A&M, he was involved in the Scholarship Honor Society, Marketing and Finance Club, Dallas A&M Club, and was awarded the Best Drilled Sophomore Award and the Distinguished Student award.
He was first commissioned a second lieutenant in the Regular Army, and later assigned to the Tank Destroyer Center at Camp (later Fort) Hood as an instructor. In the Huertgen Forest at Kommerscheidt, Germany, Leonard repeatedly braved intense enemy fire to direct the fire of his tank destroyers, which enabled his battalion to destroy six German tanks. He went on reconnaissance missions alone to discover what opposition his men faced, reorganized confused infantry units whose leaders had been killed, and continued to fight until he was disabled by a high-explosive shell which shattered his arm.
Leonard was reported missing in action on November 7, 1944—his body was recovered in November 1949 and identified in January 1950. He was the fifth Texas Aggie to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
"You can't put Turney's life and courage into just a few words. He was, indeed, a true Aggie, and his life and courage still inspire Aggies today. Two of my granddaughters (Classes of '06 and '08) attended A&M because of the same feeling of 'being home' that Turney felt.
- -Karen Leonard Anderson, Turney Leonard's niece
John H.
Lindsey ’44
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Year Awarded: 1978
Waxahachie, TX
Lindsey received a bachelor’s degree in Economics in 1947. After graduation, he formed Lindsey Insurance Agency with his father and is a founding director and member of the Executive Committee of Southern National Bank. He also served as the President of the Executive Committee of the Alley Theater of the Board of Directors and the Vice President of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts.
Lindsey was a General Advisor of the Student Conference on National Affairs (SCONA) and hosted annual Houston trips for Texas A&M University’s Student Leadership Conferences. He served as President of The Association of Former Students in 1964 and was a Counselor and Trustee to the Texas A&M Research Foundation.
George A.
Linskie ’38
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Year Awarded: 1993
Dallas, TX
Linskie studied Mechanical Engineering at A&M College of Texas. His career began in the air conditioning business and he worked for the Frigidaire Air Conditioning Division and then joined the firm of Rollins and Forest Consultuing Engineers as a mechanical design engineer. He later founded Linskie Co., who merged with Sam P. Wallace Co. in 1970. He was served in many leadership positions with his industry’s professional societies and was a founding member and past president of the Engineers Club of Dallas.
Outside his love for flying (he has had an active commercial pilots license for over 40 years) his first love has been, serving on the Board of the Children’s Medical Center for the past 30 years, where he is a past president and chairman of the board.
"I know of no more dedicated person who exhibits and demonstrates the high ideals and spirit of Aggieland."
- James W. Aston '33, Distinguished Alumnus, 1967
Frank C.
Litterst, Jr. ’43
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Year Awarded: 2009
College Station, TX
Litterst received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Husbandry from Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in 1943. He was a Ross Volunteer and Commander of Battery “A” Coast Artillery at Texas A&M when he was called to service as an artillery officer during World War II. Wounded in action and honorably discharged, he returned to Texas A&M and completed his degree in animal husbandry in 1946.
In a career spanning 44 years, Litterst worked as a rancher, a beef cattle specialist with the Texas Agricultural Education Specialist program, and as a lecturer in the Department of Animal Science. He served as superintendent of the Houston Livestock Show’s Junior Market Steer Show from 1966 through 1976 and was a member of the show’s Range Bull and Heifer Committee from 1969-1987. Additionally, he is credited with developing an evaluation instrument for range bull grading used by major livestock shows today and for contributing to the development of the model, standards, and application of the U.S Department of Agriculture Feeder Cattle Grades currently in use across the United States.
Recognized with The Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award for Extension in 1975 and for Teaching in 1984, Litterst was named Senior Lecturer Emeritus by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents upon his retirement in 1989.
Litterst is a loyal and active contributor to Texas A&M University, including The Association of Former Students’ Century Club and currently serves as a Class Agent for the Class of 1943.
Litterst lives in College Station and with his late wife, Royce, has three children; Kathy Gough (spouse, Carl Gough, Jr.’69), Frank III ’68 (spouse, Patsy) and Mike ’73 (spouse, Carlette ’75). He has seven grandchildren, including Carl Gough III ’92 (spouse, Megan ’96) and Christopher Gough ’95 (spouse, Jane '95) and 11 great-grandchildren.
"At A&M you learned that anyone could do what they wanted to do, but that it takes a good man to do what he doesn’t really want to do. That discipline helped my later on to face and conquer whatever was in front of me."
Dr. Jack E.
Little ’60
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Year Awarded: 2000
Dallas, TX
Little received bachelor’s, master’s and Doctorate of Petroleum Engineering degrees. Near the end of his 32-year career with Shell Oil Company, he was named President and Chief Executive Officer.
He received Texas A&M’s Look College of Engineering Outstanding Alumni Honor Award, the Texas A&M Department of Petroleum Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Distinguished Achievement Medal from Texas A&M as well. Little was named an Outstanding Houston Aggie by the Houston A&M Club.
He serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way of America and M.D. Anderson Board of Visitors and on the Board of Trustees of the Baylor College of Medicine and Houston Baptist University.
"I love Texas A&M and I want to see us be at the top."
Dr. R. Bowen
Loftin ’71
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Year Awarded: 2020
Bryan, TX
Loftin served as the 24th president of Texas A&M University from 2010 to 2014 and 22nd chancellor of the University of Missouri in 2014-15. Previously, he served as A&M’s interim president; vice president of A&M and chief executive officer of Texas A&M University at Galveston; executive director of Old Dominion University’s Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center; director of the University of Houston’s Virtual Environments Research Institute and chair of the UH Department of Computer Science.
As a student, he was active in SCONA (Student Conference on National Affairs) and worked 20 hours a week on campus, while graduating in three years with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He earned a master’s and doctorate in physics from Rice University.
His awards include the NASA Invention of the Year Award and the NASA Public Service Medal, but the one that gave him “the greatest sense of accomplishment,” he said, was the 1982 UH-Downtown Award for Excellence in Teaching, at that time the only teaching award given across the entire campus. He has served on boards and committees including Chief Executive Officers of the Southeastern Conference, the FBI’s National Security Higher Education Advisory Board and, currently, the MRIGlobal Research Institute board of trustees.
He is an Endowed Century Club member with The Association, with 30 years of giving. He and wife Karin created a 12th Man Foundation endowment in memory of SEC Commissioner Mike Slive supporting student-athletes, a Bush School international studies endowment and a scholarship honoring Dorothy and Richard Loftin.
He and Karin have two children and seven grandchildren.
“Texas A&M is not just a place, not just a university, not just the name on my diploma — Texas A&M is a body of shared ideals and shared beliefs that accompany one on their life’s journey.”
- Dr. R. Bowen Loftin '71
Tommie E.
Lohman ’59
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Year Awarded: 2012
Tommie E. Lohman, Class of 1959, earned a bachelor of science degree in petroleum engineering from the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas and worked toward a doctor of jurisprudence degree at South Texas School. While at A&M, he was first lieutenant “B”-AAA in the Corps of Cadets and a Ross Volunteer. He was a member of Tau Beta Phi, the engineering honor society, as well as AIME Petroleum Engineering Club and Shreveport Hometown Club.
Lohman began his career as a petroleum engineer at Amoco Production Corporation in 1958. In 1962, he moved to Texas Oil & Gas Corporation, where he worked his way up from a district engineer to manager of Gas Gathering & Processing, while concurrently serving on the Board of Directors and president of the Delhi Gas Pipeline until 1988. The same year, he founded Taurus Energy Corporation, and a year later founded TELCO Investments.
He received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the Texas A&M College of Engineering in 2004 and the honor of Distinguished Graduate from the Department of Petroleum Engineering in 2002. He was a member of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, served as vice president and director of the Gas Processors Association, and was an inducted into the Hall of Honor by A&M Lettermen’s Association in 2010.
Lohman endowed the Tommie E. Lohman Laboratory for Gas Engineering, established the Carolyn S. and Tommie E. Lohman ’59 Professorship in Engineering Education and an Engineering Graduate Fellowship, funded the “Shaping the Future” statue at the College of Education, and was instrumental in establishing the Lohman Learning Community in the College of Education. He was involved in several organizations, including the Engineering Advisory Council, Chancellor’s Advisory Council, College of Engineering External Advisory and Development Council, A&M Legacy Society and Texas Aggie Bar Association. A long-time Endowed Century Club member, he served as past president of the 12th Man Foundation, as well as the executive committee.
He was active in his church, serving as a deacon and Sunday school teacher at Richardson Baptist Church and Fallswood Baptist Church for twenty years combined. Lohman and his wife, Carolyn, had two daughters and lived in College Station. He passed away on February 4, 2012.
"Tommie wanted to go to OU with his best buddy, but his Dad nixed that idea saying 'Jack will go there, pledge a fraternity, and flunk out the first semester, and you will be all by yourself. I want you to go to Texas A&M.' Sure enough, that is exactly what happened to Jack, but not Tommie because he was in the Corps at A&M!"
- -Mrs. Carolyn Lohman, Tommie Lohman's wife
Lyle
Lovett ’79
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Year Awarded: 2015
Spring, TX
Lyle Lovett, Class of 1979, received bachelor’s degrees in languages and journalism at Texas A&M, where he wrote for The Battalion and, as a member of the MSC Basement Committee, both performed and booked acts on campus.
Lovett is a four-time Grammy Award-winning musician, composer and producer and has acted in 13 feature films. He was the 2011 Texas State Musician and received the Texas Medal of Arts in 2005. He has also received the Americana Music Association’s Trailblazer Award and the Texas Film Hall of Fame’s Soundtrack Award. He and Robert Earl Keen ’78 put on 2000’s Bonfire Benefit Concert soon after the 1999 Bonfire collapse, raising more than $90,000 to help victims’ families pay medical and other costs. He put on a 2004 concert celebrating The Association’s 125th anniversary and a 2010 concert that raised $50,000 to enhance the Clayton W. Williams, Jr., Alumni Center.
Lovett is a member of The Association’s Endowed Century Club, and has served on Texas A&M’s Liberal Arts development council and narrated a 2009 documentary on A&M’s history that is a fundraiser for the university’s Annual Fund.
He was inducted in 2012 into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame for his parallel career of more than 30 years with reining horses. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Houston for philanthropic work; he has supported UH’s architecture school and organizations including the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma and Houston Ride for Kids.
His fiancée is April Kimble ’97.
"In an industry that somehow or other cherishes its outlaws and loves its rascals, Lyle Lovett continues to be known as a man of high character whose music does not idealize alchoholism or drugs, or jail time or stealing another man's woman or his truck.
- Dr. R.J.Q. Adams, Texas A&M University Distinguished Professor of History