Norman N.
Moser ’37
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Year Awarded: 1971
Dallas, TX
Probably more than any one man, Norman Moser deserves credit for getting the screwworm eradication program started in the Southwest. In 1959, he initiated the program while he was president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. This was just one of the many cattle industry problems he worked on overcoming during the 1950’s.
Moser continues to rank among the leaders of the U.S. agriculture and the animal industry agri-business field. He established and developed the 13,000-acre Moser Ranch in the Red River Valley of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. He also established a 350,000-acre ranch in Alaska.
Born August 21, 1913, in Dallas, Moser attended the University of Cincinnati and North Texas Agricultural College before receiving his agriculture administration degree form Texas A&M in the summer of 1937.
He has served as chairman of the board of the National Livestock and Meat Board, vice president of the American National Cattlemen’s Association, and president of the Bowie County School Board. He has served as a director of the Texas Livestock Marketing Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Umnak Company Incorporated (Alaska Livestock Corporation), State First National Bank of Texarkana, National Finance Credit Corporation, and General Telephone Company.
Member of the Board of Stewards of the DeKalb Methodist Church, he and his wife have a son and three daughters.
"I think, probably, the most important thing about Norman Moser is the extremely high esteem in which he is held by all of those who have had the privilege of knowing him and working with him. He is a man that you can depend on a thousand percent; his counsel and advice is always sound."
- The Honorable Dolph Briscoe, Jr., Former Governor of Texas
Edward J.
Mosher ’28
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Year Awarded: 1969
Dallas, TX
Ed Mosher started out in the shops and advanced to the position of vice chairman of the board and chairman of the Executive Committee of the Mosher Steel Company. When it moved its offices from Dallas to Houston in 1933, Mosher Steel was a far cry from the firm which now fabricates structural steel in plants in Lubbock, Tyler, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi as well as Houston and Dallas. Mosher also serves as the vice president of the board and chairman of the Executive Committee for Commercial Iron Works in Houston and Mosher Steel Company of Louisiana in Shreveport.
He received his 1928 bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M where he was a member of the Ross Volunteers and the football team which won the Southwest Conference championship in 1927.
His involvement in the community has been recognized by the Junior Chamber of Commerce in both Dallas and Houston. In 1931, Mosher was presented an award by the Jaycees from rendering distinguished service to the City of Dallas. He was named the Houston Jaycees’ Outstanding Young Man in 1940 and Houston’s outstanding past Jaycee in 1961.
Mosher is a past president of Houston Jaycees, Houston YMCA, and the Houston Kiwanis Club. He has served on the Executive Board of the Association of Former Students and was a charter member of the Century Club. Mosher is a member of Tau Beta Pi and on the board of trustees of the Texas A&M Research Foundation.
Mosher is a director and member of the executive committee of the Bank of Southwest and Houston Lighting and Power Company. He is a past director of the Houston Club, Houston Engineering and Scientific Society, Houston Better Business Bureau, and Southern States Industrial Council.
Frank M.
Muller, Jr. ’65
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Year Awarded: 1992
St. Louis, MO
Muller received bachelor’s degrees in Economics and English in 1965 and later a master’s degree in Business Administration. While a student, he was elected Student Body President.
He distinguished himself as executive assistant to the president of Pepsico, Inc, executive vice-president of the National Trailer Convoy, executive assistant to the chairman and president of Agrico Chemical Company, president of Devco Overseas Company, and general manager of The Kingston Company, Ltd. After a long career in executive positions, he became Senior Vice President of The Coastal Corp., where he managed multimillion dollar acquisitions and joint ventures.
"A&M, as you well know, is not a school- it’s a religion. For some of us, it was able to give us a level of nurturing at a time that was critical in our lives. As such, it’s a pleasure to give back."
Dr. Charles R.
Munnerlyn ’62
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Year Awarded: 2009
San Jose, CA
Munnerlyn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Texas A&M University, and was a member the Corps of Cadets, Phi Eta Sigma, Sigma Pi Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, the Student Conference on National Affairs, a distinguished physics graduate and a distinguished Air Force ROTC Cadet. He served three years in the United States Air Force before earning a Ph.D. in Optical Engineering from the University of Rochester in 1969.
A founding father of laser vision correction, Munnerlyn designed and built the first excimer laser system for vision correction and founded VISX, Inc. in 1987, the leading manufacturer of laser vision correction systems in the world, which is now a part of Abbott Laboratories.
Munnerlyn is a member of the Texas A&M Academy of Distinguished Graduates for the College of Science, a Fellow of the Optical Society of America and 2007 recipient of the Edwin Land Medal, a distinguished alumnus of the University of Rochester’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the 2008 recipient of the University of Rochester’s Distinguished Scholar Award and the 2001 Stevens Institute of Technology Honor Award, and was named 2001 Engineer of the Year by Design News Magazine.
His support to Texas A&M includes The Association of Former Students’ Century Club, the Texas A&M Foundation’s One Spirit One Vision campaign, and endowments in Physics and Observational Astronomy. Texas A&M’s Charles R. ’62 and Judith G. Munnerlyn Astronomical Laboratory and Space Engineering Building is named in his honor.
A native of Edna, TX, Munnerlyn lives in San Jose, CA with his wife Judy. They have four children; Audrey, Patrick ’93 (spouse, Rhonda Worrall Munnerlyn ’93), John and Stewart; and four grandchildren.
"Not only did I receive an excellent education in the principal areas of physics while at A&M, my experiences in the Corps and in the military science classes gave me training in leadership and management. I also was taught to take responsibility for my actions and to work with others to accomplish a task."
Thomas A.
Murrah ’38
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Year Awarded: 1986
Plano, TX
Murrah received a bachelor’s degree in Economics in 1938. For 40+ years, he served as a Director and Executive of banks across the state of Texas. Murrah was President of The Association of Former Students, a Class Agent for the Class of 1938, and the first President of the Texas Aggie Band Association.
Murrah was a member of the Century Council Executive Committee, Target 2000 Project Executive Committee, and a sponsor of a President’s Endowed Scholarship. He is also is responsible for establishing the YMCA branch in Northwest San Antonio and served as President of the San Antonio Sports Association in 1969.
Maj. Gen. Raymond L.
Murray ’35
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Year Awarded: 2017
Carlsbad, CA
¬¬¬MAJ. GEN. RAYMOND L. MURRAY ’35 received a bachelor’s degree in English. As a student, he lettered in football in ’31, ’32 and ’33, was named to the 1933 All- Southwest Conference football team, and was A&M's most valuable player in 1934. He was also an infantry regiment colonel.
He was selected as one of three Aggies to receive a direct commission in the U.S. Marine Corps, entering as a second lieutenant. In 33 years of service, he became one of the most highly decorated Aggies in history, receiving the Distinguished Service Cross, two Navy Crosses, four Silver Stars and the Legion of Merit. In 1945, he was part of the honor guard at President Franklin Roosevelt’s funeral.
He served first in Shanghai during the Sino-Japanese War in 1937. During World War II, he led Marines at Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Saipan. In the Korean War, he led the 5th Marines in the landings at Pusan and Inchon and in the Chosin Reservoir campaign. He served as deputy commander for all Marine forces in Vietnam.
He was A&M’s campus Muster speaker in 1967. In 1999, he was inducted into the Corps of Cadets Hall of Honor. In 2003, the city of Oceanside, Calif., named a bridge in his honor. He passed away the next year. In 2007, a high school named in his honor was dedicated in Vista, Calif., where scholarships are given in his name. In the Leon Uris novel and film Battle Cry, he was the model for the character of Lt. Col. “High Pockets” Huxley.
He was a Bronze level member of The Association’s Century Club, with 26 years of giving.
His surviving family includes wife Zona; a daughter and two sons; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Samuel Loyd
Neal, Jr. ’59
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Year Awarded: 1992
Henderson, TX
Neal received a bachelor’s degree in Marketing in 1959 and later a master’s degree from the University of Texas. In 1966, Neal joined W.L. Dinn and Co., the oldest and largest independent insurance agency in south Texas, where he was named President in 1978. He served on the Board of Directors for The Association of Former Students and was President of the Corpus Christi A&M Club.
Neal was also the first Board Chairman of the Corpus Christi Area Economic Development Corporation, Corpus Christi Co-Citizen of the Year, Corpus Christi Caller-Times Co-News Maker of the Year, and the Chamber of Commerce Small Business Man of the Year in 1985. Corpus Christi City Council designated April 3, 1986 as “Loyd Neal Day”.
"Loyd Neal has attained extraordinary stature in his community. What counts most for me, however is his love for Texas A&M University and his vision of greatness if the university in the future."
- Dr. Daniel Fallon, Former Dean of College of Liberal Arts, Texas A&M University
Marion J.
Neeley ’22
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Year Awarded: 1970
Gonzales County, TX
Neeley received a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering in 1922. In 1929, he joined Hobbs Trailer Co. as a bookkeeper, later gaining controlling interest, then selling the company in 1955. He had extensive interests in building and loan, finance and life insurance companies and his business activities include factoring, manufacturing, ranching, and oil investments.
Neeley served as the Chairman of the Texas Christian University Board of Trustees. Gifts from Neeley and his wife enabled TCU to establish the Neeley Center for Perceptually Handicapped with the initiation of a five year teaching and research program. This was expanded into Starpoint School, a non-profit school for children with learning disabilities. TCU School of Business was named in his honor and his behind the scene service to others has been recognized by the Exchange Club, national Council of Christians and Jews, B’nai B’rith, the Rotary Club, and the Press Club of Fort Worth.
"I’ve never seen anyone give so much of his time, one on one, in counseling students- imparting his philosophy and useful tips, helping them formulate career directions."
- Dr. Edward A. Johnson, Dean, School of Business, Texas Christian University
L.C. “Chaz”
Neely, Jr. ’62
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Year Awarded: 2006
San Antonio, TX
L.C. “Chaz” Neely, Jr., Class of 1962, received a bachelor’s degree in business administration in marketing from Texas A&M University. During his time at Texas A&M, he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and the San Antonio Hometown Club.
In 1963, Neely began his career at Sinclair Refining Co. and later moved to the truck leasing division of Hertz Corp. Soon after in 1970, Neely joined Knowlton’s Creamery, spending 13 years honing his marketing and distribution skills and gaining important management experience. It was in 1979 when Neely purchased San Antonio Steel Co., a then small firm who bought large quantities of nail and wire from wholesalers and then resold them to contractor suppliers and lumber yards. From 1981 to 1983, Neely continued to work for Knowlton’s Creamery and run San Antonio Steel. After many ups and downs, San Antonio Steel Co. today has retail sales in excess of $37 million with 35 employees. SASCO was named to Inc. Magazine’s Top 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in 1986, and is frequently recognized by the San Antonio Business Journal Top 50 Private Companies of San Antonio. He was named the Ernst & Young, LLP Entrepreneur of the Year for the Central and South Texas Region in 1997.
Neely has volunteered his time to Texas A&M University as President of the San Antonio A&M Club, a member of the Chancellor’s Century Council, the Mays Business School Development Council, the One Spirit One Vision Campaign committee and the 12th Man Foundation. He served on the boards of directors for The Association of Former Students and the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship. The Mays Business School honored him with the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2005 and he is an inaugural member of the “Aggie 100,” recognizing the 100 fastest growing Aggie-led businesses in the world. Born in San Antonio, Neely and his wife, Trisha, have three children: Alison, Class of 1990; Bradford, Class of 1994; and Trey, Class of 1997.
"Mr. Neely’s rise to success was not meteoric. Instead it was slow, steady and done with great perseverance. In a world where instant gratification and creative financing is glorified and, I think Mr. Neely’s story gives a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed- grit, sweat equity and, sometimes… putting yourself on the line. It is a lesson that young, start-up entrepreneurs would benefit from."
- Donna Turtle, Business Journalist
James K.B.
Nelson ’49
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Year Awarded: 2005
Waco, TX
James K.B. Nelson received dual bachelor’s degrees in Petroleum and Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1950. While enrolled as a student, Nelson was a Ross Volunteer, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel, Secretary/Treasurer of his senior class, and Editor of The Battalion newspaper. After graduation, Nelson was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.
Nelson’s career in the oil and gas industry began with entry level positions with various drilling companies. After working his way through the industry, in 1978 he became Owner and President of Grey Wolf Drilling Co., a leading provider of contract oil and gas land drilling services in the U.S. In 1997, Nelson sold his company and officially retired from Grey Wolf. He continues to serve on the Board of Directors as his expertise and knowledge of the industry are vast and valuable. Nelson founded Felicity Ventures, Ltd., an investment management firm, and where he serves as President. He was recognized by Ernst & Young, LLP with the Houston Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1997. The Dwight Look College of Engineering recognized Nelson’s accomplishments with the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2000.
As a former student, Nelson has served Texas A&M as a member of the College of Education and Human Development Advisory Council, the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering Industry Advisory Board and the Visual Arts Development Council, as well as his support of the Dwight Look College of Engineering and Texas A&M athletics.
Born in Waco, Texas, Nelson and his wife, Audrey, have one child, Felicia.
"Being an Aggie means a good education, friends for a lifetime, and a sense of values that benefits you, your family, your friends and associates and your nation all of your life."