Ray
Nesbitt ’55
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Year Awarded: 2021
Houston, TX
Ray B. Nesbitt ’55 graduated from A&M in three years, then started as a junior engineer at the Humble refinery in Baytown. He retired in 1998 as president of Exxon Chemical Co.; previous positions included vice president of Exxon Chemical Europe and president of Exxon Chemical Americas. In 1991, he received Texas A&M Engineering's Outstanding Alumni Award.
He served as a director of the Houston branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and on boards including Hibernia Bank
and Marshall National Bank. He and wife Sarah co-chaired capital campaigns for St. Francis Episcopal Church and The Women’s Home in Houston. At A&M, they created chemical engineering scholarships; a chemical engineering professorship, chair and faculty
endowment; and an engineering study classroom.
Nesbitt was a Gold-level member of The
Association’s Century Club with 32 years of giving, supported the 12th Man Foundation and Texas A&M Foundation and was a member of
the Chemical Engineering Advisory Council and A&M Legacy Society. He served on the executive committee for A&M’s “One Spirit, One Vision” capital campaign.
“He has demonstrated competence and integrity throughout his career and brought honor to Texas A&M.”
- Melbern G. Glasscock 1959
Frank H.
Newnam, Jr. ’31
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Year Awarded: 1980
Temple, TX
Newnam received a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1931. He worked to establish procedures for designing and testing bridge foundations and large embankments, later turning his attention to military projects. Following WWII he headed Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, Inc. as Chairman of the Board and Co-owner.
Newnam worked on the design and construction of projects at Texas A&M including the cyclotron building, dormitories, expansion of Kyle Field and on road, street, parking and drainage improvements. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Texas and six other states and served as president of American Society of Civil Engineers and Texas Society of Professional Engineers.
John W.
Newton ’12
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Year Awarded: 1962
Dallas, TX
Newton received a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering in 1912. During his career, Newton was President of the Association of Governing Boards of State Universities and Allied Institutions. He also served as the Vice-Chairman of the Committee of Governing Boards of State Supported Colleges and Universities and a member of the Texas Commission of Higher Education.
He was a President of the Beaumont A&M Club, a trustee of Texas A&M Research Foundation and served on The Association of Former Students Board of Directors.
Dr. Sam A.
Nixon ’47
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Year Awarded: 1990
Galveston, TX
Nixon received a bachelor’s degree in Science in 1946 and later a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Texas Medical Branch. He began his medical career in the military, later opened practices in two small Texas towns and has been associated with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in a variety of key positions.
He served in faculty and administration positions with the University of Texas System and was named to the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences by President Reagan. Dr. Nixon also shared his medical education expertise with his alma mater through service on the College of Medicine Advisory Council.
Erle A.
Nye ’59
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Year Awarded: 2006
Fort Worth, TX
Erle A. Nye received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University in 1959, a juris doctorate from Southern Methodist University in 1965 and a doctorate of science honoris causa from the Baylor College of Dentistry in 1996. During his time as a Texas A&M student, Nye was a member of the Corps of Cadets and was a Distinguished Military Graduate.
Nye began his career in 1960 with Dallas Power & Light Company, a subsidiary of Texas Utilities Company. In 1980, he was named Vice President of the parent company where his career would span 45 years and he would lead seven companies under TXU Corp., Texas’ largest publicly-held utility company. In 2004, he retired as Chief Executive Officer and now serves as Chairman Emeritus of TXU Corp. During his long and distinguished career, Nye chaired many industry organizations, including the Edison Electric Institute, the Electric Power Research Institute, the North American Electric Reliability Council and the Nuclear Energy Institute. He has served on numerous state and federal boards and committees and currently serves as Chairman of the President’s Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council. He has been recognized with numerous honors, including The Nasher Award from the Dallas Business Committee for the Arts, the Robert H. Dedman Award for Ethics and Law from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and Texas General Counsel Forum, and the Corporate Social Responsibility Award from the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
As a former student, Nye has generously served Texas A&M with his time and talent. He has been a member of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents since 1997 and previously served as its chairman. Nye is also a member of the Chancellor’s Century Council, the Dwight Look College of Engineering Development Council, the One Spirit One Vision Campaign Executive Committee and the Texas A&M Foundation Development Advisory Committee. In 1993, he received the Outstanding Alumni Honor Award from the Dwight Look College of Engineering and was inducted into the Corps of Cadets Hall of Honor in 2004. Born in Fort Worth, Nye and his wife, Alice, have five children: Kathy, Class of 1984; Allen, Class of 1989; Ann, Kyle and Scott.
"Just mention the name ‘Erle Nye’ and people talk about his integrity and how much they like and respect him."
- Congressman Joe Barton '72
T. Michael
O'Connor ’77
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Year Awarded: 2023
Victoria, TX
The life of T. Michael O’Connor ’77 has been motivated by the desire to “champion for those who are not able to champion for themselves,” he said.
O’Connor has worked in law enforcement for over 40 years, beginning in 1973 when he was deputized with the Refugio County Sheriff’s Office. He studied range science at Texas A&M, in line with his family’s multi-generational heritage of Texas ranching. He has followed his passions by remaining involved with the O’Connor Ranch since 1977, but he has upheld his duty to his community through law enforcement.
O’Connor was elected sheriff of Victoria County in 2005. His motto was and continues to be “excellence in law enforcement.” At the Victoria College Police Academy, he taught law enforcement professionalism and ethics and sat on the board of directors.
He has also served on the Victoria Police Department Advisory Board, the University of Houston-Victoria Criminal Justice Board of Directors and a gubernatorial Commission for the Comprehensive Review of Criminal Justice Systems.
In 2020, O’Connor was sworn in as U.S. marshal for the Southern District of Texas. He is one of 94 presidentially appointed marshals currently serving across the nation. He leads multiple law enforcement organizations, including the South Texas Coastal Sheriff’s Alliance, Law Enforcement Alliance Project and Houston High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
In addition to his professional affiliations, he has served on the boards of at least 15 other businesses and community organizations. He received a gubernatorial appointment to The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in 1993, serving as vice chairman 1994-99. He has also volunteered with The Association of Former Students, the Chancellor’s Century Council, the College of Agriculture Development Council and the AgriLife Vice Chancellor’s Forum.
O’Connor and his wife, LuAnn, have two children, Jane ’05 and Thomas ’11.
“He has selflessly given to the people of Texas over 40 years of excellent leadership in law enforcement.”
- Thomas K. Edwards ’87
Thomas A.
O’Dwyer ’47
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Year Awarded: 1984
Texarkana, AR
O’Dwyer received a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering in 1949. After rising to President of Ling Electric, Inc., he and two partners bought the company, renaming it Ling-Oliver-O’Dwyer Electric, Inc which was one of the top ten electrical contracting firms in volume in the South and Southwest and among the top fifty nationwide.
O’Dwyer served on The Association of Former Students Board of Directors for two years and is a former president of The Aggie Club. He was a charter contributor to the 12th Man Scholarship Program, a founding member of Texas A&M’s Opera and Performing Arts Society and served on the Target 2000 Project Committee.
C.E. “Pat”
Olsen ’23
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Year Awarded: 1981
Clifton, TX
Olsen received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1923. He was co-founder and President of Gearench Manufacturing Company where he invented or co-invented a complete line of tools under trade names Petol Tongs and Titan Tongs. He made Gearench the undisputed world leader in providing special tools for atomic, chemical, mining, petroleum and plastics industries.
Olsen was inducted into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame as one of A&M’s all-time great baseball pitchers. He played two years with the New York Yankees and is a long time supporter of Major league Baseball. A&M’s baseball stadium was dedicated and named in honor of C.E. “Pat” Olsen in 1978.
"We’ve both been blessed with good health which has enabled us to do the things we always wanted to do. If you find what you want to do in life, and the good Lord gives you the opportunity to do it, you are doubly blessed- El and I are most grateful."
John C.
Otto ’70
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Year Awarded: 2021
Bryan, TX
For John C. Otto ’70, coming to A&M and being part of the Aggie Band and the Corps of Cadets was the best experience of his life, said his wife, Nancy. He walked into Dorm 11 with a footlocker and a great deal of apprehension about what was coming, and left four years later with a degree, the Aggie core values and lifelong friends, she said.
As a student, Otto was head drum major of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, a Ross Volunteer and a member of the MSC Leadership Program.
Otto was a certified public accountant in Houston 1970- 1975 and in Dayton 1975-2010. He served on Dayton’s city council and school board and served eight years active and
reserve duty in the U.S. Army. He was an Endowed Century Club member of The Association with 46 years of giving. Elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2004,
Otto represented District 18 for six terms, from 2005 to 2017, chairing the House Appropriations Committee and holding other key positions. In 2017, he became assistant
vice chancellor and director of local government relations for The Texas A&M University System.
In 2017, he received the Olin “Tiger” Teague ’32 Award from The Association and Texas A&M Advocacy Network for contributions and government service on behalf of A&M. In 2020, the mace used by A&M’s head drum major to lead the Aggie Band was named in Otto’s honor. A&M System Chancellor John Sharp ’72 presented Otto with an inscribed replica of the mace.
“Throughout his career, he was revered for his
honesty, integrity and dedication to improving
the lives of all Texans.”
- Glenn Hegar 1993
Dr. Fred A.
Palmer ’59
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Year Awarded: 2010
Godley, TX
Dr. Palmer graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife science. As a student, he was vice president of the Tyler/Smith County Hometown Club.
Palmer began his career as a wildlife biologist and assistant project leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. After serving on active duty with the U.S. Army, he returned to Texas A&M, where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in veterinary science in 1968 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1969. After practicing veterinary medicine for more than 25 years, Palmer sold his small-animal clinic in Bedford, Texas, in 1994.
Palmer has expressed his generosity to Texas A&M by endowing several scholarships, including the Dr. Fred A. ’59 and Vola N. Palmer Endowed Scholarship in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, and by establishing the Dr. Fred A. and Vola N. Palmer Chair in Comparative Oncology at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
Palmer was named an Outstanding Alumnus by the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 and has been actively involved with Texas A&M. He is a past chair of The Association of Former Students and is an Endowed Century Club member. He has also served as president of the Fort Worth/Tarrant County A&M Club and is currently a member of the 12th Man Foundation Athletic Ambassadors Council.
"It seems that our time at A&M taught us a lot about devotion, dedication, loyalty, and respect for other Aggies, our family, God, and our country. I think that Aggies are great patriots because of that devotion. The qualities that we learned at A&M are invaluable, not only for our careers, but for life in general."
- Dr. Fred A. Palmer '59, Distinguished Alumnus, 2010