General Hal M.
Hornburg (USAF, Ret) ’68
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Year Awarded: 2012
Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
General Hal M. Hornburg (USAF, Ret), Class of 1968, graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor of business administration degree in finance, and earned a master’s degree in human resource management from the University of Utah in 1978. In between his degrees, he attended Squadron Officer School and Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala. Afterward, he went to the National War College at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., in 1986, and completed the Seminar XXI for Foreign Political and International Relations at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National and International Security Program at Harvard University in 1994. While at A&M, he was a Ross Volunteer, Distinguished Student, Outstanding Military Student, Commanding Officer, 2nd Group Staff in the Corps of Cadets, as well as a member of MSC Town Hall Committee, MSC Great Issue Committee and the Apollo Club.
Hornburg entered the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1968 and commanded all levels—flight, squadron, wing, numbered air force and major command. While on active duty, he fought, participated in or commanded forces in four wars, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism. He was also awarded three Legions of Merit, 10 Air Medals, two Air Forces Distinguished Service Medals and the Defense Distinguished Service Medal. In 2004, he was made an honorary Tuskegee Airman in honor of his efforts in developing and mentoring minority officers and airmen. General Hornburg commanded a composite fighter wing during Operation Desert Storm and the first Air Force composite wing during the services reorganization in 1991. He directed air operations over Bosnia, commanded the Joint Warfighting Center, served on the Joint Staff, and directed operations at Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He also has served as Tactical Air Command's F-15 demonstration pilot for the East Coast, Air Force Liaison Officer to the U.S. Senate, Chief of the Air Force Colonels' Group, and he commanded Air Education and Training Command. He retired as commander, Air Combat Command in 2005 after 36 years of service to the USAF and more than 4,400 flight hours. He continues to serve the aerospace field as an Aerospace Industry Consultant.
In retirement, Hornburg has served as director of the Armed Forces Benefit Association, an insurance company founded by General Dwight D. Eisenhower to assist military members. He is a trustee of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, director of the Fisher House, a foundation that assists military families, and is a senior advisor for Segs4Vets, a program that provides Segways for American disabled veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is also a senior advisor to the Sierra Nevada Corporation, the Camber Corporation, Environmental Tectonics Corporation and Conceptual Mindworks, Inc.
He has served as member and Chairman of Strategic Planning and Fundraising for the President’s Board of Visitors for the Corps of Cadets since 2003, and he has served on the President’s Advisory Council Strategic Planning Committee since 2010. He is a past chair of The Association of Former Students and an Endowed Century Club Member. He led the Texas A&M Commandant Search Committee in 2010 and is a member of the Aggie Real Estate Network.
Hornburg and his wife, Cynthia, reside in Fair Oaks Ranch. They have two sons, who are both USAF pilots, and five grandchildren.
"A&M re-wove the fabric of my being. It somehow altered my DNA. The entire experience didn't make me what I became, but actually molded me into what who I became. While it may not have fundamentally affected others as much, I would not trade the benefits of my Aggie experience for anything. I owe A&M more than I can ever repay."
James R. "Jim"
Thompson ’68
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Year Awarded: 2013
Kaufman, TX
James R. “Jim” Thompson, Class of 1968, graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in architectural construction. During his tenure at Texas A&M, he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and Ross Volunteers and was named a distinguished Military Graduate.
Following graduation, Thompson joined the United States Air Force and served as an instructor pilot until 1973. After gaining 10 years of construction experience, Thompson founded James R. Thompson, Inc., a commercial general contracting firm. The company, which now is headquartered in Dallas, has received dozens of awards for construction excellence. Thompson is a member of Texas A&M’s Construction Industry Advisory Council, the College of Architecture Advisory Council, the Chancellor’s Century Council, the Presidential Board of Visitors, the A&M Legacy Society, the Corps of Cadets Association; the 12th Man Foundation’s Advisory Board and served on the Board of The Association of Former Students from 2006 to 2010. As a multi-term Chair of the Building Enhancement Committee, Thompson played an integral role in the 2008 enhancement of the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. Thompson helped lead the effort to fund and construct the Freedom from Terror memorial on the Texas A&M campus—a gift from the Classes of 1968 and 2003—that honors the many Aggies who have given their lives for their country. In 2000, he received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the College of Architecture and he was inducted into the Corps of Cadets Hall of Honor in 2011. Thompson has also funded a President’s Endowed Scholarship, a Corps 21 Endowed Scholarship, two Sul Ross Endowed Scholarships, and a Construction Science Endowed Scholarship.
In addition to serving Texas A&M, Thompson is involved in his community. He served 15 years on the Kaufman ISD School Board and helped found the Kaufman ISD Scholarship Foundation. He is a former trustee of the Texas Association of School Boards as well as the Kaufman County Appraisal District. Thompson is a member of the Kaufman County A&M Club and serves as a Class Agent for the Class of ’68. He currently serves as chairman of the Citizens Facility Advisory Council.
He and his wife, Donna Beth, live in Kaufman and have three sons, two of whom graduated from Texas A&M.
Texas A&M provided a strong foundation for me to continue to mature, develop, and prepare myself for the challenges of the Air Force and eventually my career in the construction industry.
Bill E.
Carter ’69
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Year Awarded: 2000
Decatur, TX
Carter received a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics in 1969 and was a distinguished military graduate as well as Student Body President. A Certified Financial Planner, he currently serves as President of Carter Advisory Services and Carter Financial Management.
Carter is a Past President of The Association of Former Students and a Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Texas A&M University Foundation. He has received wide recognition for his personal and professional acumen. "Worth Magazine" has named Carter numerous times as one of the Top 250 Financial Planners and he has also been named “Rising Star” of Texas by Texas Business Magazine.
"Bill is a leading Aggie, an outstanding industry leader, and devoted to this community."
- Joe B. Mattei ’53, Distinguished Alumni, 2004
Hector
Gutierrez, Jr. ’69
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Year Awarded: 2023
El Paso, TX
Gutierrez was very involved in student life at A&M, leading as a member of the Ross Volunteers, president of the University Honor Council and the first Hispanic Corps commander.
Upon graduation, he received a commission into the U.S. Air Force and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in Russian.
Gutierrez spent nearly 20 years of his career at Southwestern Bell Telephone, acting as assistant vice president of government relations before leaving the company in 1993. He soon became a consultant, specializing in public relations, communications and governmental affairs. His past clients include the city of El Paso (where he still lives today), AT&T, the El Paso Water Utility Public Service Board, HILLCO Partners and more corporate entities. He also served as the first senior advisor for legislative affairs to the lieutenant governor of Texas, Rick Perry ’72.
Generous with his time, Gutierrez has made it a point to lead and mentor wherever he can. He has served on the boards of The Association of Former Students, the Texas A&M University Press, the Bush School of Government and Public Service, the Texas A&M Health Science Center and the Corps of Cadets Board of Visitors. He is also the founding chairman of the Texas A&M Hispanic Network, where his passion and vision directly supported A&M’s recent designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution, which in turn unlocked new levels of federal funding.
Gutierrez and his wife, Debbie, have one daughter, Camila.
“I know of few people who possess such focused dedication, sincere personal integrity and thoughtful communication style.”
- Lupe Fraga '57
Dr. Stephen A.
Holditch ’69
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Year Awarded: 2014
Bryan, TX
Dr. Stephen A. Holditch '69, received bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from A&M, all in petroleum engineering. He was a member of the Corps of Cadets, serving as Second Battalion commander and as a Ross Volunteer. Holditch is a former head of the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering and former director of the Texas A&M Energy Institute. He also founded S.A. Holditch and Associates, which had a worldwide reputation for being able to solve the most difficult petroleum engineering problems. Holditch has been honored as a member of the Petroleum Engineering Academy of Distinguished Graduates and as an Outstanding Alumnus of the Dwight Look College of Engineering. He and his wife, Ann, have funded multiple scholarships in petroleum engineering, as well as a Sul Ross Scholarship. They are Endowed Century Club donors to The Association of Former Students, and their many gifts to the 12th Man Foundation and Texas A&M Foundation have earned them recognition as Eppright Distinguished Donors and members of the Legacy Society. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1995 and has been honored with most of the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ top technical honors, including the Legends of Hydraulic Fracturing Award, which he received in 2014. He is former president of the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas; and a board member of the Research Valley Partnership and of the National Petroleum Council. He and Ann have been married 43 years and have two daughters, Katie Rowe ’97 and Abbie Walsh ’01, and five grandchildren.
"You will look back at your years at Texas A&M as one of the best periods in your life. Your classmates will be lifelong friends, so keep in touch with them and the university as your career takes you to various parts of the world. Always remember the Aggie Code of Honor."
Bill
Mahomes, Jr. ’69
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Year Awarded: 2022
Dallas, TX
Texas A&M taught Bill Mahomes ’69 that, “I was tougher and more resilient than I knew. That life may or may not have always been fair, but how I respond and feel about it is the real test, not the action itself.”
As the first Black student to complete four years in the Corps of Cadets, Mahomes experienced his share of tests. Growing up in Lindale, Texas, he attended segregated schools before coming to the recently integrated Texas A&M. He was the first in his family to attend college, and at the time, he struggled with a speech impediment. However, Mahomes was determined to uphold A&M’s values, even when others didn’t. He graduated with a finance degree, participating in the Cadet Honor Council among other student organizations. Mahomes went on to earn his Juris Doctor from The University of Texas in 1972, serving as vice president of the Student Bar Association while there.
In his distinguished legal career, Mahomes has spent over 30 years specializing in public finance, real estate and commercial transactions. He is the former managing partner, president and director of Mahomes Bolden PC, and a former partner at Bracewell LLC. He currently serves as the general counsel and executive vice president for Vista Bank. Some of his most notable clients include the city of Dallas, DFW International Airport and the Texas Turnpike Authority.
Mahomes has served on the boards of over 25 different civic and charitable organizations, including the Salvation Army, the Dallas Legal Service Corp., the Bethlehem Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. In 2015, Mahomes was appointed to The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, where he continues to serve. He was reappointed and named vice chairman of the board in 2021. Bill and his wife, Pam, have two children.
“Bill is a wonderful example of an Aggie that has spent his life personifying the core values of Texas A&M. Despite all his success and recognition, he remains exceedingly humble.”
- Bill Carter ’69
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Bill
Mahomes, Jr. ’69
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Year Awarded: 2022
Dallas, TX
Texas A&M taught Bill Mahomes ’69 that, “I was tougher and more resilient than I knew. That life may or may not have always been fair, but how I respond and feel about it is the real test, not the action itself.”
As the first Black student to complete four years in the Corps of Cadets, Mahomes experienced his share of tests. Growing up in Lindale, Texas, he attended segregated schools before coming to the recently integrated Texas A&M. He was the first in his family to attend college, and at the time, he struggled with a speech impediment. However, Mahomes was determined to uphold A&M’s values, even when others didn’t. He graduated with a finance degree, participating in the Cadet Honor Council among other student organizations. Mahomes went on to earn his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas in 1972, serving as vice president of the Student Bar Association while there.
In his distinguished legal career, Mahomes has spent over 30 years specializing in public finance, real estate and commercial transactions. He is the former managing partner, president and director of Mahomes Bolden PC, and is currently a partner at Bracewell LLC. He is also the general counsel and executive vice president for Vista Bank. Some of his most notable clients include the city of Dallas, DFW International Airport and the Texas Turnpike Authority.
Mahomes has served on the boards of over 25 different civic and charitable organizations, including the Salvation Army, the Dallas Legal Service Corp., the Bethlehem Foundation and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. In 2015, Mahomes was appointed to The Texas A&M System Board of Regents, where he continues to serve. He was reappointed and named vice chairman of the board in 2021. Bill and his wife, Pam, have two children.
“Bill is a wonderful example of an Aggie that has spent his life personifying the core values of Texas A&M. Despite all his success and recognition, he remains exceedingly humble.”
- Bill Carter ’69
Phil
Adams ’70
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Year Awarded: 2019
Bryan, TX
Phil Adams ’70 is serving his third six-year term as a regent of The Texas A&M University System and previously served as vice chairman of the Board of Regents from 2011 to 2013 and chairman from 2013 to 2015. First appointed by Governor Rick Perry ’72 in 2001 and again in 2009, he was reappointed to the board by Governor Greg Abbott in 2015. He has chaired the Audit, Finance and Buildings and Physical Plant committees of the Board.
Adams earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Texas A&M in 1971 and was a member of the football team, coached by Gene Stallings ’57.
After graduation, he launched a career in insurance and is the founder and president of Phil Adams Company, which provides insurance products and services throughout Texas. He has attained membership in the Million Dollar Round Table, Top of the Table and the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting.
Adams serves on the board of directors of American Momentum Bank, with banking operations in Texas and Florida, and has served on the boards of many civic organizations, including the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce. He is a past president of the Brazos Valley Estate Council and past chairman of the Brazos County Republican Party.
With many years of service to Texas A&M and The Texas A&M University System, Adams is an active member of the Chancellor’s Century Council and the Mays Business School Development Council and recently completed a three-year term on the board of UTIMCO, The University of Texas/Texas A&M Investment Management Company. He is a member of The Association of Former Students’ Century Club, with 41 years of giving, and supported the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center building enhancement campaign. His generosity is recognized on the Loyalty core value wall at the Williams Alumni Center which reads: “It was here that our lives were forever changed, and loyalty to one another and to a cause greater than self-filled our hearts.”
Adams’ Aggie family includes his father, the late Lester D. Adams ’53, and nephews, Jared Kennedy ’02 and Joerdan Ken¬nedy ’07.
“It was here that our lives were forever changed, and loyalty to one another and to a cause greater than self-filled our hearts.”
- Phil Adams '70
James A.
Mayo, Jr. ’70
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Year Awarded: 2014
Mathis, TX
James A. Mayo, Jr. '70 received a bachelor’s degree in management from Texas A&M, where he was also active in intramural athletics and a performer in a country band. After graduation, he enjoyed a successful career in banking and is the retired chairman/CEO of Alice Bancshares Inc. He is a Past Chair of The Association of Former Students Board of Directors and a past chair of the Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees. An active A&M Club volunteer, he has served as president of both the Laredo and Brush Country A&M Clubs, and served on Texas A&M’s Vision 2020 Task Force. He has funded two endowed scholarships, an opportunity award and is an Endowed Century Club donor to The Association of Former Students. His generosity to Texas A&M has earned him recognition as a member of the Legacy Society at the Texas A&M Foundation. Mayo provided a gift to The Association’s Building Enhancement Campaign, and the Mayo/Garner Conference Room in the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center is named in honor of him and Porter S. Garner, Jr. ’45. He has served on numerous bank boards, the board of directors for the Texas Bankers Association and many civic and philanthropic boards. He is a founding member of the Leadership Jim Wells County program, former president of the Alice Country Club, and a former member of the Alice Chamber of Commerce board, the Coastal Bend Community Foundation board, and the Jim Wells County Industrial Foundation board. He has three children, Sarah McDonald ’06, James Mayo III ’07 and John Mayo ’10.
"The culture, atmosphere, and people at A&M validated and strengthened the very morals, values and character traits my parents had preached to me from a young age. Combining these with learned self-sufficiency, a "can do" attitude, learning to handle success as well as failure with humbleness and dignity, and above all developing the courage and conviction to stand by principles no matter what the consequences, were all things A&M imparted to me and I have attempted to pass on to my children."
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