Dr. William M.
Barnes ’64
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Year Awarded: 2016
San Antonio, TX
DR. WILLIAM M. BARNES ’64 received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering and a doctorate in operations research. As a student, Mike served as president of Alpha Pi Mu (and has been a member of Tau Beta Pi since 1964); he represented A&M in summer 1968 as an expert consultant to the Assistant Postmaster General, and was an instructor of Army engineers for A&M in maintainability engineering at Red River Army Depot.
In 33 years with Rockwell International, he became senior vice president and chief financial officer. He is an Outstanding Alumnus of both A&M’s Dwight Look College of Engineering and Department of Industrial Engineering. He was the inaugural recipient in 2009 of the Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Texas Council of Industrial Engineering Department Heads. In 2001, he received the Leonardo da Vinci Annual Award as one of Rockwell’s Outstanding Engineers. Since his 2001 retirement from Rockwell, he has served on boards for three New York Stock Exchange-listed companies.
He and his wife have endowed a department head chair and a professorship in industrial engineering and hosted football and A&M fundraising events at homes in Southern California and Texas. He has funded A&M professorships and labs through the Rockwell Foundation, served as a charter member of the Chancellor’s Century Council and has been a member of the Engineering Advisory Board. He has given to The Association’s Century Club for 24 years.
In California, he served on the Orange County Business Council and with the governorship of Town Hall of Los Angeles. In San Antonio, he has been a member of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society supporting the United Way of San Antonio and has supported the Witte Museum.
His family includes wife Sugar, son Brad Barnes ’90 and two grandchildren.
Tyree L.
Bell ’13
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Year Awarded: 1964
Dallas, TX
Bell received a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1913. Bell was President of Austin Road, Austin Paving, and Austin Worth Construction Co. Bell was twice named “Engineer of the Year” by the Dallas Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers and was the Director of the State Fair of Texas and former president of the Cotton Bowl.
He served on The Association of Former Students Board of Directors and was largely responsible for the creation of the Texas A&M System. While a student at Texas A&M, he was a member of Ross Volunteers and was a four year letterman in football.
Stanton P.
Bell ’54
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Year Awarded: 2015
San Antonio, TX
Stanton P. Bell, Class of 1954, received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas A&M, where he served as Corps Adjutant, executive officer of the Ross Volunteers and commander of the firing platoon for Silver Taps, Muster and other events, was a Distinguished Student and Distinguished Military Student and was involved with groups including Student Senate and MSC Council.
He served in the 24th Infantry Division in Korea and was selected as aide de camp to the commanding general. Bell is president and CEO of Bell Hydrogas, a propane company serving San Antonio and six counties. He has been a vice president and director of Mission Gas Company and has also served as a director of Compass Bank and the Valero Texas Open Golf Tournament.
Bell served five years as captain of the 12th Man Foundation’s Champions Council, created and funded the annual Ross Volunteer Spirit Award and is involved with the San Antonio A&M Club and has sponsored A&M functions.
He is a President’s Endowed Scholarship donor, Sul Ross Scholarship donor and a member of the Texas A&M Foundation’s Legacy Society.
Bell is a past president of the Rotary Club of San Antonio, the second-largest club in Rotary International. He is also a past president of the San Antonio Country Club, club golf champion, five-time club senior golf champion and served 23 years as a United States Golf Association committee member and rules official. He was elected King Antonio of Fiesta 1989, is a past president of the San Antonio Better Business Bureau and a past president of the San Antonio Golf Association.
His father was Stanton F. Bell ’29 and he has a daughter and a son.
"Stanton Bell stands tall on the pillars of honesty, integrity, leadership, fellowship and service. His record of service as an Aggie places him at the pinnacle of former students."
- Gen. Joseph Ashy '62, USAF (Ret)
Morris “Buddy”
Benz ’32
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Year Awarded: 1973
Port Arthur, TX
M. “Buddy” Benz is a leading exponent of contemporary floral design. He has won almost every award his particular field can offer. The Benz School of Floral Design in Houston is one of the outstanding schools of floral design in the United States.
Advice from his father in 1928 turned him from a proposed career in dentistry toward an A&M degree in Landscape Architecture and Floriculture and a lifetime of dedication to the advancement of floral design as a profession and an art form.
After graduating from Texas A&M, Benz augmented his college training with studies abroad and at leading schools of floral design in the is country. Then, while teaching Floriculture and Design at Mississippi State College, he began creating his own floral designs which became the basis for the first textbook on this art form in Western culture.
This book, Flowers: Their Creative Designs, published in 1952, quickly became the basic reference work for floral artists and commercial florists. In 1960, Benz published Flowers: Free Form- Interpretive Design which changed the entire concept of floral design, raising it into the fine arts class. Flowers: Geometric Form, a complete revision of his first book, was published in 1962.
Benz opened his first floral shop in his hometown of Port Arthur in 1936, then moved the shop to Houston where he also operated a landscape office until entering the U.S. Army in 1941. He helped design the yellow, red and blue triangular emblem used by the Armored Command and was discharged in 1946 as a lieutenant colonel.
Following World War II, he organized the Benz School of Floral Design in Houston. Techniques developed by Benz for his two-week course enable even novices to master floral design.
Benz has bequeathed to Texas A&M University his collection of fine art gathered from all around the globe as well as his unique library containing almost everything written about floral art and its history. He is also the founder of the world-renowned Benz School of Floral Design at Texas A&M University.
No other individual has made a greater impact on his professional field than has M. “Buddy” Benz, a man dedicated to developing a standard of excellence in the use of flowers as a source of “beauty to temper man’s soul.”
"His great love for A&M and his appreciation for the fine arts are helping A&M take its rightful place among great universities with an outstanding fine arts collection for its student body."
- Robert Rucker '38, Department of Horticulture, Texas A&M, and close friend
Jorge A.
Bermudez ’73
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Year Awarded: 2017
College Station, TX
JORGE A. BERMÚDEZ ’73 received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics. As a student, he was a member of the student chapter of the Sports Car Club of America and took part in activities within the Department of Agricultural Economics.
He was chief risk officer for Citigroup/Citibank 2007-08, CEO and president of Citibank Commercial Banking Group 2006-07 and Senior Advisor International and CEO of Citigroup Latin America 2002-06, in a 33-year career with Citibank and Citigroup. He is currently president and CEO of the Byebrook Group.
Since 2015, he has served on the board of trustees of the Texas A&M Foundation. He served on the board of The Association of Former Students 2006-12, including serving as chair in 2011, and supported the enhancement of the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. He serves on the College of Agriculture Development Council, the Dean’s Advisory Board for Mays Business School and A&M’s International Advisory Board, and created scholarships for dependents of veterans and business honors scholarships, among gifts that also include support for the Financial Planning Program and the Wiley Lecture Series.
He was named an Outstanding International Alumnus of A&M in 2016, received the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2009; and was added to the Department of Agricultural Economics’ Tyrus R. Timm Honor Registry in 2006.
He serves on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Moody’s Corp. and the Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley, which he chaired in 2013. He chaired the steering committee of the New York Clearing House trade group.
His family includes wife Andrea Moo-Young Bermúdez, five children and three grandchildren.
“Integrity has no price, only value that accrues throughout your life.”
- Jorge A. Bermudez '73
Anthony J. "Tony"
Best ’72
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Year Awarded: 2019
College Station, TX
Throughout his 40-year career in engineering and leadership, Tony Best ’72 has served as President – Latin America for ARCO, President and CEO of Pure Resources and CEO of SM Energy. He is board chairman at Newpark Resources, a director at ProPetro, ExL Petroleum and Middle Fork Energy Partners and a senior advisor with Quantum Energy Partners.
Best earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M in 1972, and while a student was a Ross Volunteer, member of the RV Firing Squad and 1st Wing commander in the Corps of Cadets. His loyal service to Texas A&M and Corps of Cadets includes 15 years serving as president of the Corps of Cadets Association.
After graduating from Texas A&M, he served five years as an Air Force officer prior to entering the oil and gas industry.
Best has remained connected to Texas A&M throughout his career and was founder, president and Muster chair of the South Central Alaska A&M Club. He has served A&M on the Mechanical Engineering Advi¬sory Council and College of Engineering Advisory Council and as a 12th Man Foundation and Association volunteer leader. He is a member of The Association of Former Students’ Century Club, with 40 years of giving, and has established two Sul Ross scholarships.
Best has been inducted into the Mechanical Engineer¬ing Academy of Distinguished Graduates in the Texas A&M College of Engineering.
He has served on the American Heart Association’s South¬west Affiliate Board and on the Denver Junior Achievement Board. As chair of the Denver Heart Walk in 2014 and United Way-Midland’s board and campaign in 1997, he led record fun¬draising of $3.8 million and $3 million, respectively.
"Tony is a leader in his profession. More importantly, he is an Aggie's Aggie, and a loyal friend who lives a life dedicated to our core values."
- Tim Leach '82
John E.
Bethancourt ’74
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Year Awarded: 2011
Bryan, Texas
Bethancourt graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering and later received his executive M.B.A. from Duke University. While at A&M, he was a student senator, vice president of the Student Engineering Council, and president of the Hughes Hall Student Council.
He went to work after graduation for Getty Oil Co., rising to area manager in the company’s Bryan office by 1982. He then spent more than 15 years with Texaco, beginning as area manager in the Victoria, Texas, office and culminating as Texaco Corporation vice president and president of worldwide productions operations. He joined Chevron Corp. in 2001 as vice president of human resources. Since 2003, he has been an executive vice president at Chevron. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and a former member of its Board of Directors.
Bethancourt is a member of The Association of Former Students Endowed Century Club and is the chairman-elect of the Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees. He and his wife, Debbie, Class of 1976, have endowed several scholarships and a professorship. John has been a consistent supporter of the university’s Department of Petroleum Engineering. He also supports the football and baseball programs and has been a major force behind planned renovations to Olsen Field. In 2007, he was named an Outstanding Alumnus of A&M’s Dwight Look College of Engineering.
He has been a volunteer Little League coach in Victoria, Wharton and Midland, is a former director of Midland Junior Achievement, and is a member of the Board of Governors of Miramont Country Club in Bryan.
Bethancourt and his wife have four children, all of whom graduated from Texas A&M, and ten grandchildren. All four children have spouses who also graduated from Texas A&M.
“I gained a strong sense of the A&M values, which have stuck with me. I learned leadership skills that have served me well over the last 37 years.”
Hon.Willie E. B.
Blackmon ’73
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Year Awarded: 2005
Houston, TX
The Honorable Willie E.B. Blackmon received a bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Marketing from Texas A&M University in 1973 and a Juris Doctorate from Texas Southern University in 1982. During his time at Texas A&M, he was an All-Southwest Conference and All-American athlete and member of the world record holding indoor mile relay team who won the U.S. Track and Field Federation National Championship. Blackmon was recognized for his athletic achievements with his induction into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.
In 1984, Blackmon entered the U.S. Air Force as a military attorney where he served for the next 20 years. In 2004, he was honorably discharged from the Texas Air National Guard at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Blackmon’s outstanding career contributions were recognized when he was selected to serve as an International Election Supervisor in Bosnia in 1997. Upon completion of active duty, he served as Assistant District Attorney in Lubbock and Houston and established a successful career as a private attorney prior to becoming a Municipal Court Judge for the City of Houston.
As a former student, Blackmon has served Texas A&M as a co-founding member of the Texas A&M Letterman’s Association, a member of the College of Education and Human Development Advisory Council and the Corps of Cadets Development Council, and a Representative at Large for The Association of Former Students.
"Being an Aggie means that I am part of a network of individuals that are as special collectively as they are individually. Our traditions and Aggie culture set us apart from all other universities in the nation. And let it be understood, our greatest asset is the Aggie Network, and its silver lining is the diversity of our student body, which is well on its way to living the “Dream” of a great Aggie, State Senator Mathew Gaines. Senator Gaines, an African American Senator of the Reconstruction era in Texas history, dreamed of an integrated land grant college where all Texans would have an equal opportunity to succeed. And those opportunities manifest themselves today, when we travel at home or abroad, while wearing the Aggie ring. This symbol of the Aggie Spirit becomes a worldwide passport to hospitality and camaraderie. I say this out of my experiences as a world traveler, meeting Aggies who recognize me not by face, but by the ring on my finger. This tells them that we share not only a heritage that has molded who and what we are, but also a common bond, which in a strange environment, beckons one to a harbor light of friendship."
John R.
Blocker ’45
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Year Awarded: 1983
San Antonio, TX
John R. Blocker, a former member and Vice President of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Blocker Energy Corporation, the fifteenth largest contract drilling company in the world with 54 rigs operating in eight countries. He is also a retired Senior Vice President of Dresser Industries, where he was in charge of that company’s worldwide petroleum and minerals operations.
A member of Texas A&M’s Class of ’45, he left college to serve in the Army during World War II and won the Bronze Star. After the war, he returned to Texas A&M and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in 1948. Following graduation, he worked in various aspects of the oil and gas business in Texas before becoming operations manager for Dresser subsidiary in Argentina. He served dresser in both that country and Venezuela before relocating to Dresser’s Houston office, where he had various responsibilities for foreign operations. He retired from Dresser in 1977 as Senior Vice President.
He was honored as “Texas Business Executive of the Year” for 1982 by Texas A&M’s College of Business Administration and Texas Business Executive magazine. His selection was based on nominations from corporate officers around the state.
Blocker has long been devoted to his alma mater. He has been on The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. In addition to serving as Vice President of the Board, he was Chairman of the Committee for Academic Campus and headed the Regent’s participation in the Texas A&M University System Target 2000 Project. Additionally, he is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Executive Development Program in the College of Business Administration and a Trustee of the Texas A&M University Research Foundation.
He and his wife have endowed two academic chairs in the College of Business Administration and have also founded a President’s Endowed Scholarship and a Twelfth Man Scholarship.
"I feel a major commitment to Texas A&M. When I went to A&M, I didn’t have any money, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, I had no plans. A&M brought me out, made me something of a man rather than a boy. The two years I spent there after the war were the most impressive, most influential years of my life. It was the single most powerful influence on my life, that’s the way I feel."
Willy F.
Bohlmann, Jr. ’50
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Year Awarded: 1995
Schulenburg, TX
Willy F. Bohlmann, Jr. ’50 graduated from Texas A&M University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering. While at A&M, he was President of the American Society of Civil Engineers and was a Ross Volunteer. After a successful career with the U.S. Army Reserve, Willy retired as a colonel in 1980. He is now retired as President of Esso China, Ltd. after serving 41 years with Exxon affiliate companies. He has been awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Department of Civil Engineering’s Distinguished Graduate Award, and was recognized in the Corps of Cadets Hall of Honor.
“From the time I set foot on campus in May 1945, it was the strong esprit de corps that made an impact. This spirit gave me a feeling of camaraderie among class members and fellow students. Being an Aggie opened doors to other Aggies in a worldwide network. It is a good feeling to be a part of the world’s largest fraternity.”
Willie Bohlmann '50
"Willy Bohlman is tangible evidence of how A&M made the person and how the person made A&M! His record of outstanding accomplishments and significant contributions to society have brought great credit to our nation, the citizens of Texas, and Texas A&M."
- Eivind H. Johansen ’50, Lt. General, U.S. Army (Retired)