Melissa and Raymond P.
Padden, Jr. ’89
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Houston, TX
Perry Padden is the Global Supply and Global Manufacturing Planning Manager for ExxonMobil Chemical Company in Houston, Texas. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas A&M University in 1989 with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering.
Alison Neely
Brown ’90
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San Antonio, TX
Alison Neely Brown is a Corporate Officer and Director in the Accounting Department for San Antonio Steel Company in San Antonio, Texas. On the side, she is also property manager for Neely Interests. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Business Management and interned in Washington, D.C. for the Conservative Youth Foundation.
Michelle ’89 and Robert
Hickox ’90
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Plano, TX
They’d been looking for a way to get involved, said Robert Hickox ’90. “We want to give because, really, we’re grateful,” said Michelle Hickox ’89. It was a shared affection for Aggieland that brought them together in the first place, she said. “A&M is part of our family culture.” They’ve brought their daughters, Cameron ’17 and Abby (who plans to attend A&M), to Aggieland consistently since they were babies. Football season provides a reoccurring family reunion as Michelle’s parents and brother tailgate before home games. Both girls have attended countless soccer camps with the A&M coaching staff. As a family, many of their memories are wrapped around, woven through and made possible because of the Spirit of Aggieland. “A&M and giving back is important to us,” she said, because they have been the recipient of so much. Robert was the first in his family to graduate from Texas A&M. “My folks worked their tails off to allow me to attend Texas A&M without debt,” he said. Michelle’s parents, too, picked up extra jobs so that she could graduate from A&M debt-free.
When Cameron got her acceptance letter, the Hickox family knew they were fortunate enough to be able to allow her the great opportunity of becoming an A&M student. “But not every family can do that,” Robert said. They are donors through several A&M groups, but chose to give through the Endowed Century Club because “we feel like The Association provides great benefits to students,” Michelle said. Their goal has always been to support students.
As a student herself, Michelle always knew she wanted to go to A&M. The traditions—the Spirit, the Aggie family—“A&M is just such a special place,” she said. Robert was a student elsewhere when he took a road trip down with a friend. He filled out an application to transfer immediately. “We think A&M is great,” said Michelle. “We want to give others the opportunity to love it just as much as we do.”
Melissa ’04 and Benjamin C.
Knox ’90
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College Station, TX
Benjamin started his professional art career in 1988 by capturing the spirit of Texas A&M while he was a sophomore in Squadron 3 in the Corps of Cadets. His art career began to blossom his senior year when he sold his artwork in the MSC while wearing his senior boots. After completing the corps, he took a couple of victory laps, joined the Aggie Men’s Club and ran his art gallery out of his house.
Upon graduation, he opened the first artist owned gallery in College Station. In 2001, he brought back one of the most important historical buildings in the history of Texas A&M and the city of College Station, the ‘College Station’ train depot. He designed the city treasure to be his gallery, with the exterior as an exact replica of the original 1900 Southern Pacific depot that was destroyed in 1966. He added a 1905 caboose and other important train antiques to give the gallery a true historical feel.
Of all of his accomplishments, he is most excited about how he has been able to promote and benefit Texas A&M and communities through his artwork. For over 20 years his artwork has helped to benefit countless charities and establish an immense amount of scholarships. Giving back is integrated into his very core, something that was established while a student at Texas A&M.
Melissa’s roots in Aggie history also run deep. She is the daughter of Corps Commander Mike Gentry’78 and granddaughter of Band Commander Paul Gentry’55. Benjamin and Melissa were married March 15, 2008.
She is the executive director of the Benjamin Knox Gallery, Framing, and Events, and helps to keep Benjamin in the art studio as much as possible!
Fran Beazley ’87 and Tom
Phillips ’90
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Dallas, TX
Tom Philips graduated from Texas A&M University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering. Tom has been a systems engineer for Johnson Controls and Lone Star Gas. He is currently the managing sales director of Markit WSO.
Fran Phillips graduated from Texas A&M University in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural ecconomics. After graduation, Fran worked in group travel sales, predominately with church and Young Life groups on ski and mission trips. Her current focus is volunteer work in the church and community and raising kids.
Fran and Tom reside in Dallas and have two daughters, Sarah and Mary Lea.
We chose to make this gift to The Association simply because we are at a place in life where we are able to give back. Texas A&M helped mold us into the people we are, and it is important to us to help preserve the future of our University for generations to come.
Ashli and Matthew C.
Poling ’90
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College Station, TX
Matt Poling received his bachelor’s degree in biomedical science from Texas A&M University in 1991. During his time at A&M, Matt was the commander of the Corps of Cadets and was awarded the Brown-Earl Rudder Outstanding Graduate Award for the 1990-91 graduating class. Upon graduation, Matt attended the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, where he was class president from 1991 to 1992. He then completed the Waco Family Practice Residency Program, where he was chief resident from 1997 to 1998. Matt is a family practice physician at the Scott and White Clinic in College Station, as well as an assistant professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.Matt was a physician in the U.S. Air Force from 1998 to 2003, with assignments to Colorado Springs and San Antonio as well as a deployment to Saudi Arabia. From 2009 to 2010, Matt and his family lived in Heidelberg, Germany, where Matt was a civilian family practice physician for the U.S. Army.Matt and his wife, Ashli Poling, met while working at a Kanakuk Camp in the Ozarks during the summer of 1991 and were married in 1995. Ashli, from Arkansas, graduated from Baylor in 1993. Upon graduation, Ashli became a high school math teacher. Ashli now stays at home with their three children, Meredith, Duncan and Elise.Matt is on the Board of Directors for the Corps of Cadets Association. He and his family are members of Grace Bible Church in College Station.
As a former Class Agent, I know the vital role The Association of Former Students plays in maintaining the Aggie Network. I decided to make an endowed gift more than 20 years ago, but that is something easily put off. While working overseas in 2009, our dog escaped during a thunderstorm and wandered over to The Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Building. They brought that wet stinky dog inside and helped him fi nd his way home. That clinched it.
Karen M. ’97 and R. Cody
Moore ’91
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Bellaire, TX
Cody Moore is currently senior vice president of Lehman Brothers, formerly Eagle Energy Partners in Houston, Texas. Cody graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics in 1991 and a Masters of Business Administration in International Business in 1993.
Karen (Kiewel) Moore graduated from the University of Houston after two years at A&M with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics in 1997. After graduation, Karen went to work for American General/AIG until 2002 and then Manhattan Insurance Group until 2007.
We have always wanted to give back to A&M in a meaningful way and we have been blessed to be able to do it now. We are where we are today in part because of our time in Aggieland. Our fondest memory is definitely Bonfire. The mud, the burning sofas, the cigars – all great! But the years we were there were pretty special – the winning streak against tu, the ’89 baseball team. It’s hard to single something out, but still Bonfire is the fondest of all.
Garry B.
Rand ’91
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Houston, TX
Garry Rand received his B.S. degree in Recreation Parks and Tourism Science and works as a QC/QA Specialist in the Engineering and Construction Department of the Texas Department of Transportation. He has also participated in various volunteer work and activities as a member of Alpha Phi Omega national Fraternity. This endowment is given in his honor by his parents, Patty and Glendale Rand ’57.
Helena G. ’91 and Douglas B.
Reilly ’91
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Houston, TX
Brennan Reilly ’91, president of D.Brennan Reilly, P.C., graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s of science degree in economics. In 1994, he received a doctor of jurisprudence degree from the University of Texas School of Law. His wife, Helena ’91 graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s of arts degree in political science.
We give back to Texas A&M to repay a small part of what we owe to the school and the scholarship donors who enabled us to attend. We also hope to ensure A&M continues to provide the best undergraduate experience and education in the country.
Kristin M. ’91 and Derek P.
Tatum ’91
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Houston, TX
Derek P. Tatum ’91 is a Senior Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for GlaxoSmithKline. He graduated from Nicholls State University in 1988 with a degree in Finance and also graduated from Texas A&M University in 1991 with a degree in Management. Derek was recently awarded the GSK 2002 Winner’s Circle, which is a top sales award.
His wife, Kristin M. Tatum ’91 is a Divisional Controller for Kinder Morgan Energy Partners. She graduated from Texas A&M University in 1991 with a degree in Accounting.
We attribute our success to the education and experiences we received at Texas A&M and feel it is important to share this success with The Association.
Hieu Tri
Du ’92
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Plano, TX
Hieu Tri Du ’92 is a design engineer for AMI Semiconductor in Plano, Texas. Hieu graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s of science degree in electrical engineering. Upon graduation, he held several engineering positions with Texas Instruments. Hieu received the TI HEIF Recognition Award as well as the Dallas B.E.S.T. Volunteer of the Year Award.
I have met fellow Aggies in all places and instantly we would talk like old friends. It can occur at work, shopping, playing golf, snorkeling in Belize, or even while walking around New Orleans. Aggies are my big extended family.
Cathy Gist
Mann ’92
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Kingwood, TX
Cathy graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in 1992 and later earned an MBA from Rice University in 2011. While at Texas A&M, she was active in Student Government, Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, served as a Fish Camp counselor, and was a member of the Aggieland yearbook staff. She serves as Senior Director of Global Marketing & Strategy at Halliburton where she leads the company’s global marketing strategy and execution, including industry communications, corporate events, branding and advertising, and digital marketing. She also drives the marketing strategy for the company’s unconventionals, deepwater and mature assets business. Previously, she led a product line’s marketing strategy and directed the company’s global public/media relations, community relations and employee communications functions. She also managed Halliburton’s relationship for leadership and executive training with Texas A&M University, and served as Vice President and Secretary for Halliburton Foundation Inc. She has broad experience in corporate communications and human resources management, and has completed global work assignments in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. In 2011, Cathy was named as one of the ‘Women Worth Watching’ by the Profiles in Diversity Journal and has received many other awards including the Quill Award from the International Association of Business Communicators, the Excalibur Award from the Public Relations Society of America, and Best of Texas and Silver Spur honors from the Texas Public Relations Association. While at Rice University, she received the Jones Citizenship Award and the M.A. “Mike” Wright Award for leadership excellence and exemplary service to the Jones Graduate School of Business. Cathy is a registered descendant member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and serves on the board of directors for the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council. Cathy and her husband, Stan, reside in Kingwood.