Carl C. “Polly”
Krueger ’12
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Year Awarded: 1968
Twin Sisters, TX
Krueger received a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1912. He was President of San Antonio Machine and Supply Co. from 1923 until his retirement in 1961. The company developed from annual sales of $1 million to $18 million under his 38 years of leadership.
Krueger served on the Board of Directors of the A&M College of Texas System, was the fourth President of The Association of Former Students, and the founding President of the San Antonio A&M Club. Very active in civic affairs, he has served the Chamber of Commerce and the Manufacturers Association as officer and director.
"For many years, I have wanted to do something of lasting benefit for A&M, its students and staff. As a 1912 graduate, I am grateful for all the college did for me in preparing me for what I hope has been and will continue to be a useful life."
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.
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.
R. Wofford
Cain ’13
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Year Awarded: 1964
Athens, TX
Cain received a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1913. During his career, he was Chairman of the Board of Southern Union Gas Company, which he helped organize, and which is one of the largest natural gas producing and distributing concerns in the Southwest. He also was a Chairman of the Board of Aztec Oil & Gas Company and the Former Director of Mercantile National Bank in Dallas.
Mr. Cain was a Trustee and Chairman of the Texas A&M Foundation and supporter of Aggie athletics. He established numerous Opportunity Award Scholarships and has made possible the furnishing and exterior lighting of the All Faiths Chapel on the A&M campus, the construction of A&M’s outdoor Olympic swimming pool, and the completion of the Letterman’s Lounge and Texas A&M Hall of Fame.
"A&M afforded me the opportunities I have had in my life. I have only tried to help A&M, in turn, help others."
LTG Andrew D.
Bruce ’16
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Year Awarded: 1968
St. Louis, MO
Bruce received a bachelor’s degree in Dairy Science in 1916 and an honorary L.L.D. in 1946. He served 37 years in the U.S. Army seeing action in World Wars I and II. He entered the service as Second Lieutenant and rose to Lieutenant General. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
In 1966, Bruce retired as Chancellor of the University of Houston System after seven years of service. Under his leadership, the University of Houston achieved accreditation, strengthened its faculty, expanded its facilities, raised its academic standards, and won state support. Bruce was also a Former Director of Houston Chamber of Commerce and Former Trustee of Southwest Research Institute and Scott and White Memorial Hospital.
Horace A.
Sawyer ’16
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Year Awarded: 1967
Fate, TX
Sawyer received a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1916. At Texas A&M he was editor of The Longhorn, a member of Ross Volunteers and a Cadet 2nd Lt. of Company “E”. Sawyer joined Lone Star Cement Corporation, the largest producer of Portland cement in the Western Hemisphere, in 1925 as a service engineer. Within six years he became Vice President and in 1952 he was elected President while simultaneously serving as president of Cuban Portland Cement Company, president of Argentine Portland Cement Company, president, Uruguayan Portland Cement Company, chairman, Pioneer Sand and Gravel Company, and chairman of Southern Materials Company.
When Sawyer became president of Lone Star, it had 12 domestic plants and annual sales of about $74 million. When he retired the firm had 12 U.S. and five foreign plants producing sales of $154 million. In revitalizing his company’s South American operations, he is credited with important contributions to development of good living standards and education there.
E. E. "Mr. Mac"
McQuillen ’20
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Year Awarded: 2021
College Station, TX
As a student, McQuillen was a lieutenant colonel in the Corps, lettered in track and basketball, was captain of the 1920 Southwest Conference champion basketball team and associate editor of the yearbook, a Ross Volunteer, senior class president and valedictorian. His college career was interrupted by service in World War I as a U.S. Army second lieutenant.
He led The Association of Former Students as executive secretary from 1926 to 1947. He reorganized and encouraged A&M Clubs throughout Texas and beyond; created an Opportunity Award Scholarship Program that helped thousands attend A&M; and introduced annual giving in 1942. In 1943, McQuillen created the first Muster packets sent worldwide, formalizing Aggies’ practice of gathering on April
21 under the name of “Muster.” He initiated the Gold Star Fund for children of former students killed in combat and led fundraising for A&M’s Memorial Student Center.
From 1947 to 1963, he was director of the Texas A&M Development Office; he led the Texas A&M Development Foundation (today’s Texas A&M Foundation) 1953-63. He served the American Alumni Council as director (1947-
48) and president (1955-56) and was a co-recipient of its Grand Award for Alumni Giving in 1959. He was elected to the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975. In 2020, The Association created the E.E. McQuillen
Society of volunteer fundraisers in his honor.
“The institutionalization of the organized, worldwide Aggie Muster was probably his proudest accomplishment.”
- Granddaughter, Julie Hayes
Fred R.
Brison ’21
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Year Awarded: 1979
Pittsburg, TX
Brison received a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture in 1921, a master’s degree from Michigan State University in 1931, and did advanced graduate studies at the University of California in 1936. After a more than 60-year career in the agriculture industry, Brison was known as the world’s foremost authority on pecans.
Brison was the President of the Texas Pecan Growers Association, President of the Federated Pecan Growers of America, and received honors in the industry such as Gold Pecan Award of National Pecan Shellers & Processors Association, and the Distinguished Technical Contribution Award of Award. He also received The Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching while he was a professor of horticulture at Texas A&M.
Jefferson C.
Dykes ’21
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Year Awarded: 1984
Dallas, TX
Jefferson C. Dykes is a retired United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service administrator who is nationally known as an author and collector of rare Western books.
Following his graduation form Texas A&M University, Mr. Dykes spent eight years teaching high school vocational agriculture in Stephenville and McAllen and six years as a faculty member at his alma mater before joining the Soil Conservation Service in 1935.
He began collecting books about the Texas Rangers during the mid 1930’s and later elected to include other aspects of the West. His expertise in the field has been recognized both by the University of Texas, which asked him to appraise its Frank Dobie Collection, and his alma mater, which sought his help in acquiring the best range livestock collection in the world. That collection, which includes more than 18,000 volumes, now bears his name.
In 1971, he and his daughter, Martha Dykes Goldsmith, established a charitable remainder trust with the inventory of his book operations, Jeff Dykes/Western books, for the benefit of Texas A&M. He manages the company on behalf of the Texas A&M University Development Foundation.
"Mr. Dykes has made a fine collection for the A&M Library and has done more for the library than any individual with whom I am acquainted. Under his leadership, the library received one of the best collections of books ever written on the western cowboys that any university in the south would have."
Sterling C.
Evans ’21
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Year Awarded: 1973
Medina County, TX
Sterling Evans’ life has been one of unselfish dedication to improving conditions for farmers and ranchers across Texas and the Southwest. Throughout his lifetime career in agriculture, Evans has contributed his time, talents, and resources in support of youth programs in agriculture and research to develop better agricultural methods.
Evans was born in Medina County, Texas, in 1899. He attended grade school at Melon in Frio County and graduated from Uvalde High School in 1917. He then enrolled at Texas A&M and graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Husbandry. While a student at A&M, he was a member of the YMCA Cabinet, the Ross Volunteers, and The Battalion staff.
Upon graduation, he spent seven years as State 4-H Club leader for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service before being named Direct Extension Agent in the Lubbock Area, a post he held in 1933. The next year, Evans was selected to become the first president of the Houston Bank of Cooperatives. In December 1940, he was elected president of the Federal Bank in Houston. During the 18 years Evans headed the land bank, he initiated programs to rehabilitate the National Farm Loan Associations across Texas and to consolidate the associations for more efficient service to the farmers of the state. In 1950, Evans took on the added duty of General Agent for the Farm Credit Banks of Houston and nine years later resigned to devote full time to his farm and ranch interests in Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico.
In 1971, he concluded the second of two six-year terms on the Texas A&M University System Board of Directors. He was president of the board from 1963 to 1965. He also served as trustee of the Texas A&M Development Foundation, the Texas A&M Research Foundation, and The Association of Former Students Loan Fund. He was the first chairman of the “Friends of the Texas A&M University Library”, a group formed in 1971. Under his leadership, the Friends raised $120,000 in 1972.
"Mr. Evans was the best of the best—the epitome of what all Aggies wish they could be. He served generously and always unselfishly."
- Dr. Haskell Monroe, Jr., Dean of Faculties Emeritus