Richard A. Goodson ’27
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Year Awarded: 1966

Jacksonville, TX

Goodson received a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Administration in 1927. He served as President of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company and was a Director of Southwestern Life Insurance Co., Frito Lay, Inc., the First National Bank in St. Louis, St. Louis Union Trust Co, and the General American Life Insurance Co.



Goodson also served as a member of the Advisory Councils of the University of Missouri, the Graduate Research Center of Southwest, Dallas, and the St. Louis Research Council.

Dewitt C. Greer ’23
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Year Awarded: 1966

Pittsburg, TX

Greer received a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1923. Known as the “King of the Highway Builders,” his 54-year career with the Texas Highway Department impacted the development, construction, maintenance and administration of the state’s 72,000 miles of highway.



He was the recipient of the George S. Bartlett Award (1953) and the Thomas MacDonald Award (1964), the two highest honors of the American Association of State Highway Officials, in 1962 Mr. Greer was named among the “Top Ten Public works Men-of-the-Year” by Kiwanis International and the American Public Works Association.

"Dewitt Greer was a man of exceptional honor, vision and integrity. All of is who travel the highways of Texas today have him to thank for the prosperity and quality of life those highways have brought to our great state."

  - Dennis Christiansen, Deputy Director, Texas Transportation Institute

Hon. Olin E. “Tiger” Teague ’32
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Year Awarded: 1966

Woodward, OK

Teague attended A&M College of Texas from 1928 to 1932, studying Agricultural Administration. He served in the U.S. Army, taking part in the allied landing in on D-Day. Teague was member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 32 years, most noted for his championship of veterans’ issues and his support of the space program.



His distinguished service awards include the AMVETS Congressional Silver Helmet Award, American Legion Award for Distinguished Public Service, VFW Award for Distinguished Public Service and Outstanding Representation of Servicemen, West Point Award for Distinguished Service of Behalf of the Corps of Cadets, and the Texas Agricultural Extension Service Distinguished Service Award.

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."

J. Harold Dunn ’25
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Year Awarded: 1964

Dallas County, TX

Dunn received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1925 and a master’s degree in 1938. He was Chairman and CEO of Shamrock Oil and Gas Corp. He served on the Texas A&M System Board of Directors and was President of The Association of Former Students.

"The friends you make through the years make life worthwhile… I don’t know how anyone could have a more interesting and pleasant life than has been my privilege."

Henry B. Zachry ’22
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Year Awarded: 1964

Uvalde, TX

Zachry received a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1922. He was President and Chairman of the Board of H.B. Zachry and Co. Zachry’s multimillion–dollar firm constructed the upper decks at Kyle Field in 1979, the chancellor’s house, and the modular dormitories.



Two A&M facilities- the campus’ Zachry Engineering Center, which houses many of the office, laboratories and classrooms of the College of Engineering, and the Texas Engineering Extension Service’s training center in San Antonio-are named for him. Outside Texas, Zachry’s company built part of the Alaskan pipeline, laid roads in Peru and Chile, erected dams in the United States and Canada and ventured into the Sinai to construct modular housing for peacekeeping troops.



He and his son Bartell Zachry, Jr. ’54 are the only father-son recipients of the Distinguished Alumnus Award.

"Zachry was a giant of a man and personified the high ideals of Texas A&M. He loved this university and gave untiringly and generously in support of it."

  - Harvey R. “Bum” Bright ’43

Dr. Edward F. Knipling ’30
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Year Awarded: 1962

Port Lavaca, TX

Knipling received bachelor and master’s degrees in Entomology and later a Doctorate degree from Iowa State University. He was instrumental in establishing the USDA Cotton Insects Basic Research Lab at A&M and developed methods of control for typhus disease, malaria, yellow fever, plague, dysentery, and other human diseases during WWII. He also developed a system for eradicating the screw worm which saved the livestock industry millions of dollars and authored 118 scientific papers in the Entomological Field.



Knipling has been awarded the President’s Medal of Merit, Distinguished Service Award, U.S.D.A., and Progressive Farmer Man of the Year in Service to Southern Agriculture.

William W. Lynch ’22
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Year Awarded: 1962

Marshall, TX

Lynch received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1922. He was employed with Edison Electric Institution, an organization of the investor owned electrical utility industry in America, and later became President. He also served as Vice President and Director of Texas Utilities and Director of the Republic National Bank, Employers National Insurance Company, Texas Employers Insurance Association, Employers Casualty Company, Dallas’ Citizens Council, and the State Fair of Texas.



Lynch served as President of the Texas A&M Research Foundation and was a Councilman at Large for The Association of Former Students.

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.