Business & Government

Kardys Joins Texas A&M Foundation Board Of Trustees

Richard Kardys, a 1967 graduate of Texas A&M University has joined the Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees.
By Sondra White, Texas A&M Foundation July 24, 2008

Richard Kardys, a 1967 graduate of Texas A&M University and long-time Frost Bank executive, has joined the Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees. Kardys is group executive vice president and chief trust officer at Frost National Bank in San Antonio and is also a certified trust financial advisor.

Kardys has a degree in government from Texas A&M and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He was a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer in the U.S. Air Force prior to joining Frost Bank in 1976.

“I owe so much to what I have achieved in life to the lessons I learned at Texas A&M,” Kardys said. “I used to give to A&M because I felt an obligation to give back, but now when I see bright-eyed, energetic students and talented, caring faculty bringing to life the vision of a land-grant university, I give because I see an opportunity to improve the world. Although it is certainly not my purpose in giving, I have found that the more I give, the more I receive.”

Kardys is described as a generous benefactor to Texas A&M, with gifts to the foundation that support the Corps of Cadets, athletics, scholarships and student activities. His contributions to The Association of Former Students’ annual fund qualify him as an Endowed Diamond Century Club member and he recently made a significant commitment to that organization’s building enhancement campaign.

The trustee appointment is one the of many leadership roles Kandys has been asked to assume over the years in support of his alma mater. He is a member of the Texas A&M Foundation’s Planned Giving Council and has served on Texas A&M’s last two capital campaign committees. He is part of the 12th Man Foundation Champions Council and its Council of Athletic Ambassadors and is past president of The Association of Former Students. Kardys formerly served on the board of directors for the San Antonio A&M Club and is a member of the Texas Aggie Bar Association.

While serving on the board of The Association of Former Students, Kardys, along with other members of its finance committee, asked the Texas A&M Foundation to consider managing The Association’s endowment funds.

“The investment expertise and focus of the A&M Foundation not only allowed The Association to receive better investment returns, but it also allowed our board members to spend more time on its basic mission,” Kardys said. “Helping our Texas A&M family to have more time and money to spend on helping other Aggies is something that motivates me.”

Foundation President Ed Davis has worked with his colleague and classmate for more than 20 years.

“Richard’s experience as manager of the trust, brokerage and insurance operations of Frost Bank will be extremely valuable to the Texas A&M Foundation and our former students,” Davis said. “His devotion and loyalty to Texas A&M is tied to a greater vision of advancing mankind. I look forward to tapping his wisdom during the next seven years.”

Kardys’ volunteer civic and professional activities are extensive. He is a trustee of the Oblate School of Theology and is on the board of trustees of the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research. He has served as president or chairman of numerous organizations, including the Texas Bankers Association Trust Financial Services Division, the San Antonio Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and Hospice San Antonio, among many others.

He and his wife have two sons: Christopher, a 1997 Texas A&M graduate; and Clark, who graduated from Texas A&M in 1999.

“The Foundation has great leadership from Ed Davis and its management team has a profound understanding and love for Texas A&M,” Kardys said. “It’s important that donors know the Foundation will provide trustworthy, long-term stewardship of their gifts. I look forward to supporting the initiatives the Foundation has undertaken.”

The Texas A&M Foundation is governed by seven trustees, each appointed for a period of seven years. A new trustee is appointed each year to ensure continuity. Kardys succeeds outgoing trustee Jerry Cox of Houston, whose term ended on June 30.

The foundation matches donors and their interests with the priorities of Texas A&M. It is a privately governed organization that operates independently but for the sole benefit of the university, providing funds for all aspects of the educational experience. During the last 20 years of the 20th century, net assets at the Texas A&M Foundation grew from $25 million to nearly $500 million. Less than a decade into this century, it has doubled net assets again to just over $1 billion.

Media contact: tamunews@tamu.edu.

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