Gregory Is Texas A&M Foundation’s New Trustee

Charles H. Gregory, a 1964 graduate of Texas A&M, will serve as a Texas A&M Foundation trustee for seven years starting July 1. Gregory, who earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Texas A&M and a law degree from the University of Texas, is president and director of Rupley Holdings Inc. in Houston.

“The Foundation has enjoyed a longtime affiliation with Charles Gregory,” said Dr. Ed Davis, president of the Foundation. “His loyalty, generosity and involvement with Texas A&M make him an excellent choice as a new trustee, and his business experience will serve us well.”

The Texas A&M Foundation is a private nonprofit organization that solicits and manages investments in academics and student leadership programs to enhance Texas A&M’s capability to be among the best universities. The Foundation, leading the $300 million “Operation Spirit and Mind” scholarship initiative to benefit Texas A&M, is governed by seven trustees, each serving seven years. A new trustee is appointed each year to ensure continuity. Gregory replaces outgoing trustee Jim Mayo of Mathis, whose term will end June 30.

Gregory’s career reflects a range of interests. After completing his law degree, he served for two years as an Army intelligence officer in Vietnam , Thailand and Fort Bliss at El Paso. He then worked in the securities business for eight years, and more recently owned and managed a group of heavy equipment and manufacturing businesses. Rupley Holdings, which still exists, was the umbrella for several of those companies.

Gregory’s business background has served the Liberal Arts Development Council well and will now help the Foundation deal with monetary issues created by the recession. In 2001, Gregory endowed the Charles H. Gregory ’64 Chair in Liberal Arts.

“It’s going to become more difficult for Texas A&M to meet funding challenges while responding to the changing demographics of the state,” Gregory said. “The Texas A&M Foundation will play a key role in this process, and I’m pleased to have the opportunity to serve on its board of trustees.”

With his mother and siblings, Gregory also funded a faculty chair in civil engineering in honor of his late father, R.P. Gregory, Class of 1932 at Texas A&M. Charles Gregory also served on A&M’s “One Spirit One Vision” capital campaign executive committee.

He has made major gifts to the Liberal Arts Development Council, Dean’s Endowment for Excellence in the College of Liberal Arts and building fund for the Jon L. Hagler Center, which is the Foundation’s headquarters on campus. He is a Century Club member of Texas A&M University’s Association of Former Students.

As an undergraduate, he was active in the Student Conference on National Affairs and the Corps of Cadets.

Gregory, who has a son and daughter, lives in Houston with his wife, Mary.