Texas A&M Foundation Honors Most Generous Benefactors At A&M Legacy Society Celebration
The Texas A&M Foundation on Thursday and Friday honored members of the A&M Legacy Society, a group comprised of individuals, corporations and organizations who have donated $100,000 or more in support of the university or individuals who made provisions in their estate plans for gifts to support Texas A&M.
“It’s not every day that you have so many generous people of such stature together,” said Ed Davis, president of the Texas A&M Foundation. “The A&M Legacy Society events are one way that we honor all the people who truly understand the value of giving back to their university and who share a vision for Texas A&M’s bright future.”
The two-day A&M Legacy Society celebration included a gala on Thursday evening and a breakfast, college tours and luncheon on Friday. Nearly 600 people attended Thursday’s gala at the Debbie ’76 and John ’74 Bethancourt Family Ballroom in the Memorial Student Center, including 180 new A&M Legacy Society members, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Texas A&M University Interim President Mark Hussey, and Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System John Sharp.
At the gala on Thursday, student actors from the Department of Performance Studies presented a history of Texas A&M by dramatizing letters from the Cushing Memorial Library and Archives. The Singing Cadets provided musical entertainment at the event.
A&M Legacy Society members, Tim and Amy Leach of Midland, Texas, believe that former students with adequate means should invest in Texas A&M. The couple recently contributed $10 million to help construct the university’s Engineering Education Complex.
“Over the years, I have come to view it as a privilege to support Texas A&M in all its different efforts,” said Tim Leach, who earned his bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering in 1982 and is the chairman and CEO of Concho Resources.
“Specifically, supporting engineering programs has a profound impact on many important industries in Texas and exposes young people to greater opportunities. Amy and I feel honored to be able to give back to Texas A&M.”
In total, A&M Legacy Society donors have given more than $3.1 billion to support Texas A&M. Membership results from giving through any of four Texas A&M fundraising organizations: the Texas A&M Foundation, The Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Foundation and the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation.
The Texas A&M Foundation also honors Legacy Society members by inscribing their names on walls and glass panels in Legacy Hall of the Foundation’s headquarters in the Jon L. Hagler Center. In addition, the south wall of the building is reserved for those who have given $5 million or more to support Texas A&M. This year, the names of Rhonda and Frosty Gilliam ’80, Doug Pitcock ’49, H. Grady Ash Jr. ’58, Becky ’76 and Monty L. ’77 Davis, and Robert W. Biggs Jr. ’55 were added to this distinguished list.
Media contact: Monika Blackwell, Texas A&M Foundation.
