Mays Impacts

Thanks to the generous support of the Texas Bankers Association, Dwight Garey ’67 has been named the Texas Bankers Foundation Executive Professorship in Commercial Banking at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School. Garey has led the Commercial Banking Program since 2016 and this endowed award speaks to the difference Garey brings to the Department of Finance within Mays.

Garey’s career in banking and financial services spans more than 40 years, with 27 years of his banking career in correspondent banking at First City Bank-Houston, and Amegy Bank in Houston. He managed Amegy Bank’s Correspondent Banking department from 2006 to 2016, a regional line of business for a three-state region. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in finance, then earned an MBA from the University of Houston Clear Lake.

He is also a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University, where he was a director of the Alumni Board of Directors and was president of the Alumni Board 2012-2015.

“I am truly pleased with the appointment of Dwight to this important endowed professorship at Mays,” shared Eli Jones, dean of Mays Business School. “This appointment, which I supported along with others in Mays Business School and the highest level of administration at Texas A&M, reflects Dwight’s continuing contributions that are bringing distinction to the Department of Finance and Mays Business School. Endowed professorships are a priority at Mays, established as part of our grassroots strategic planning process which began in 2016. Through these professorships, we are able to recruit and retain individuals who will advance the world’s prosperity, our vision at Mays.”

“We’re fortunate to have Dwight represent the Texas Bankers Association in this endowed professorship and know that it will be a resource within the Commercial Banking Program for developing transformational leaders, part of our mission at Mays,” shared Sorin Sorescu, Interim Executive Associate Dean at Mays Business School. “Banking is a relationship-driven business, and our college is thankful for the generous support the TBA has established to help us educate the next generation of bankers. All of us at Mays know that Dwight will continue performing in this high honor in order to serve our students and equip them to enter the banking industry fully prepared to bring the necessary hard and soft skills, along with the Aggie Core Values, every day.”

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About Texas Bankers Association

Founded in 1885, the Texas Bankers Association is a member-centric state organization based in Austin whose members represent the voice of the banking industry within the state and national halls of Austin and Washington, D.C. In addition, its members participate in discussions around financial and economic roundtables where community leaders ponder safety and soundness issues confronting the state and national economics.

About the Commercial Banking Program

The Commercial Banking Program at Mays is designed to equip students with the banking and finance skills needed for a career in banking. The program prepares students to serve the personnel needs of banking organizations in Texas and the United States. The students in the program establish relationships with banking professionals, and other students, who serve them throughout their banking careers, and develop the financial skills critical to success when beginning careers with a commercial bank.

The Commercial Banking Program allows students to learn industry skills and terminologies within a focused curriculum and provides experiences that are not otherwise available to finance majors.

About Mays Business School

At Mays Business School, we strive to advance the world’s prosperity. Our mission is to be a vibrant learning organization that creates impactful knowledge and develops transformational leaders. Mays Business School educates more than 6,300 undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing, and supply chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its programs and for faculty research.

For more information, visit mays.tamu.edu.

Almost six months to the date of the originally planned celebration disrupted by Coronavirus, on October 8, 2020, Mays friends and family gathered at the Texas A&M Hotel and via Zoom to celebrate and honor the 2020 Outstanding Alumni. Safety protocol was followed with 6-feet spaced tables seating six instead of their regular 12, facemasks were worn at all times unless eating, and the event was moved to a hybrid virtual/in-person structure. The in-person celebration, though smaller than past years, was a welcomed reminder of our collective humanity and love of Mays Business School.

As the highest honor a Mays Business School graduate can receive from the college, recipients of the Mays Outstanding Alumni Award are recognized for leading lives of distinction and embodying the Aggie core values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfless service.

Coming from different backgrounds and walks of life, these recipients are chosen for their activity in their communities and continued involvement within the Mays community. Mays recognized the three 2020 Outstanding Alumni inductees at the 28th annual Outstanding Alumni Awards Dinner.

The honorees are Laura C. Fulton ’85, Randall B. Hale ’85, and Blake A. Pounds ’89.

So far, Mays has honored 91 former students who have reached outstanding achievements and have made significant contributions within their respective fields, as well as within Mays and their surrounding communities.

2020 Honorees

Laura C. Fulton ’85 is the vice-president of finance for the American Bureau of Shipping

Fulton graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

Fulton, who started as an auditor at Deloitte & Touche, reached a career milestone when she assisted Hi- Crush Partners LP in becoming a publicly-traded company as the organization’s CFO. In 2019, “Oil & Gas Investor” magazine recognized Fulton as one of the “25 Most Influential Women in Energy.”

At the dinner, Fulton mentioned her multi-generational Aggie family and called out her dad, Daniel Clinton ’52, Texas A&M Distinguished Alumni Recipient, and the ways that they have supported her.

“A lot of people think of giving back t0 A&M as a giving of money but I think of it as giving yourself– giving your time and your talents.”

Learn more about Laura: tx.ag/Fulton

Randall B. Hale ’85 is founder and managing director of Rock Hill Capital Group

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

At the Outstanding Alumni Dinner, Hale said that it was an honor to be on the stage after seeing the names and the pictures of the past recipients of the Outstanding Alumni Awards on the screen during the dinner.

“Certainly an unexpected award for me, I didn’t anticipate receiving it. Thanks to Dr. Jim Benjamin and a few other phenomenal business teachers, I am where I am today.”

Learn more about Randall: tx.ag/Hale

Blake A. Pounds ’89 serves as Accenture’s Houston Office Managing Director where he leads more than 2,000 professionals and oversees developing local business relationships, expanding civic presence, and fostering employee engagement.

Pounds graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance.

Pounds said at the dinner that in the same way that iron sharpens iron, so had the family, friends, and colleagues in the room sharpened him to be the man he was.

“Texas A&M has given me a lot and it’s neat now, later in my career, to be able to give back and to give opportunities to current students.”

Learn more about Blake: tx.ag/Pounds

Learn more about the 2020 Outstanding Alumni: tx.ag/OA2020