Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees

 

The Foundation is governed by seven trustees, each appointed for a period of seven years. A new trustee is appointed each year to ensure continuity

 

Richard Kardys ’67, Chairman

Richard 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. 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’s part of the 12th Man Foundation Champions Council and its Council of Athletic Ambassadors. Kardys is past president of The Association of Former Students. 

 

Charles H. Gregory ’64, Chairman-Elect

 

Charles Gregory is president and general partner of Roymax Partners, L.P. in Houston. Gregory has made several major gifts to Texas A&M, including a faculty chair in the College of Liberal Arts, endowed in 2001. With his mother and siblings, he founded a faculty chair in civil engineering in honor of his late father, R.P. Gregory ’32.

Gregory has also supported the MSC renovation and expansion project with a major gift to the Texas A&M Foundation. In appreciation of his support, a pillar in the renovated MSC bears his name. Gregory served on A&M’s One Spirit One Vision capital campaign executive committee and is a Century Club member of The Association of Former Students. 

 

John E. Bethancourt ’74

John Bethancourt is the retired executive vice president of Chevron Corp. He was named a 2007 Dwight Look College of Engineering Outstanding Alumnus, a 2011 Texas A&M University Distinguished Alumnus and formerly served on the university’s International Programs Board and the Petroleum Engineering Advisory Council.

He is a scholarship donor and an active financial supporter of Texas A&M athletics. In 2012, Bethancourt committed a $2 million gift to support the MSC renovation and expansion project. In appreciation of his gift, the grand ballroom in the MSC bears his name.

 

George K. Hickox Jr. ’80

George Hickox is a principal of Philadelphia-based Heller Hickox & Co. Hickox established the endowed George K. Hickox Jr. Professorship in Petroleum Engineering. He was an advisory member to the Texas A&M Foundation’s Investment Committee and currently serves on the Industry Board of Texas A&M University’s Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering.

Hickox has made two major gifts in support of the MSC renovation and expansion project. In appreciation of his gift, the A&B Multipurpose Room on the upper level of the MSC bears his name. With his second gift, Hickox chose to honor classmate and friend George M. "Randy" Smith '80 by naming the Southwest "Leadership" entrance of the MSC after him. 

 

Thomas J. Saylak ’82

Thomas Saylak is a private investor. He was a special advisor to the Foundation’s Investment Advisory Board from 2002 to 2006. Saylak was the 2001 Mays Business School Outstanding Alumnus and has hosted the Aggies on Wall Street program.

He grew up in Bryan and is a dedicated supporter of Texas A&M’s Singing Cadets. 

 

Van Taylor ’71

Van Taylor is retired as president of network services for the South West region of AT&T after 34-plus years with Southwestern Bell/SBC/AT&T. He was a member of the Research and Infrastructure Committee for Vision 2020, chair of The Association of Former Students in 2006 and is a member of the Dwight Look College of Engineering Advisory Council.

Taylor and his wife, Carole, have established a President’s Endowed Scholarship, a General Rudder Corps scholarship and are supporters of the Association of Former Students and Aggie athletics. Taylor has also supported the MSC renovation and expansion project with a major gift to the Texas A&M Foundation. In appreciation of his support, a pillar in the renovated MSC bears his name.

 

P. William "Bill" Toler '76

Toler is chairman and CEO of Carson City, Nev.-based Swift
Communications Inc., which publishes more than 30 community newspapers and websites in seven western states. He recently completed a four-year term on The Association of Former Students Board of Directors and previously served on Texas A&M's Vision 2020 Advisory Board.

Toler and his wife Melanie created a bequest through the Foundation to fund a President's Endowed Scholarship. He is an Endowed Diamond Century Club member of The Association of Former Students.