Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Trevor Knight ‘17
Trevor Knight was born in San Antonio and graduated Ronald Reagan High School, where he was a star quarterback.

Trevor enrolled at the University of Oklahoma in 2012 and was named the starting quarterback as a redshirt freshman in 2013. He had a stellar career at OU and was named the MVP of the 2014 Sugar Bowl when he led the Sooners to a 45-31 upset over the 2-time reining national champions, Alabama Crimson Tide.  In that game, Trevor threw for 348 yards & 4 touchdowns in a record setting performance.

In 2015, Trevor was replaced by Baker Mayfield as starter, but Trevor remained a valuable player and mentor to his teammates.  In December of 2015, Trevor received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management and was eligible to be a graduate transfer.

Texas A&M needed an experienced QB, so he transferred to the Aggies and immediately made an impact in the 2016 season, becoming a team captain, voted on by the players. During his debut in the maroon and white, he orchestrated a 31-24 overtime win against UCLA. Trevor led A&M to a 6-0 record and a top 5 ranking until he injured his shoulder and missed multiple games.  However, he made a courageous return on the last game of the season in a 54-39 loss to LSU, where he threw for 211 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Trevor received his Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from A&M in 2017.

It is rare when an athlete can endear himself to 2 high profile college fan bases, but that is exactly what Trevor did.  And it wasn’t just his athletic ability that endeared him to his teammates and fan base, it was also his locker room leadership, and service off the field.

During his freshman year at OU, Trevor had the opportunity to join a group of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) on a short-term mission trip to Haiti. 0Serving in Haiti was such an impactful trip, he traveled two more times with OU athletes.  When he transferred to A&M, he led a group that went to Haiti for the 1^st time, and it was Trevor’s 4^th trip.

Trevor Knights Awards were many:

• At Oklahoma he was a 5-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll member, 7-time Sooner Scholar and an Academic All-Big 12 and was named National Player of the Week multiple times in his career;
• In November of 2016 at OU he was awarded the JR Morris Campus Life Award, presented to the student who exemplifies community service and campus involvement;
• In 2016, Trevor was awarded the prestigious Wuerffel Trophy, which is an award given annually to the college football player “who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.”
• Trevor spent time in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals and in the Alliance of American Football with the Arizona Hotshots.

Trevor currently is Vice President of Employee Benefits and San Antonio Office Leader at Higginbotham. He and his wife Lacey have a 2-1/2 year old boy Griffin and they are expecting a baby girl in February.

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Neal Adams ’68

Mr. Adams was born and raised in Tyler, Texas. He earned his BBA in Marketing from Texas A&M University in 1968 and obtained his Juris Doctor in 1970 from Baylor University School of Law. While attending Texas A&M University, he was Head Yell Leader from 1967-1968. He served on the Student Senate and was Adjutant General for 2nd Brigade Staff of the Corps of Cadets.

After obtaining his Juris Doctor in 1970 from Baylor University, Mr. Adams served in the United States Army as a 1st Lieutenant, Adjutant’s General Corps, and was trial counsel for Headquarters Command, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, earning the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service and was honorably discharged in 1972.

Mr. Adams resides in Bryan, Texas and has been practicing law in Fort Worth, Tarrant County since 1972. He is President of the law firm of Adams, Lynch & Loftin, P.C., located in Grapevine, Texas. Mr. Adams is a past member and Past President of the Board of Trustees, Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District. He is also a past member and Past President of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Chamber of Commerce. He is also a past member of the Board and Past President of the Mid-Cities Rotary Club.

Mr. Adams continues to be very supportive of Texas A&M:

• Member and Past Chairman of President Welsh’s Board of Visitors for the Corps of Cadets;
• Member of and Past Chair of the Chancellor’s Century Council;
• Past Chair of the 12th Man Foundation
• Past Co-Agent for class of ’68;
• Past President and current Treasurer of the Former Yell Leaders’ Association;
• Member of and Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council, Texas A&M University School of Lawlocated in Fort Worth, Texas;
• Member of the Advisory Board and Chair of the Development Committee for the TexasA&M University Bush School of Government and Public Policy;
• Chairman of the Baylor Oral Health Foundation Board of Trustees, which supportsfinancially the Texas A&M University College of Dentistry located in Dallas, Texas.

In 2001, Governor Rick Perry appointed Mr. Adams as a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board where he served for 6 years, and in July 2005 Governor Perry appointed him Vice Chairman of the Texas Higher Education  Coordinating Board. Mr. Adams is a member (2009-to date) and the current Chair of the Board of the Texas Higher Education Foundation (2011-to date).

In October 2002 and 2007, Texas Lawyer Magazine named him as the “Go-To-Lawyer” for school law in the State of Texas. From 2003 through 2023, he was named one of the Texas Super Lawyers in school and education law by “Texas Monthly Magazine”. In 2015, Mr. Adams was inducted into the Hall of Fame, Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District as a former member and President of the Board of Trustees. He was presented the 2016 Kelly Frels Lifetime Achievement Award by the State Bar of Texas School Law Section.

Mr. Adams is the recipient of the 2020 Dan Rugeley Price Memorial Award from the Texas Bar Foundation for professionalism. He is also the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Aggie Lawyer Award from the Texas Aggie Bar Association. In May 2023, he was awarded the 2023 Blackstone Award by the Tarrant County Bar Association (highest honor given in recognition of a career that exemplifies professional aptitude, integrity, and courage).

He has been a continual supporter of the Texas A&M University School of Law from its inception, and served on the Law School’s Search Committees for its 1st Dean in 2013 and the 2nd Dean in 2017. In February 2008, Mr. Adams was named by the Association of Former Students as a Distinguished Alumni of Texas A&M University and in 2010 he was inducted into the Hall of Honor, Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets.

Tuesday, May 14 2024

W. Nim Kidd
Nim Kidd serves as the Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM). In this capacity, he is responsible for the state’s emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities. Prior to serving with TDEM, Chief Kidd was appointed to the San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD), where he was promoted through the ranks from firefighter to District Fire Chief, including Lieutenant in charge of the SAFD Technical Rescue Team and Captain of the SAFD Hazardous Materials Response Team.

From 2004 to 2010, Chief Kidd served as City Emergency Manager for the City of San Antonio, where he managed the city’s response to over a dozen state and presidential disaster declarations. In 1997, Chief Kidd was one of the original members appointed to the Texas Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team. In 2001, he was the Plans Section Chief that responded to the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.

Chief Kidd formerly served as chair for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Advisory Council (NAC). Chief Kidd holds a Masters of Public Administration from Texas State University, a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce, and two associates’ degrees. He is the Vice Chancellor for Disaster and Emergency Services for The Texas A&M University System. He is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM®), a Texas Master Firefighter, and holds Hazardous Materials and Emergency Medical Technician certifications. Chief Kidd and his wife, Dr. Emily Kidd, M.D., share three children and a beautiful granddaughter together.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Ryan Brauninger
Ryan joined TexAgs in August of 2015. A college baseball player at McNeese State (Class of ’09), he moved to College Station in 2010 to pursue a Master’s in sport management at Texas A&M. Since receiving his degree, Ryan has been active in the youth sports scene in the Brazos Valley, the state, and region; including a summer stint with USA Baseball. He is a member of the TexAgs Recruiting team and a baseball analyst.

This is our annual evening event with at Aggie Owned Stiles Switch BBQ on North Lamar. You will be entered into a drawing for a Coach Mike Elko autographed football if we have received your dues by March 1st.

This also is an event you can bring your spouse (or guest). Non-dues paid members and guests will be $40 at the door.

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Captain Craig C. Sicola ’94: Director of Training and Readiness for Commander Naval Air Forces; Commanding Officer USS NIMITZ (CVN-68)
Captain Craig C. Sicola is a 1994 graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering. He is a 2016 graduate of the Navy Nuclear Training pipeline in Washington DC and earned a Masters in Mechanical Engineering Management from Old Dominion University in 2018. He was designated a Naval Aviator in 1997. Sicola is currently serving as the Director of Training and Readiness for Commander Naval Air Forces in San Diego, CA.

Sicola’s sea tours include Commanding Officer of USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in Bremerton, WA; Commanding Officer of USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) in Yokosuka, Japan; Executive Officer of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) in Norfolk, VA; Executive Officer and Commanding Officer for the “Stingers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113 in Lemoore, CA; Department Head and Junior Officer for the “Tophatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14 in Lemoore, CA; and first assigned to the “Dragon Whales” of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 8 in Norfolk, VA following completion of flight training. Ashore assignments include the Navy Personnel Command as an aviation detailer; U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) joint duty assignment to include a ground deployment in Iraq with SOCOM in 2007; Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) as the F-35 requirements officer.

Sicola has accumulated more than 3,400 flight hours. His decorations include the Legion of Merit; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards); Air Medal (5 total awards: 1 individual, 4 Strike/Flight); Navy Combat Action Ribbon, as well as other various personal, unit, service and campaign decorations.

Matt Prochaska ’86 Chief Development Officer at BlueForge Alliance
Matt has held leadership roles over the past 25 years that have shown proven success in economic development and manufacturing. He has over two decades of experience in c-level positions partnering in economic development opportunities and has held numerous volunteer positions at both the state and local levels of economic development. He is a flexible and creative problem solver, particularly in highly dynamic situations, who brings a collaborative and analytical approach to any situation. Matt is a devoted husband of 32 years to Merrilee, and a proud father to his two children, Anne-Marie and Joshua. Matt received his Bachelor of Arts – in Speech Communication in 1986 and Master of Arts, Speech Communication from Texas A&M in 1997.

Frank Coppersmith, CEO at Smarter Reality
Frank is the CEO of Smarter Reality, a developer of custom software applications with demanding user experience and business requirements serving entrepreneurs and innovative business leaders. Frank ensures delivery of on-time and on-budget projects via business-aligned objective definition, clear scope commitments, rigorous project management and dedication to quality control.

Frank chairs the International Game Developers Association, Austin Chapter, is a frequent keynote speaker on entrepreneurship and technology, and is colonel in the US Air Force Reserves.

Frank earned an MBA from Wharton, a law degree from Samford University and an engineering degree from The Citadel. Smarter Reality has been awarded the Inc. 5000 and Austin “Fast 50” by the Austin Business Journal.