Search Committee Named for Next West Texas A&M University President

Parker Executive Search retained to assist with nationwide search

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M University System has named an 11-member search advisory committee and retained Parker Executive Search to help identify the next president of West Texas A&M University.

Regent Randy Brooks will chair the committee, which includes Regent Sam Torn and representatives of WT's faculty, staff and student body, as well as business, civic and community leaders from the Texas Panhandle.

"West Texas A&M University has a clear responsibility to its students and to the people of the Panhandle," Brooks said. "Our job is to find a president who understands that responsibility, respects the character of WT and has the experience and judgment to lead the university forward. We intend to conduct a thorough national search and bring strong candidates to the chancellor and the Board of Regents."

Parker Executive Search, a firm with extensive experience conducting leadership searches for colleges and universities, will assist the committee with candidate recruitment and evaluation throughout the national search.

The search follows President Walter V. Wendler's announcement that he will retire Sept. 1 after 10 years as president. Neil Terry, WT's longtime executive vice president and provost, will become interim president Sept. 1 and does not intend to seek the permanent position.

"WT's next president must put students first and understand that the value of a university is measured by the opportunities it creates for its graduates and the service it provides to its region," Chancellor Glenn Hegar said. "We are looking for a proven leader who will strengthen academic quality, keep a WT education affordable, prepare students for good careers and build partnerships that help the Panhandle and Texas prosper."

The search advisory committee members are:

• Regent Randy Brooks, chair
• Regent Sam Torn
• Alex Fairly, founder and executive, The OccuNet Company
• State Rep. John Smithee, attorney, Smithee Russell Law LLP
• Ben Weinheimer, president and CEO, Texas Cattle Feeders Association
• Angela Spaulding, WT vice president for research and compliance and dean of the Graduate School
• Emily Hunt, dean of WT's College of Engineering and associate vice president for innovation and research
• Ammileigh Smith, student body president
• John Bassett, WT Staff Council president and assistant bursar
• Audrey Meador, Clair Mayes Professor of Mathematics and WT Faculty Advisory Council chair
• Wade Shaffer, WT professor of history and former provost and vice president for academic affairs

The committee will help recruit and evaluate candidates and make recommendations to the chancellor and the Board of Regents.

Information about the position, including application and nomination procedures, will be released as the search progresses.

About West Texas A&M University

West Texas A&M University is a Regional Research University in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers multiple options for students to graduate and succeed: 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The Buffaloes are members of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offer 16 men's and women's athletics programs.

About The Texas A&M University System

The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest and most impactful higher education systems in the country, with an annual budget of $9.1 billion. Its statewide network includes 12 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, Texas A&M-Fort Worth and the Texas A&M-RELLIS Campus. The A&M System also plays a direct role in U.S. national security as a member of the contractor teams that manage and operate Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Pantex Plant for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. The A&M System serves nearly 175,000 students and reaches millions more through research, service and outreach programs each year. With nearly $1.6 billion in annual research expenditures, the A&M System fuels innovation, supports communities and drives Texas' economy forward.