To Preserve, Protect and Perpetuate the Texas Aggie Culture,
the Spirit of Aggieland and its Core Values and Traditions.
OFFICERS
TRA Executive Committee (L to R): Mike Beggs, Skip Alvarado, Darwin Sparkman, Andy Hansen, Tom Bevans, Matt Poling, Troy Davenport, Donna Hunter, Mark Browning, JD Foster, Wendy Letendre and Jose Quintana. Not pictured: Gail Pigeon, Elizabeth Holle, Tom Huffhines, Terry Barger and former president Joe Bourgeois
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael Beggs ‘68
Michael R. Beggs, a member of the class of 1968, was in the Corps of Cadets in Squadron 1, a Ross Volunteer, and a Yell Leader. Mike retired from the Marine Corps and again from the defense industry. He resides in College Station and was married to his wife, Darragh, for 55 years, before her passing. He belongs to TRA, as one of the founding members, because he feels that it is the only organization that is working to preserve the core values of Texas A&M. His job at TRA is to serve on the Board of Directors and as the Assistant
Treasurer. His most memorable event associated with being an Aggie, is when fellow Aggie and classmate, Charlie Rodenberg saved his life in Vietnam, an event recounted in the book, “Texas Aggies in Vietnam, War Stories”.
Andy Hansen ‘71
Dr. H. Andrew Hansen, II M.D. ’71 is a board-certified thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon with extensive training in phlebology, the diagnosis and treatment of varicose vein disease and related disorders. Dr. Hansen graduated from Texas A&M University in 1971 and medical school at Texas Tech in 1975. In addition to his medical training, Dr. Hansen received an MBA from Texas A&M University in 2002.
While an undergraduate student @ TAMU, he served as Lt. Col. Commander 2nd Battalion,
Corps of Cadets 70-71, Cadet Sgt. Major, 2nd Battalion, 69-70 as well as serving in the Ross Volunteers. He has continued to support his university by serving as a Trustee of the Texas A&M Foundation from 92-99, (chairman 95-96), board member of the Association of Former Students from 85-91, (President in 90), Corps of Cadets Development Council, Endowed 12th Man Scholarship in 85, and established the Hansen Memorial Fountain in 1989.
Dr. Hansen currently serves as a Clinical Professor of Surgery at TAMU while maintaining a medical practice in The Woodlands. He and his lovely wife Kathy make their home in College Station where they enjoy their five adult children: Meredith ’16, Andrew ’17, Judge ‘19, Harris ’21, and Margo’23.
The Rudder Association is proud to have a great Aggie with a wealth of experience and leadership as a member of our board of directors.
Tom Bevans ’84
Gail Pigeon ’84
Jose Quintana ’86
Jose Quintana '86 is the President and Founder of Advent GX, an international community and economic development company that provides strategy development and technology augmented solutions for underserved urban and rural communities. As a lifelong entrepreneur, Mr. Quintana has started several successful companies and has acted as consultant to many of the world's top corporations including Nokia, Sprint, Qualcomm,
Frito-Lay, Schering-Plough, Disney, Lockheed, Sun Microsystems, Verizon, and Novartis International.
In 2007 Jose founded the Innovation Underground, a business and technology incubator that produced several local efforts including the redevelopment of the Grand Stafford Theater (the oldest building in Historic Downtown Bryan), IU Records (a music record label for young and developing musicians), and recently co-founded South Main Recordings, a new high quality recording studio to serve top national and international artists.
Mr. Quintana moved from Mexico to Texas to attend Texas A&M University where he studied computer science, mathematics, and statistics, graduating in 1986. In 2018, he was honored with the Texas A&M University Department of Computer Science and Engineering’s Distinguished Former Student Award. As a student, he was active with intramural sports, the international students association, and enjoyed spending time at the Dixie Chicken between classes.
Today he remains involved with Texas A&M, serving as lecturer and mentor in the Texas A&M University McFerrin Center Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans, guest lecturing, and mentoring student entrepreneurs. He is an active Advisory Board Member for the Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy.
Mr. Quintana and his wife Joan ’92 live in Bryan, Texas where they are enjoy frequent visits from their four grandchildren and five adult children Jose, Chelsea ’13, Victoria ’17, Cole, and Emma ’20.
Elizabeth Holle '92
Elizabeth Holle '92 achieved a B.S in Education while at A&M and has built a successful antique business over the last 30 years. Before that, she was a stay-at-home mom for her children Megan ’17, Madison ’19 and is now a loving mother-in-law to Sam '17 and grandmother to Ellie (8 months); the loudest and proudest member of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of ’44. Elizabeth and her husband Chuck ’92 make their home in Austin County near Brenham.
Why the Rudder Association? She wants her university to remain true to its Core Values and conservative roots. She is willing to put effort into this cause to ensure that A&M will remain great for her granddaughter and all that attend Texas A&M in the future.
An interesting fact: Elizabeth Holle is the founder of Quad Moms, also known as the Texas Aggie Corps of Cadet Moms Club. Quad Moms is a 501 (c) 3 organization serving the cadets of Texas A&M with scholarships, outfit grants and providing moms with friendship and support. When the organization began in 2016, there were some skeptical of the intentions of the group. As the group grew and gained members, their hard work and determination led Quad Moms to be an asset for the Corps of Cadets and for cadet mothers. To date, Quad Moms had disbursed over $350,000 in scholarships and grants to students in The Corps of Cadets including 3 Corps Endowed Scholarships; one specific endowed scholarship reserved for a veteran. Additionally, with her leadership, they served over 3,000 mothers of cadets. Elizabeth looks forward to serving The Rudder Association in its efforts to preserve our unique university for generations of Aggies to come.
OFFICERS
Matt Poling '90 - President
A practicing family physician in College Station, Matt Poling '90, graduated Texas A&M as the Earl Rudder Outstanding Graduate in 1991 after serving as a Fish Camp counselor, Aggie Muster Committee member, and Corps Commander. After medical school, he served as Chief Resident in Waco, Texas before entering the US Air Force. He received the Air Expeditionary and Commendation medal before separating from the Air Force at the rank of Major in 2001. He later served the US Army in Germany as a family physician and is currently a private practice physician and Assistant
Professor at Texas A&M Health Science Center.
Matt and his lovely wife Ashli currently make their home in College Station along with their four children: two biological, one adopted internationally and one adopted through Texas Foster Care system. He is an active member of Grace Bible Church and maintains a blog at The-Beagle.com.
One of Matt’s favorite memories at A&M was exploring the steam tunnels with the class of ‘90 student body president & his Squadron 10 buddies after bonfire during his fifth year (victory lap).
Matt writes: It has been my privilege to follow Joe Bourgeois ’89 in serving as The Rudder Association president since August 2022. I am blessed to live south of campus in the shadows of Kyle Field on the same street I lived on my fish year, in Dorm 4. My late father was in the Aggie Band class of ’69. Our oldest daughter will graduate from A&M this spring and our youngest son will move across George Bush Drive to the Quad in the Fall. This is home. We’re not going anywhere.
I love living with Aggies old and new. I see them as patients, know them as neighbors, teach them as an adjunct professor, and mentor them in our church. They’re special, but they have been infused with a certain hubris – that the way to impact the world is to change it. I have a long list of things that need to change at Texas A&M and in the world. But we also need to remember that the most important service that we can perform for our culture and for future generations may be to humbly preserve and pass down the noble heritage we have been bequeathed. This way the Spirit of Aggieland, which has nourished generations before, will continue to bless generations to come.
Donna Hunter ‘86 - Secretary
Bio Coming Soon...
J.D. Foster ‘10 - Legal Officer
JD Foster, class of 2010, is a named partner with Foster Massengill, located in Ellis County, Texas handling civil litigation, business, small estates, and transactional real estate, in addition to owning a Fee Office for Lawyers Title Company. He serves as the legal officer and founding member of The Rudder Association. While at Texas A&M University, he served as CO for Squadron 20, the pre-professional outfit in the Corps of Cadets and in the Ross Volunteers. He and his lovely wife Andrea are parents to daughter Ansley (age 7) and son
Lawson (age 3).
Why The Rudder Association? Over the last ten years or so, JD recognized that it would benecessary to have an organization of former students and interested parties that would hold the University and its attendant organizations accountable for upholding and maintaining the culture, values, and traditions of Texas A&M University. TRA was forged by fire but will be around for as long as Ol’ Ags defend their school.
An Interesting Fun Fact: The saber he carried as a ‘Zip’ in the Corps was a “pass down” from his father, Class of ’74, which, itself, was a gift from his buddies when his original saber was stolen out of his truck at a wedding in LA. This saber was the last saber made with Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College on the blade. The saber and scabbard both bear his and his dad’s nicknames and class years: Fearless Foster, Class of 1974 and Lone Star Foster, Class of 2010.
A few of JD’s fondest memories in Aggieland: Getting the news he had been selected to the Ross Volunteers; getting the news he had been selected as CO for his unit, earning Corps Brass his fish year, and his fish old lady singing ‘Just Keep Swimming’ (the song from Finding Nemo) whenever things got rough and lastly, finding out that almost all of Class of ‘11 of his outfit went on to professional careers.
Wendy Letendre ‘90 - Office Manager
Wendy Letendre graduated Texas A&M in 1990 with a BS in Psychology and in 1992 with a Master of Public Administration concentrating in Human Resources Management. Wendy is married to Scott Letendre ’90, a former Squadron 10 cadet. Wendy and Scott lived in Houston and The Woodlands for 15 years, where Wendy worked as a Human Resources Director in banking until 2000, when she decided to come home to raise their three children,
Brandon ’19 (a former Squadron 17 cadet), Madison ’23, and Christian. While living in The Woodlands, Wendy volunteered on scholarship committees and was the Event Coordinator for the Montgomery County A&M Club.
In 2007 Scott and Wendy decided to move to College Station to live the Aggie dream. College Station has not disappointed, as it is a fantastic place to raise a family while being immersed in the Aggie way of life. For the past 16 years, she has volunteered for multiple PTO boards, school district committees, directed fundraising for athletic booster clubs, served in YMSL (a philanthropic organization for sons and mothers to volunteer in the community they live), and mediated at the Dispute Resolution Center in Bryan.
Wendy arrived at Texas A&M as a small-town girl from Hutto, TX and she found her niche rather quickly. Wendy lived on campus in several dorms – she is especially proud of being among the first women to live in the infamous Davis-Gary Hall. She worked as a Resident Advisor and Director throughout her time in school. The ladies of Davis-Gary returned the college pranks as good as they got from the Men dorms that surrounded DG. The best part of living on campus was being immersed in Aggie traditions 24/7, working Bonfire on campus, and meeting many lifelong friends. Wendy also participated in RHA, Student Government, and academic clubs, as well as making the short walk across the street to Northgate on a regular basis. Living on Northside had its benefits!
Wendy is the Office Manager for The Rudder Association and she focuses on maintaining the administrative aspects for Rudder. She joined the team at TRA to support the Aggieland we all love – a university focused on loyalty, integrity, excellence, leadership, selfless service, and respect. Respect for the traditions we all hold so dear. Aggieland is a special place, and it needs to be preserved for our children and future Aggie generations.
Mark Browning '88
Mark S. Browning graduated Texas A&M in 1988 with a B.B.A. in Finance and is married to Nancy Hoover Browning ’90. He holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor professional designation. Originally from Beaumont, Mark and his family relocated from McAllen, TX back to Brazos County in 2010, where they raised their three children, including daughters Aggie class of ’16 and ’20.
While at A&M, Mark was involved in Student Government as a student senator and head of
the student lobby group. Post A&M, Mark has been a Club President, Muster Chair and scholarship chair in the cities where he worked and lived. He has spoken at Musters in the Midwest and throughout Texas.
Mark is currently employed by Extraco Banks as a Senior Vice President and Trust Officer. He believes in the preservation of Texas A&M’s traditions that make it so unique and joined TRA in 2021 to help it in these efforts. With TRA, Mark will help lead the development efforts for scholarships and other financial support.
Fun fact: Mark met Nancy while at Texas A&M and they were married in All Faith’s Chapel. His best memories of his days at A&M were meeting his future wife and the “other education” that student activities provided.
Troy Davenport '03 - Treasurer
Troy Davenport ’03, writes “I was first introduced to the TRA in 2020 via Facebook when they publicly opposed the misguided effort to remove the Lawrence Sullivan Ross statue from Campus. This was an issue that I had very strong convictions about and was impressed by the organization’s direct and unyielding support. As time progressed, I continued to see the voice of reason that TRA presented to the University Administration and the valuable niche that the organization was filling within the Aggie Culture. This really hit home when my
daughter was accepted to A&M for the fall of 2022. When TRA advertised that they needed someone to take over as treasurer in Fall of 2022, I immediately volunteered.”
Originally from San Antonio, Troy received a 4-year NROTC scholarship to Texas A&M where he
was a member of the Fightin Texas Aggie Band (A-Co), mid-shipman Battalion, and Recon Company. He earned a BS in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. After graduation, Troy was commissioned as a Naval Officer in a private ceremony in front of the stature of Lawrence Sullivan Ross in the Academic Plaza. Troy met wife Lisa ’03 on a blind date and was engaged under a saber arch formed under the Century Tree. The two were married in May ’03.
Troy’s wife, an Aggie Biomedical Science major, received both her Masters and Doctorate in Nursing and currently serves as the Nursing Director for NICU IV at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. She has served on the faculty for the Texas Tech School of Nursing for 12 years and is a published author.
Upon leaving active duty, Troy began a career in residential construction eventually moving back to Texas. In 2010 he began a career helping veterans with the Texas Veterans Commission working to establish the TVC Veterans Assistance Grant program that was funded by the State Lottery. He also worked to establish the guidelines for the HUD funds first placed under the control of the TVC in 2013 to be used for the assistance of Texas Veterans. Troy and his lovely wife Lisa currently reside in the North Houston area where he serves in commercial construction as a superintendent. They have three children McKenzie ‘27, Benjamin and Luke.
Troy’s fondest memories of TAMU are hearing the lonesome whistle of a train late at night from his dorm room on The Quad as a freshman and marching on Kyle Field with his older brother (A-Co class of 01).
Michael Beggs ‘68 - Assistant Treasurer
Bio Coming Soon...
Darwin Sparkman '77 - Membership Development Coordinator
Darwin Sparkman is an Aggie Class of 1977, and he lives in the San Antonio area. He has been active with the San Antonio A&M Club and the management of Aggie Park San Antonio. While at A&M, he was heavily involved in various MSC programs and is a founding member of the MSC “All Night Fair”. He was also a founder of the MSC program called “Hassle Free” where university services were made available to students living off-campus.
Darwin recently retired (2022) from UPS as an International Operations Manager and
previously worked for Campbell Soup Company, Georgia Pacific Corp., Boeing Commercial Airplane Co. and has 15 years’ experience in Marketing/Advertising specializing in alumni membership and fundraising efforts for many major universities throughout the US. His clients included the University of Michigan, Auburn University, Penn State University, the University of Hawaii, and of course, Texas A&M.
Darwin reports, “My favorite memories from my time at A&M revolve around the Centennial celebrations in 1976. Getting blown all around the Drill Field when we were attempting to launch a hot-air balloon. That was unsuccessful because we were dealing with 35 MPH winds! Yes, there are pictures in the 1976 Centennial edition of AGGIELAND.”
One other cherished memory was when he was assisting one of his professors, Rodney Hill, and his wife, Susan, as they were commissioned to create the huge, multi-paneled wood carving that that tell 100 years of Aggie History that past, present and future students will reflect on. His assistance was limited to helping them turn those huge panels (on a weekly basis) so they would not warp. They are known as the Centennial Wood Carvings, and they hang in the MSC today. Fun times in an historic moment!
Terry Barger '84 - Webmaster
Terry Barger graduated from Texas A&M in 1984 with a B.S. in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. He met his wife Bonny ’84 in their first Fortran class. (FYI…The ’84 class was the very first Computer Science class at Texas A&M!) After graduation, Terry moved from his hometown of Garland, Texas to Carrollton, Texas, where he and Bonny married and raised 2 children, James (West Texas A&M ’10) and Amanda ’13.
Terry’s career began in the semi-conductor industry as a Test Engineer, but after several
years, he moved into the IT world by joining Electronic Data Systems. (And after several spin-offs, is now working for Gainwell Technologies.) Over the past 35+ years, he has been involved in the design/development of many stand-alone and client/server applications, but focusing the last 30 years on the design/development of web applications. He is currently a technical leader and User Interface/User Experience expert in the medical industry.
In his spare time, Terry has been involved in many activities. He spent a number of years coaching Little League baseball, as well as playing competitive softball and racquetball. For the past 25 years, he has played the trumpet in a number of varying music groups, including ensembles, orchestras, Drum & Bugle Corps and jazz bands.
One of the many things that Terry loves about Texas A&M University is its traditions, which make it such a special and unique place to be a part of. When he heard about TRA and its initiatives, he immediately became a lifetime member and waited for an opportunity to help. When an opening was announced for a Webmaster, he jumped at the chance and is beginning to provide upgrades and support for all web-related items.
When it comes to fond memories regarding Texas A&M…2 stick out...
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"The Bonfire my Freshman year was incredible, as it snowed during the burning. Even though the snow was not heavy, you could look out beyond the bonfire and see it falling…it was a beautiful sight. Interestingly, we all stayed very dry as the bonfire created a protective shield around us and the snow evaporated before it ever got to us. (BTW…the Ags upset the t-sips the next day…WHOOP!)"
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"When my daughter received her Aggie Ring, my wife and I were there and I got to place her Aggie ring on her finger. A very special moment for Aggie Dad & Daughter."
ADVISORY COUNCIL
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Joe Bourgeois '89 (former TRA President)
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Emile Soulier (former TRA Treasurer)
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Michael Beggs '68
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Tom Huffhines '74 (former TRA Executive VP and Board Member)
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Skip Alvarado '68