Baylor Alumni Association Names Distinguished Alumni

WACO, Texas - The Baylor University Alumni Association will honor Thomas R. Phillips, chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, attorney P. Oswin Chrisman and Baylor administrator Dr. William D. Hillis at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, in the Barfield Drawing Room during the Distinguished Alumni Banquet.
The Alumni Association will present the three honorees with the Distinguished Alumni Award during the ceremony. The award recognizes outstanding achievements of the recipients in their respective professions. Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. will present the awards. Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock will introduce Phillips.
Phillips graduated summa cum laude from Baylor in 1971 and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1974. He has served as chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court since 1988. Phillips has twice won re-election as chief justice in 1990 and 1996. He also served seven years as a district judge in Harris County.
He has earned numerous awards and honors including Appellate Judge of the Year, the Excellence in Government award and the Outstanding Texas Leader award.
Chrisman serves as a partner in Vial, Hamilton, Koch and Knox, L.L.P. in Dallas. He serves as chair of the Board of the Baylor University Health Care System, Baylor University Medical Center and as a board member of Dallas Medical Resources, Inc. From 1969 to 1982, Chrisman served as a judge in the probate, family and civil courts of Dallas County.
He currently specializes in health care, civil litigation, probate and family law and has practiced law for more than 38 years. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Baylor in 1957 and a juris doctorate from Baylor in 1959.
Hillis has served as a vice president at Baylor since 1985 and was named vice president for student life in 1989. In 1994, he was named the Cornelia Marschall Smith Distinguished Professor of Biology.
Hillis served John Hopkins Hospital in various leadership positions for more than 25 years and served as an officer with the United States Air Force where he earned the rank of colonel.
For more information, contact the Alumni Association at (254) 710-1121.