Baylor Regents Chair Announces Members of Presidential Search Committee and Presidential Search Advisory Committee

March 5, 2009

Media contact: Lori Fogleman, director of media communications, (254) 710-6275

Baylor University Board of Regents Chair Dr. Howard K. Batson today announced the appointment of a Presidential Search Committee who will lead the national effort to select the university's 14th president.

Batson also announced the appointment of a Presidential Search Advisory Committee representing Baylor faculty, alumni, staff, students, Texas Baptists and the Waco community. Comprised of individuals active within the communities they represent, the Presidential Search Advisory Committee will help ensure broad participation in the presidential search process.

During the board's February meeting, Regents charged Batson to establish the committees. Batson issued an invitation to all Regents who are not rotating off the board in May to participate in the presidential search process. Fourteen Regents accepted an appointment to the Presidential Search Committee. They are:

  • Joseph B. Armes, BBA '83, MBA '84, COO, Hicks Holdings LLC, Dallas, who was elected by the Regent Presidential Search Committee to chair Baylor's presidential search process
  • Stan Allcorn, BA '76, Pastor, Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, Abilene
  • Wes Bailey, BBA '78, President, Bailey Insurance and Risk Management Inc., Waco
  • Albert C. Black Jr., President and CEO, On-Target Supplies & Logistics, Ltd., Dallas
  • Dr. Duane Brooks, BA '84, PhD '91, Pastor, Tallowood Baptist Church, Houston
  • R. Stephen Carmack, BS '70, MS '72, Chairman and CEO, Legacy Bank, Hinton, Okla.
  • Harold R. Cunningham, BBA '56, Retired, Crawford
  • Bobby Charles Dagnel, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Lubbock
  • Gary D. Elliston, Senior Founding Partner, DeHay and Elliston L.L.P., Dallas
  • Sue Holt Getterman, BA '50, Philanthropist, Waco
  • Neal T. "Buddy" Jones, BA '73, JD '75, Principal/Owner, HillCo Partners LLC, Austin
  • Ramiro Abraham Peña Jr., BA '88, Pastor, Christ the King Baptist Church, Waco
  • Dr. John C. Reimers, BA '72, Dentist, Beaumont
  • R. Dary Stone, JD '77, Vice Chairman, Cousins Properties Inc., Dallas

Batson invited the Baylor Alumni Association, Faculty Senate, Staff Council and Student Government to recommend specific candidates for the 10-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee. Batson selected representatives from the names submitted by each of those entities. Several "at large" members from other various constituencies complete the advisory committee. Serving on the Presidential Search Advisory Committee are:

  • Dr. Kenneth L. Hall, President and CEO of Buckner International and past president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Dallas, representing Texas Baptists. Hall will serve as chair of the advisory committee.
  • Dr. Jaime Diaz-Granados, chair of the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, representing Faculty Senate
  • Angela Funai, MPPA '08, Director of Foundation and Corporate Development and Chair of Staff Council, representing Staff Council
  • Dr. Georgia Green, Chair of Faculty Senate and Associate Dean of the Baylor School of Music, representing Faculty Senate
  • Dr. Thomas S. Hibbs, Dean of the Honors College and Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Culture, representing the Council of Deans
  • Dr. Mikeal C. Parsons, Professor of Religion and The Kidd L. and Buna Hitchcock Macon Chair in Religion, Faculty-at-Large
  • Thomas R. Phillips, BA '71, retired Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court and current partner with Baker Botts LLP, Austin, representing the Baylor Alumni Association
  • Randy Lee Pullin, BBA '82, Chief Financial Officer, Stedman West Interests Inc., Houston, Alumnus-at-Large and a life member of the Baylor Alumni Association
  • Clifton Robinson, BBA '63, Chairman, Specialty Property Ltd., representing the Waco community
  • Chelsea Saylors, senior University Scholar from Rowlett, representing Student Government

Both the Presidential Search Committee and Presidential Search Advisory Committee are expected to begin their work within 30 days.

"The Presidential Search Committee has the responsibility to recommend the best finalist for the board's consideration in selecting Baylor's next president, and it will do so having been informed by a steady flow of very good information from the Presidential Search Advisory Committee," Regent Chair Howard K. Batson said. "We're grateful that all these members of the Baylor family have stepped forward to assist in this very important process that is so critical to our university's future.

"In particular our search process will benefit enormously from the leadership of Joe Armes and Ken Hall as our committee chairs," Batson said. "Joe is an accomplished senior executive who is very committed to Baylor's 2012 vision and has served in many leadership roles during his eight years on the Board of Regents. Ken has a long and distinguished record of accomplishment in Baptist life as a pastor, a CEO and as a denominational leader having served as past president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Both have demonstrated over a long period of time a commitment to Baylor and a desire to see her prosper."

The Presidential Search Committee also has established a Baylor Presidential Search web site at www.baylor.edu/president/search/ which will be updated with the latest news as the presidential search process unfolds. Through an online form on the web site, the entire Baylor family, and other friends, are invited to provide input regarding the university's next chief executive.