Texas State prepares for fall commencement

Posted by University News Service

Dec. 14, 2010

 Ron Blatchley, regent and former chair of the Texas State University System Board of Regents, will be the keynote speaker at one of four commencement ceremonies to be held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 17 and 18, at Texas State University-San Marcos.

 Blatchley will deliver his remarks at the graduation ceremony to be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, in Strahan Coliseum on the Texas State campus. Degree candidates from the college of Education and Health Professions will attend the Saturday morning ceremony.

Three ceremonies will be held Friday, Dec. 17. All will be held in Strahan Coliseum.

 Degree candidates from the College of Liberal Arts and the University College will attend the 10 a.m. ceremony Friday. Candidates from the colleges of Fine Arts and Communication and Applied Arts will attend the 2 p.m. ceremony Friday. Candidates from the McCoy College of Business Administration and the College of Science will attend the 6 p.m. Friday ceremony.

 Texas State President Denise Trauth and Provost Perry Moore will offer remarks at the Friday ceremonies.

 Blatchley is currently a partner is BMB Homes in Bryan/College Station. He retired from a career in higher education in 1985, serving the last 14 years as Director of Student Affairs at Texas A&M University. In 1985, Blatchley and his wife, Ruth, became McDonald’s restaurant owner/operators. In 2003, they sold their 12 restaurants, and Blatchley retired again. In 2004, he and his two partners started BMB Homes and currently build in and around the Bryan/College Station area.

 Blatchley is president of R. Blatchley Management, serves on the Board of Directors at First National Bank and has previously chaired the Economic Development Corporation, as well as served on boards of the Chamber of Commerce, McDonald’s Operators Advisory Board, The Ronald McDonald House of Houston, the Texas Municipal Power Authority, and numerous other civic and charitable boards. He also served as a city councilman and mayor in the City of Bryan. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Sam Houston State University.