2018 Distinguished Alumni to be honored during Homecoming Week

Alumni Association | October 19, 2018

da awards

The Distinguished Alumni Award is the most prestigious honor bestowed by Texas State University and the Texas State Alumni Association. The award recognized graduates who have achieved prominence and distinction in their chosen business, profession or life work on a national or international level. The leadership shown by these alumni inspires all members of the Texas State Community.

Texas State will honor five new Distinguished Alumni during Homecoming Week at the Distinguished Alumni Gala October 26. With these newest honorees, the Alumni Association and the university have now presented the most prestigious award to 208 graduates since the first was given to then-U.S. Sen Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1959. The award honors its recipients and demonstrates the remarkable opportunities available at Texas State University.

 

trauth and alumni
Texas State President Denise M. Trauth presents this year's Distinguished Alumni with their Distinguished Alumnus blazers. Left to right: President Trauth, Mr. Mark E. Adams, the Honorable Douglas R. Miller, Dr. Light Townsend Cummins, Ms. Karen Carroll, and Mr. Tracy L. Porter
doug miller
Douglas R. Miller, Class of 1976

The former State Representative for District 73, Douglas R. Miller represented voters in Comal, Gillespie, and Kendall Counties from 2008 to 2016. He previously served as the mayor of New Braunfels and chairman of the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA).

tracy porter
Tracy Porter, Class of 1979

A proved senior operative executive with over 35 years of experience in manufacturing as well as venture capital enterprises, Tracy Porter has been instrumental in implementing new technologies and manufacturing processes at Commercial Metals Company (CMC) where he is executive vice president and chief operative officer. 

mark adams
Mark E. Adams, Class of 1985

Businessman Mark Adams has been recognized by the Governor of Texas and the Texas House of Representatives as Outstanding Texas Entrepreneur and by Ernst & Young as Entrepreneur of the Year. 
 

Karen Carroll, Class of 1988

The vice president and general auditor for 3M Company, Karen Carroll has been with the corporation for 29 years. She heads the assurance audit function, as well as the company's enterprise risk management initiative. 

light cummins
Dr. Light Townsend Cummins, Class of 1968

Dr. Light Townsend Cummins was the official State Historian of Texas from 2009-2012 and a professor of history at Austin College in Sherman for more than 34 years. He was a Fulbright Scholar, former president of the Southwestern Historical Association of the Southwest Social Science Association, and a member of the Texas Institute of Letters and the Philosophy Society of Texas. 

For more information, contact University Communications:

Jayme Blaschke, 512-245-2555

Sandy Pantlik, 512-245-2922