Celebrating 130 Years

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Thank you for joining us to celebrate UTA’s 130th Anniversary and the return of the Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Thank you!

Thank you for joining us for the return of the Distinguished Alumni Awards on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.

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Thank you to our sponsors

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Aurionz Creative and England Industries

City of Arlington

Frost Bank

Loews Hotels, Arlington

Rotary Club of Arlington

UTA Alumni Association

2025 Alumni Award Recipients

Distinguished Alumni Award

Trey Yelverton ('88 BA, Political Science)

Since 2012, Arlington City Manager Trey Yelverton has spearheaded transformative projects, including the Levitt Pavilion, College Park District, Downtown City Center, AT&T Stadium, Texas Live!, Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center, Globe Life Field, D.R. Horton Headquarters, GM expansion, redeveloped Six Flags and Forum 303 malls, Arlington Highlands, and city-wide Via Ride Share. His leadership earned Arlington recognition from Dallas Business Journal, Human Rights Campaign, Texas Comptroller, and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

A founding director of the city’s Economic Development Corporation, Yelverton also led the Housing Authority and Sports Facilities Development Corporation. He holds a UTA degree, a master’s from UNT, and executive certificates from Texas A&M’s Bush School and Harvard’s JFK School. Yelverton is a life member of the Alumni Association, an honorary letterman, and serves on the UT Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee.

Alumni Service Award

Linda (’01 BBA, Marketing) & Dan Dipert

Linda Dipert is the founder of Women Inspiring Philanthropy, a community of women transforming lives in Arlington through high-impact, lifelong giving. Linda earned a bachelor’s from UTA’s College of Business (graduating summa cum laude) and a master’s from the University of Arkansas’ Clinton School of Public Service. She is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Urban Planning at UTA.

With 13 years as a youth and recreation director, Dan Dipert graduated from Ouachita Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1972, he purchased a small Arlington travel agency, expanding it into a leading tour and motorcoach company, Dan Dipert Coaches and Tours.

Together, the Diperts established the Dan Dipert Family Fund, championing causes across the city, including support for Arlington ISD and the building of the Dipert Family Chapel at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital. Their gifts to UTA—including an endowed Nursing scholarship, support for Athletics, and naming the Dan Dipert Welcome Center—have established an impactful legacy at UTA. 

Alumni Rising Star Award

Xavier Egan ('11 BBA, Finance)

Xavier Egan is a graduate of UTA’s College of Business and is the founder and president of Capital Asset Equities in Arlington. He chairs the Arlington Mayor’s Black Advisory Council, guiding equity-driven initiatives, and leads UTA’s Black Alumni Chapter, strengthening bonds between alumni and current students through mentorship and engagement.

Xavier also champions innovation and opportunity through roles with The DEC Network, the ScanSource Diversity Partner Program, and the TCC Acquisition Academy Advisory Committee. Xavier was named a UTA Distinguished Black Alumni, is a Mavs 100 honoree, and has received the City of Arlington’s 40 under 40 award. Known for his resilience and focus on creating positive change, Egan inspires trust and builds opportunities wherever he goes.

Distinguished Philanthropist Award

Allan Saxe, Ph.D.

Emeritus Associate Professor of Political Science (deceased)

This posthumous award will be accepted by Ruthie Brock.

Allan Saxe taught at UTA for 54 years before retiring in 2019. Saxe was honored as Emeritus Associate Professor of Political Science in 2021. He was known as a must-take professor who led passionate discussions and inspired students with his humor and kindness. Saxe was a dedicated philanthropist. After he received an inheritance from his mother in the early 1990s, he donated it all to nonprofits and scholarship funds. By 2017, more than 20 businesses and city institutions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were named after him thanks to his generosity. Saxe’s legacy lives on at UTA through the Allan Saxe Intramural Field, Ruthie Brock-Saxe Patio at the Library, Allan Saxe Circle at the Planetarium, and various other philanthropic investments.

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

1965

Lee Smith

1966

Sol Haberman
R. Bud Parker
W. T. Vandergriff

1967

Gerald M. Monroe
C. B. Smith Sr.
Fred Weeks

1968

Carlisle S. Cravens
Richard G. Dulaney
Jack S. Gray

1969

Herman Brautigam
Kenneth O. Emery
Morgan Woodward

1970

Charles Braswell
James P. Dunigan
H.A.D. Dunsworth
Eugene L. Strickland
Francis C. Turner

1971

Cothburn M. O'Neal
H. Earl Singleton
Kathryn W. Willis

1972

Ray Price
T.L. Shields
W. B. Swift

1973

Edwin L. Hamilton
Nathan Jones
Willard Latham

1974

Ray N. Biggers
Wayne E. Glenn
James K. Peden

1975

Richard E. Cavazos
H. J. Haynes
Jack H. Mahan
Paul E. Yarbrough Jr.

1976

Persis A. Forster
Darrell K. Glenn
Bill Jack Lancaster
Stanley M. Woodward

1977

Charles F. Dodge
Byron W. Stuckey

1978

Patrick E. Higginbotham

1979

James A. Cribbs

1980

Phil Burleson
Harriet F. Slaughter

1981

Alex M.G. Burton

1982

James A. Hayes
James E. Wright

1984

Bob McFarland

1985

David R. Newell
Anna Waynette Vandergriff

1986

David R. Braden

1987

Robert L. Stewart

1988

Donna L. Bertram
Glenn Gaustad

1989

J. Jan Collmer
Ronald L. Parrish

1990

S. Gus & Louise Alexander
Lorianne V. Palmer

1991

John David Patterson

1992

Kathleen Bell Cooper
Linda B. Thomas

1993

Naomi W. Lede
Safi U. Qureshey

1994

H. Ralph Hawkins
Jesse D. Oliver
Gloria Van Zandt

1995

Rebecca L. Boles
C. Roland Haden
R.A. Bobby Lane
Szu-Min Lin
Leonard C. Long
Margaret L. Martin
Cecil E. Roberts
Tom Scott
Steve Tipps
Ann Jobe Wynia

1996

Levi H. Davis
Linda Parker Denson
Harry W. Greene
Judy Early Kline
Kenneth W. Lowrance
Lionel B. Morrison
Nickey Naumovich Sr.
Lou Diamond Phillips
Bill Reeves
T. Anthony Reid
Nita F. Scheble Cox
Stephen William Spies

1997

Timothy E. De Noble
Michael M. Faenza
Nancy Grant
Jerry Bob Houston
David A. Jackson
Roger C. Lowe
Jim R. McClellan
Jim Oliphant
Ellen Larsen Palmer
Diane P. Patrick
Robert W. Proctor

1998

Elie S. Akilian
Maurice L. Barksdale
E. Dan Dahlberg
Maurine P. Dickey
Darell W. Fields
Phillip J. Ford
John L. Goolsby
Everette E. Gray
Curtis E. Hawk
Danny Ray Jackson
Sam Simonian
Kathleen Kay Willis

1999

Howard F. Ahmanson
Mark A. Dvorak
Robert H. James
Lee F. Krystinik
Dick Moeller
Franklin D. Moss
Freda J. Murray
Clifton L. Odom
Lee Thurburn
Larry Dan Watson
Valin R. Woodward

2000

R. Dean Astumian
Arlene Byrd-Shorter
George C. Campbell
H. Lea Barbato Gaydos
Randall C. Gideon
Frank W. Hill
Robert B. Howard
Rex H. Latham
Walter G. Sonneborn
Jerry W. Thomas
Robert K. Utley III

2001

T. Keith Alcorn
F. Thaddeus Arroyo
Walter H. Baxter
Sandra L. Bruce
M. Heloiza Novaes-Carman
David R. Gattis
Gary L. Henson
James Royce Lummus Jr.
Colleen W. McCall
John F. McMichael
Robert L. Meckfessel

2002

Kevin G. Abelbeck
Robert T. Babbitt
Randolph Blake
Thomas Chapmond
Hoang Van Dang
Robert C. Davis
Robert G. Davis
James F. Hollingsworth
James C. Hyden
Sharon Petrea Neece
Remy Cabatu Tolentino
James R. Wilson

2003

Graciela Berlanga-Cortez
Cynthia G. Franklin
Brian E. Happel
Susan McAvoy
Juli A. Mayfield
Carla D. McKelvey
Sharon K. Odum
Barry S. Payne
George F. Pickett
R. Zack Prince
Mary Clark Robinson
Clyde E. Womack

2004

Laura Valencia Alvarado
Steven A. Chapman
Brian E. Chase
Pamela R. Dunlop-Gates
Jacqualyn A. Fouse
Katherine K. Gilson
Mike Greene
Brenda J. Marshall
Madeline E. McClure
Jesse W. Rogers
John M. Suggs
Elmus S. Ussery

2005

Rayla J. Allison
William J. Commer
Jack E. Franke
David M. Kunkle
George C. McDowell
Lenore McMackin
Robin W. Newman
Walter H. Nguyen
Ross G. Querry
Maxwell C. Scarlett
Gary K. Trietsch
Roy L. Williams

2006

Corrine M. Anderson
Theron L. Bowman
Rosalie S. Budnoff
Mojy Haddad
Dwight P. Lawson
Melody D. Phillips
Susan M. Ponce
Lawrence W. Stephens
Joel H. Ward
David L. Webster
Timothy A. Westmoreland

2007

Michael R. Baylor
Lillie M. Biggins
Charles C. Cannon
Lu Pham
Phil Porter
Dan G. Sefko
Terry D. Steelman
Wesley A. Wampler
Kelcy L. Warren

2008

Azroei Ahmad
Molly Harvey Bogen
Shirley A. Burchfield
Anita J. Foster
Trey Hillman
Ron Jensen
Mohd Zamberi Kusa
Virginia A. Lynch
Jeffrey O. Smith

2009

Somsonge Burusphat
Wayne K. Carson
Rudy M. Garcia
Allan N. Garonzik
Thomas E. Harvey Jr.
Rodney W. Hicks
James E. Nelson
Vicky C. Teherani
Linda S. Watson

2010

Greg L. Barron
Clifford A. Hahne
Robert W. Irish Jr.
Jean C. McSweeney
Ignacio T. Nunez
Thomas E. Rourke

2011

Jane P. Avila
Lon M. Burnam
Harry M. Dombroski
Al Ellis
Keith D. Weiss

2012

Shirlee J. Gandy
Charles H. Goodman
David L. Hunn
Curtis R. Kayem
Wayne Watts

2013

Herbert A. Beckwith
Arunkumar Bhikshesvaran
Keith L. Crandell
JoAnn A. Lee
Jeffrey A. Leuschel
Betsy C. Price
Barbara White Bryson

2014

Baron V. Concors
Serena S. Connelly
James A. Greer
Frederick P. Perpall
Bruce L. Tanner
Vicki L. Tanner

2015

Sohrab D. Charna
Tamara Hext Hilliard
Raj Malik
Alan E. Petsche
Bonnie K. Petsche

2016

C. Keith Cargill
Daniel P. Hughes
Liz Johnson
B. Glen Whitley

2017

Roger A. Krone
Raj K. Nooyi
Mike Rhyner
Teresa White

2018

Mike Dolabi
Kevin Le
Maria Mejia

2019

Shahrzad Amirani
Jacob M. Monty
Michael B. Ray

Distinguished Alumni Service Award Recipients

1983

Melba Hammack
Thurman M. Jasper

1989

Mary Ann Thummel

1990

William L. Hughes Jr.

1991

C. Marvin Applewhite
Frankie M. Stewart Hansell

1994

David L. Browning
Mary V. Fulbright
Marcella Bonte Wilemon

1995

Daniel J. Kauth

1997

Lloyd C. Clark
Franklin D. Moss

1998

Thomas M. McMahon

1999

Jim W. Garrett
Ida V. Hall

2001

Royce B. West

2002

Tommy R. Franks

2003

Karen D. Borta

2004

Dan Bida

2006

Mary Ann Van Siclen

2008

Gloria Gatlin Bender

2010

James C. Ditto

2012

E. Dale Martin

Distinguished International Alumni Award Recipients

2010

Nasser Ahmed Lozi

2011

Mustaque Ahmed

2012

Pan (Baker) Jiang

Honorary Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

1970

Don Kennard
Tom J. Vandergriff

1972

C D. Richards
Duncan Robinson

1973

C.R. Gilstrap

1974

Edgar H. Keltner

1975

Martha W. & William L. Hughes

1976

B.C. Barnes

1977

Jack R. Woolf

1979

Mo-Shing Chen

1980

Jenkins Garrett

1981

Ray Wilkin

1982

Joseph J. Rady

1984

Wendell H. Nedderman

1985

Kenneth B. Newell

1986

Allan A. Saxe

1987

E. D. Scarth

1988

Glenn Wilkins

1990

Bob Bolen

1992

Betty A. Nedderman

1993

Raymond R. Andrae

1995

Dan C. Burkholder

1996

John D. Boon Jr.

1997

Dorothy L. Estes

1998

John H. McElroy

1999

Chris Harris

2001

Tom Cravens

2003

Chris Carroll

2004

Toby R. Goodman

2005

H. Jack Davis

2009

John P. Lanigan Jr.

2011

Karin E. McCallum

2012

James D. Spaniolo

2015

Arnold E. Petsche

2017

Frank Alexander
Jane Alexander

2018

Follett Higher Education Group

Distinguished Recent Graduate

2016

Jocelyn Zee

2017

Nafees Alam

2018

Matthew Foster

2019

Wendy A. Okolo

Distinguished Community Service

2019

The Honorable Kelly Hancock
The Honorable Chris Turner
The Honorable W. Jeff Williams