STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS—The Tarleton State University Alumni Association recognized seven individuals for their professional achievements during the annual President’s Reception and Distinguished Alumni Dinner held during the 2008 Tarleton Homecoming activities.
Honorees for 2008 included Don and Georgia Henrich, Distinguished Friends; Ronnie Sullins, Distinguished Alumnus; Ronnie Giles, Distinguished Staff Member; Ron Bradberry and Joe Cude, Distinguished Faculty Members; and Chad Fox, Outstanding Young Alumnus.
Don and Georgia Henrich
Distinguished Friends
Don Henrich, a 1968 Tarleton graduate, and his wife, Georgia, were recognized for their commitment of time and effort toward Tarleton. During his years at the university, Henrich was a member of the Phi Beta Lambda Business Organization and served as its president his senior year. He also received the Outstanding Leadership Award. After graduation, Don spent a year with the Texas State Mental Health and Mental Retardation as an accountant. The Henrichs married in 1969 and Don took a position with Xerox Corporation as a sales representative.
After a successful career in sales, Don joined Maverick Drilling Company in 1975 and became president in 1977. He also serves as president of Maverick Production Company, which operates production in Texas. Georgia co-owned and managed a ladies apparel business for 12 years and has been active in the daily activities of Maverick Drilling Company for the last 25 years. She is also a volunteer and serves on the boards for many non-profit organizations such as Austin Business Women’s Association, Austin Junior Forum and many more.
Don has been very active in the Tarleton Alumni Association. He served on the board for 10 years, including two years as president, one year as sixth past president and one year as 16th past president. Don was also presented the President’s Award by Dr. Barry B. Thompson.
Since marrying, Don and Georgia have made Austin their home and raised twin girls Nicole and Britni, a Tarleton graduate. The Henrichs have one grandson, Jeffrey.
Ronnie Sullins
Distinguished Alumnus
Ronnie Sullins, honored as this year’s distinguished alumnus, has been active in Tarleton since he attended the university in the 1970s. Sullins served as student body president in 1972-1973 and was involved in the university’s name change from Tarleton State College to Tarleton State University. He graduated in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and was in the last class to graduate under the name Tarleton State College. While at Tarleton, Sullins was a member of Alpha Phi Omega, the Purple Poo and served as a student senator.
After graduation, Sullins returned to Central Texas and took a position in the data processing department of Citizen’s National Bank in Waco. Eventually, Sullins returned to Stephenville to work at the Town and Country Bank as vice president/cashier. He met his wife, Sharon, while volunteering as a financial counselor at Tarleton.
While in Stephenville, he was very active in the Alumni Association, serving as president in 1978. He was also an active member of the Stephenville Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club. In 1981, Sullins once again returned to Central Texas to become Senior Vice President of Guaranty Bank and Trust Co. in Gatesville but over the years continued his involvement with Tarleton, serving as president of the Tarleton Development Foundation in 1996.
In 2005, Sullins purchased the First National Bank in Evant, Texas and currently serves as the chairman and CEO. Ronnie and Sharon have three children: Lauren, who is attending Baylor University as a pre-med major; Lute, who is attending Tarleton State University as a finance major, and Payne who hopes to attend Tarleton one day.
Ronnie Giles
Distinguished Staff Member
Ronnie Giles was named Distinguished Staff Member after 35 years of service to the university.
After receiving his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Abilene Christian University, Giles was hired in July 1973 as the offensive line coach for the Tarleton Texan football team. During his time at Tarleton, he was actively involved in the community and on campus, serving the Stephenville Optimist Club and Chamber of Commerce, where he was director of tourism.
Giles was influential in persuading the Texas High School Six- and Eight-Man Coaching School to move their annual coaching school as well as the football and basketball All-Star Games to Stephenville. As a member of Tarleton’s coaching staff, Giles and the football team did local jobs to raise money to purchase new game jerseys.
In 1989, Giles became the president of the Stephenville Booster Club and at Tarleton initiated the J. Dixon White Alumni Golf Tournament. Giles also devoted his time to many other organizations including the board of directors for the Erath County Livestock Association and the Farm Bureau.
In 1996, Giles wrote the first letter of justification to then-president Dr. Dennis McCabe and Dr. Wanda Mercer on the need for a modern, indoor recreational sports facility. The Recreational Sports Center officially opened in October 2007.
Giles has been married to his wife, Linda, for 50 years. They have two children, Deborah Lynn Dillingham and son Kent Jeffrey Giles, and two grandchildren Brittany and Haley. He retired July 31, 2008,after 35 years of dedication to Tarleton.
Ron Bradberry
Distinguished Faculty Member
Dr. Ron Bradberry was named distinguished faculty member for his time spent teaching at Tarleton.
He received an associate’s degree in science from Tarleton, a bachelor’s degree in education at Abilene Christian University and master’s and doctorate in education from the University of North Texas.
He met his wife, Annette, in Louisiana while serving as a faculty member at Northwestern State University. Bradberry made his way back to Stephenville and joined the Tarleton faculty in 1969. In 1973, he was appointed chair of the department of education and psychology, also serving as the teacher certification officer for many years. He was named dean of the College of Graduate Studies in 1985, becoming only the second graduate dean in Tarleton history.
Bradberry designed and taught the required graduate course in education research for Master of Education candidates. While at Tarleton, he served on many university and community committees, including six terms on the board of trustees for the Stephenville Independent School District. He has been involved in the Chamber of Commerce, Stephenville Lions Club and the Sherwood and Myrtie Foster Home for Children board of directors. Ron and his wife, Annette, have twin sons, Bart and Ben, and a daughter, Martha.
Joe Cude
Distinguished Faculty Member
Joe Cude was also recognized as a Tarleton Distinguished Faculty Member. Cude received his bachelor’s degree from Southwest State University and his master’s and doctorate from the University of Texas. While in college, he worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho and the DuPont Company in Delaware.
After receiving his doctorate, he taught at Washington State University and Cal State College before returning to Texas to teach at Dallas Baptist College. He joined the Tarleton faculty in 1972 as a math professor and department head for the math and physics department and served in that capacity until 1990.
Cude retired in 2001 and was honored as Professor Emeritus of Mathematics. He served as secretary/treasurer of the Texas Academic Administrators of Mathematical Sciences for ten years. He was elected chairman of the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America in 1989 and received the distinguished service award in 1992. Cude also served on the Texas Academic Skills Council from 1987-1989 as the senior college and university representative for mathematics.
He served as the president of Tarleton State University Retirees for four years and currently serves as Tarleton’s elected representative to the Texas A&M System Employee Benefits Advisory Council. Cude is also actively involved in the Stephenville community serving in many volunteer positions and on numerous boards and advisory committees. Joe and his wife, Pat, have a daughter, Eileen, and two sons, Andy and Eddie.
Chad Fox
Outstanding Young Alumnus
This year’s Outstanding Young Alumnus, Chad Fox, is an 11-year veteran of Major League Baseball (MLB). In high school he played third base, but during an intramural softball game at Blinn Jr. College, someone suggested he go to a try-out camp at Tarleton. Jack Allen, Tarleton’s baseball coach, recognized Fox’s pitching potential.
Fox’s pitching outings for the Texans were erratic as he learned the finer points of pitching, always struggling with consistency with his overpowering fastball. Fox was invited to the Olympic trials in 1991 and during his junior year at Tarleton, in 1992, was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds. He was later traded to the Atlanta Braves organization and in 1997 was called up to the big league team and played in the national league playoffs. He spent five years with the Milwaukie Brewers and was the most valuable pitcher in 2001 posting a 5-2 record with a 1.89 earned run average (ERA) while striking out 80 batters in 66 innings. After a short stint with the Boston Red Sox, Fox was traded to the Florida Marlins where he posted a 2.13 ERA in 21 games and made nine appearances in the playoffs as the Marlins won the World Series in 2003.
In 2005, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs and eventually retired that year after suffering a serious arm injury. After retirement, Fox joined a group to build the Legends Sports Complex in the Woodlands and headed up the baseball operations where he taught young people the fundamentals of baseball pitching. Fox returned to MLB and joined the Chicago Cubs in the spring of 2008 after deciding he still wanted to pitch. Unfortunately, he reinjured his arm during the 2008 season.
Fox met his wife, Allison, at Tarleton and they have three daughters: Morgan who is 13, Ashleigh who is 9, and Paige who is 6.
