A Republican, Conaway will represent the newly-created 11th Congressional District.

Conaway graduated with a bachelor of business administration degree from A&M-Commerce in 1970 and was honored as an Alumni Ambassador by the department of accounting at the Alumni Forum this spring.

The 56-year-old congressman-elect has been a Certified Public Accountant for more than 30 years and is a U.S. Army veteran.

A&M-Commerce President Keith McFarland congratulated Conaway on his election to office. "We were happy to have Mike Conaway on campus for our Alumni Forum last April and wish him the best in his work as a congressman.

Mike Conaway is the first alumnus elected to the U.S. House of Representatives since Speaker Sam Rayburn, our Most Distinguished Alumnus."

The Midland resident is a friend of President George W. Bush and had worked as chief financial officer for Bush Exploration.

In 1995, then-Governor Bush appointed Conaway to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, a state regulatory agency that regulates the practice of accountancy in Texas. He served on the board for seven years, including more than five years as chairman.

A&M-Commerce Professor Emeritus Jack Ingram has remained friends with Conaway since he was a student and attended his election victory party.

"He's just one of these rare people who's got character, integrity, and brains. He's just unique," Dr. Ingram said of Conaway.

The retired professor had Conaway in two business law courses and was adviser for Delta Sigma Pi, an organization the congressman-elect was an active member and officer in.

Ingram remembers Conaway as "one of those apple pie, Chevrolet, all-American boys who was straight as an arrow."

A married student from Odessa who played on the Lions' football team, Conaway was serious about his studies and like many A&M-Commerce students worked part-time while in school. He had an evening job at Commerce's Sage Motel to supplement his income, Ingram said.

ALUMNUS CONGRESSMAN-ELECT - Mike Conaway (center) is shown at the Texas A&M University-Commerce Alumni Forum last April where he was honored by the department of accounting as an Alumni Ambassador. Conaway of Midland was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the November elections. The Republican will represent the newly-created 11th Congressional District.

Also pictured are A&M-Commerce President Keith McFarland (left) and Dean of the College of Business and Technology Hal Langford. Conaway graduated from A&M-Commerce in 1970.  (A&M-Commerce photo)