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Louisiana Tech Alumni of the Year announced
Louisiana Tech’s Alumnus of the Year, along with the Young Alumna of the Year and five other distinguished alumni, will be honored during the 2011 Homecoming Festivities.
Jerry Hudson, Class of 1961, will be recognized as Tech’s Alumnus of the Year at a noon luncheon on Friday, Oct. 28.
Other honorees are:
* Young Alumna of the Year: Emily Doan Howell, Class of 2006
* College of Applied and Natural Sciences: Bill Jones, Class of 1969
* College of Business: Paul Bullock, Class of 1975
* College of Education: Randy Moffett, Class of 1969
* College of Engineering and Science: Charles Gandy, Class of 1955
* College of Liberal Arts: Gary Kennedy, Class of 1973
The Alumni Awards Luncheon honoring the 2010 Alumni of the Year and Distinguished Alumni of the colleges will be in Tech’s Student Center. Tickets are $20 per person or $160 for a table of eight. For more information about the luncheon or to register, contact Barbara Swart at 318-255-7950. The deadline for tickets is Friday, Oct. 21.
A summary of the award winners’ contributions to Tech and their communities follows.
Jerry L. Hudson: Alumnus of the Year
Hudson, who received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from Tech, is retired after turning in a 40-plus year career in engineering, operation and construction of industrial facilities including pulp and paper mills, petrochemical plants, public utility generating plants, specialty chemical plants, industrial power generating plants, pulp and paper mills and other medium to heavy industrial facilities.
He retired as engineering manager and vice president/general manager of BE&K Mobile, Ala., office. Hudson also served as an adjunct professor in the University of South Alabama chemistry department. Prior to joining BK&E, Hudson served as vice president for engineering operations for Farnell and Associates; president and principal of R.S.H. Construction; vice president and principal of Rand, Shamblin, Hudson Engineering Company; vice president of the Industrial Maintenance Division of Block & Blevins Co., Inc.; vice president of business development, manager of special projects and general manager of the Jacksonville operations for Ford, Bacon & Davis; and as project engineer and assistant pulp mill superintendent for International Paper.
As a student at Tech, Hudson played football for the Bulldogs and was a Tri Captain for the 1960 and ‘61 Bulldogs and was an Academic All-American in 1959. A member of Tau Beta Pi, Hudson served as president of the T club, three terms as president before becoming life director for the College of Engineering and Science Foundation, and also served as president and privileged director for the University Foundation.
Emily Dean Howell: Young Alumna of the Year
Howell received her bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 2006 and a master’s in English in 2009 while serving as a teacher at Ruston High School. She was named the Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year for 2011-2012.
Howell credits the relationships with her students as part of her success as a young teacher.
“My students and I share a mutual respect,” said Howell, who was named Ruston High School, Lincoln Parish and Louisiana Region VIII High School Teacher of the Year before taking the top honor in the state. “I make very effort to foster an open environment, and I know that my students feel safe in my classroom. I encourage questions and even reward students who come to class with questions about our readings with extra points. I respect my students’ ideas, opinions and insights; they help me to be a better teacher.”
Bill Jones: Applied and Natural Sciences
After graduating from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 1969, Jones began a long and varied career that started as working in a cattle feed yard before practicing law in Houston (1974-79). Jones then helped create and manage Mid-States Wood Preservers, Inc., before serving as a Louisiana state senator from 2000-04, representing Lincoln, Jackson and Ouachita parishes.
A member of the Education, Health and Welfare, Revenue and Fiscal Affairs and Judiciary B. Committees, Jones authored and passed LA 4, a nationally-recognized early childhood education program. He also chaired the joint Senate-House Select Committee on Tax Structures for 2000-01, authored and passed the Union Local Louisiana Sales Tax Code revision and secured funding for many 35th District projects, including $5.8 million to jump start construction of Tech’s Biomedical Engineering Building.
Currently practicing law and raising cattle in Ruston, the former Tech defensive back, a three-year starter who played in the 1968 Grantland Rice Bowl for the Bulldogs, has authored numerous articles on cattle, horses, dogs and cowboys in several national and regional publications and also authored the book “Louisiana Cowboys,” which documents the cultural and economic importance of cattle ranching in Louisiana from Colonial times to the present.
Paul Bullock: Business
Bullock, a Ruston native and 1975 Tech business graduate, serves as chief executive officer for JPS Aviation, LLC and JPS Equipment, LLC in Monroe.
He and his family purchased the assets of Monroe Air Center at the Monroe Regional Airport in March 2011 providing air charter, aircraft rental, flight school and aircraft maintenance.
Upon graduating from Tech, Bullock worked as an office assistant and office manager for T.L. James & Company in Ruston for fie years before becoming a hot mix paving estimator and project manager. During his time at T. L. James, Bullock served on the National Asphalt Pavement Association Board of Directors and was state director representing Louisiana from January of 1997 to December of 1999.
After 23 years with T.L. James, Bullock became branch manager at Banner Sign & Barricade, providing the highway construction business with advance warning and regulatory warning signs in West Monroe until 2001. In 2003, Bullock founded JPS Equipment, LLC, where he was the owner and manager of construction equipment sales and rental business. He operated the largest Volvo Rents Franchise in North America along with his family, growing the business to five locations, 150 employees and more than $70,000,000 rental fleet. He and his family later sold the rental assets to Volvo Construction Equipment in late 2010.
Randy Moffett: Education
Moffett, a 1969 social studies education graduate, serves as president and chief executive officer of the University of Louisiana System that enrolls around 80,000 students and offers more than 600 academic degree programs.
As system president, Moffett is the single, authoritative representative of the system in addressing the state’s governor, Legislature, legislative representatives, the Board of Regents, other state officials and the public on matters involving the system.
Previously Moffett served as president of Southeastern Louisiana University from December of 2001 through July of 2008 after serving the same role in an interim position the previous six months. He began his professional career as a high school teacher in Jackson Parish before becoming director of high school relations for Northwestern State University from 1971-76. He then served as assistant director for external affairs at NSU from 1974-76 before moving to SLU, where he started out as assistant registrar from 1976-78.
At SLU, Moffett also served as adjunct instructor, director of the Division of Continuing Education and Special Activities, associate professor and head of the department of education, dean and professor of the College of Education and provost and vice president of Academic Affairs.
Charles Gandy: Engineering and Science
A 1955 electrical engineering graduate, Gandy serves as a private consulting engineer after serving as senior vice president for Applied Technology Operation at Stanford Telecommunications from 1986 to 1997.
Much of Gandy’s career was serving the National Security Agency from 1957 to 1986, where he served as Chief of the Special Programs Group. His career was devoted to quick reaction capability efforts in the fields of intelligence, counterintelligence, security and related areas. He has expertise in development of tactical SIGINT systems, including both airborne and fixed site remote control collections systems, information warfare, communications security, MASINT and electronic warfare and tactical communications.
Gandy was named to the National Security Agency Hall of Honor in 2008 and Presidential Meritorious Rank in 1983 among numerous other honors. He recently served as a member of the Technical Advisory Group to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the NSA Advisory Board, the Defense Science Board IED Task Force, including one overseeing “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Iraq and other theaters. He was also a member of the Defense Science Board Task Force “Lessons Learned” in Afghanistan and support theatres and chaired the DSB Task Force “Improved Application of Intelligence to the Battlefield,” focusing on 1995 operations in Bosnia.
Gary Kennedy: Liberal Arts
Kennedy, a 1973 Tech English graduate and 1975 master’s of English graduate, began working for Red Ball Oxygen Company in 1975. He became president of Red Ball in 1987 before being named the company’s chairman and chief executive officer in 2007.
The Shreveport native, who played football for the Bulldogs in 1970 and ‘71, also taught English 101 as a graduate assistant at Tech. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corp via its PLC Program (Officer Candidate School) at Tech.
A player, coach and sponsor of the Shreveport Rugby Football Club, Kennedy is also a supporter and sponsor of the Louisiana Tech Rugby Club.
Story written by T. Scott Boatright
Jerry Hudson, Class of 1961, will be recognized as Tech’s Alumnus of the Year at a noon luncheon on Friday, Oct. 28.
Other honorees are:
* Young Alumna of the Year: Emily Doan Howell, Class of 2006
* College of Applied and Natural Sciences: Bill Jones, Class of 1969
* College of Business: Paul Bullock, Class of 1975
* College of Education: Randy Moffett, Class of 1969
* College of Engineering and Science: Charles Gandy, Class of 1955
* College of Liberal Arts: Gary Kennedy, Class of 1973
The Alumni Awards Luncheon honoring the 2010 Alumni of the Year and Distinguished Alumni of the colleges will be in Tech’s Student Center. Tickets are $20 per person or $160 for a table of eight. For more information about the luncheon or to register, contact Barbara Swart at 318-255-7950. The deadline for tickets is Friday, Oct. 21.
A summary of the award winners’ contributions to Tech and their communities follows.
Jerry L. Hudson: Alumnus of the Year
Hudson, who received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from Tech, is retired after turning in a 40-plus year career in engineering, operation and construction of industrial facilities including pulp and paper mills, petrochemical plants, public utility generating plants, specialty chemical plants, industrial power generating plants, pulp and paper mills and other medium to heavy industrial facilities.
He retired as engineering manager and vice president/general manager of BE&K Mobile, Ala., office. Hudson also served as an adjunct professor in the University of South Alabama chemistry department. Prior to joining BK&E, Hudson served as vice president for engineering operations for Farnell and Associates; president and principal of R.S.H. Construction; vice president and principal of Rand, Shamblin, Hudson Engineering Company; vice president of the Industrial Maintenance Division of Block & Blevins Co., Inc.; vice president of business development, manager of special projects and general manager of the Jacksonville operations for Ford, Bacon & Davis; and as project engineer and assistant pulp mill superintendent for International Paper.
As a student at Tech, Hudson played football for the Bulldogs and was a Tri Captain for the 1960 and ‘61 Bulldogs and was an Academic All-American in 1959. A member of Tau Beta Pi, Hudson served as president of the T club, three terms as president before becoming life director for the College of Engineering and Science Foundation, and also served as president and privileged director for the University Foundation.
Emily Dean Howell: Young Alumna of the Year
Howell received her bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 2006 and a master’s in English in 2009 while serving as a teacher at Ruston High School. She was named the Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year for 2011-2012.
Howell credits the relationships with her students as part of her success as a young teacher.
“My students and I share a mutual respect,” said Howell, who was named Ruston High School, Lincoln Parish and Louisiana Region VIII High School Teacher of the Year before taking the top honor in the state. “I make very effort to foster an open environment, and I know that my students feel safe in my classroom. I encourage questions and even reward students who come to class with questions about our readings with extra points. I respect my students’ ideas, opinions and insights; they help me to be a better teacher.”
Bill Jones: Applied and Natural Sciences
After graduating from Tech with a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 1969, Jones began a long and varied career that started as working in a cattle feed yard before practicing law in Houston (1974-79). Jones then helped create and manage Mid-States Wood Preservers, Inc., before serving as a Louisiana state senator from 2000-04, representing Lincoln, Jackson and Ouachita parishes.
A member of the Education, Health and Welfare, Revenue and Fiscal Affairs and Judiciary B. Committees, Jones authored and passed LA 4, a nationally-recognized early childhood education program. He also chaired the joint Senate-House Select Committee on Tax Structures for 2000-01, authored and passed the Union Local Louisiana Sales Tax Code revision and secured funding for many 35th District projects, including $5.8 million to jump start construction of Tech’s Biomedical Engineering Building.
Currently practicing law and raising cattle in Ruston, the former Tech defensive back, a three-year starter who played in the 1968 Grantland Rice Bowl for the Bulldogs, has authored numerous articles on cattle, horses, dogs and cowboys in several national and regional publications and also authored the book “Louisiana Cowboys,” which documents the cultural and economic importance of cattle ranching in Louisiana from Colonial times to the present.
Paul Bullock: Business
Bullock, a Ruston native and 1975 Tech business graduate, serves as chief executive officer for JPS Aviation, LLC and JPS Equipment, LLC in Monroe.
He and his family purchased the assets of Monroe Air Center at the Monroe Regional Airport in March 2011 providing air charter, aircraft rental, flight school and aircraft maintenance.
Upon graduating from Tech, Bullock worked as an office assistant and office manager for T.L. James & Company in Ruston for fie years before becoming a hot mix paving estimator and project manager. During his time at T. L. James, Bullock served on the National Asphalt Pavement Association Board of Directors and was state director representing Louisiana from January of 1997 to December of 1999.
After 23 years with T.L. James, Bullock became branch manager at Banner Sign & Barricade, providing the highway construction business with advance warning and regulatory warning signs in West Monroe until 2001. In 2003, Bullock founded JPS Equipment, LLC, where he was the owner and manager of construction equipment sales and rental business. He operated the largest Volvo Rents Franchise in North America along with his family, growing the business to five locations, 150 employees and more than $70,000,000 rental fleet. He and his family later sold the rental assets to Volvo Construction Equipment in late 2010.
Randy Moffett: Education
Moffett, a 1969 social studies education graduate, serves as president and chief executive officer of the University of Louisiana System that enrolls around 80,000 students and offers more than 600 academic degree programs.
As system president, Moffett is the single, authoritative representative of the system in addressing the state’s governor, Legislature, legislative representatives, the Board of Regents, other state officials and the public on matters involving the system.
Previously Moffett served as president of Southeastern Louisiana University from December of 2001 through July of 2008 after serving the same role in an interim position the previous six months. He began his professional career as a high school teacher in Jackson Parish before becoming director of high school relations for Northwestern State University from 1971-76. He then served as assistant director for external affairs at NSU from 1974-76 before moving to SLU, where he started out as assistant registrar from 1976-78.
At SLU, Moffett also served as adjunct instructor, director of the Division of Continuing Education and Special Activities, associate professor and head of the department of education, dean and professor of the College of Education and provost and vice president of Academic Affairs.
Charles Gandy: Engineering and Science
A 1955 electrical engineering graduate, Gandy serves as a private consulting engineer after serving as senior vice president for Applied Technology Operation at Stanford Telecommunications from 1986 to 1997.
Much of Gandy’s career was serving the National Security Agency from 1957 to 1986, where he served as Chief of the Special Programs Group. His career was devoted to quick reaction capability efforts in the fields of intelligence, counterintelligence, security and related areas. He has expertise in development of tactical SIGINT systems, including both airborne and fixed site remote control collections systems, information warfare, communications security, MASINT and electronic warfare and tactical communications.
Gandy was named to the National Security Agency Hall of Honor in 2008 and Presidential Meritorious Rank in 1983 among numerous other honors. He recently served as a member of the Technical Advisory Group to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, the NSA Advisory Board, the Defense Science Board IED Task Force, including one overseeing “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Iraq and other theaters. He was also a member of the Defense Science Board Task Force “Lessons Learned” in Afghanistan and support theatres and chaired the DSB Task Force “Improved Application of Intelligence to the Battlefield,” focusing on 1995 operations in Bosnia.
Gary Kennedy: Liberal Arts
Kennedy, a 1973 Tech English graduate and 1975 master’s of English graduate, began working for Red Ball Oxygen Company in 1975. He became president of Red Ball in 1987 before being named the company’s chairman and chief executive officer in 2007.
The Shreveport native, who played football for the Bulldogs in 1970 and ‘71, also taught English 101 as a graduate assistant at Tech. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corp via its PLC Program (Officer Candidate School) at Tech.
A player, coach and sponsor of the Shreveport Rugby Football Club, Kennedy is also a supporter and sponsor of the Louisiana Tech Rugby Club.
Story written by T. Scott Boatright
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