Rathel Whittaker, a reservoir engineering advisor, has been with Rosetta Resources for the past five years since his early retirement from ExxonMobil in 2006 after 26 years of service. Although he received his Bachelor of Science degree from Prairie View A&M University in mechanical engineering, his entire professional career has been in the field of petroleum engineering. During his time with ExxonMobil, he has had various positions on both the technical and supervisory ladders in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Colorado as well as internationally in Nigeria and Angola, West Africa. He attends the New Light Christian Center Church in Houston, Texas, President of the Christian Business and Professional Organization and is a member of the Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He has one son, Rathel Whittaker II, and is happily married to the former Carolyn Slater, his collegiate sweetheart.
Ken Houston born in Lufkin, Texas is a former football defensive back in the American and National Football Leagues. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Houston played for the Houston Oilers from 1967 through through 1972, then with the Washington Redskins until 1980. While with the Redskins, Houston went to seven straight Pro Bowls. Houston attended and played college football at Prairie View A&M University. For a short time he was a center, and then became the starting linebacker and was selected All-American in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Houston was an all-league player for twelve consecutive years: an American Football League All-Star in 1968 and 1969, and then in the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl from 1970 through 1979. He was selected All-Pro three times. In 1999, he was ranked number 61 on The Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.
After his retirement Houston served as a head football coach for Wheatley High School and Westbury High School in Houston, Texas. From 1982 to 1985, he was the defensive backfield coach for the Houston Oilers and from 1986 to 1990 he was the defensive backfield coach for the University of Houston.
Husband and father of two, Houston serves as a guidance counselor for children in hospitals and who are home bound or have been placed in child care agencies by the State of Texas. He does this work for the Houston Independent School District.
Benny L. Lockett was born and reared in (Northeast) Linden Texas. He graduated from Fairview High School in 1957. Lockett received his Bachelor’s Degree from Prairie View A&M University in 1961 and his Master’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1972. He engaged in further study on his Doctorate Degree at the University of Houston. In October 1961, Lockett was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He worked in the Army as a professional solider for 28 years. Lockett served overseas in Korea, Germany, and the Republic of Vietnam. He has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Parachutist Badge, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. Lockett retired from the U. S. Army Reserves in 1989 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
After departing from active duty with the military, Lockett worked as a Manufacturing Engineer with Texas Instruments, Inc., in Richardson, Texas. He left this job to return to Prairie View A&M University.
Lockett worked at Prairie View A&M University for 28 years. He has written and co-authored several publications. Lockett retired from Prairie View A&M University as Associate Administrator of the Cooperative Extension Program in 1998. After retirement, he was awarded “Emeritus Status” by the Texas A&M University System. Lockett serves as a board of director on four non-profit organizations: The H. S. Estelle 4-H & Youth Camp, Prairie View A&M University, Landowners Association of Texas, Hoover Carden Scholarship Fund, and the Fairview Junior-Senior High School Reunion Corporation.
Additionally, Lockett serves on the Board of Directors National Alumni Association of the Prairie View A&M University. Also, he is a member of the Chancellor’s Century Council of Texas A&M University System.
Lockett resides in Houston, Texas. He is a member of the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church. Lockett has two children: a daughter Cheryl, who resides in Austin, a son Benny II, who resides in Dallas, and grandson Zachary.
Born in Beaumont, Texas, LeVias played quarterback for Hebert High School. He was recruited to the Southern Methodist University in the spring of 1965. His success, on and off the field, led to a highly anticipated varsity debut in 1966, and quickly became one of the most exciting players in the nation on the conference-champion Mustangs.
LeVias was three times consensus All-SWC, 1966-68, and All-America as a senior. He twice led the league in receiving and held every career record when his three varsity seasons ended, including the single game mark for reception yardage (when he caught 8 passes for 213 yards against North Carolina State in 1968.) LeVias ended his career with a TD catch in SMU’s victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the 1968 Bluebonnet Bowl and followed that as the MVP of the Senior Bowl.
LeVias played his first season in 1969 with the American Football League’s Houston Oilers, where he was selected to the 1969 AFL All-Star Team, then was with the NFL Oilers (1970) and with the NFL San Diego Chargers (1971-1974).
Jerry LeVias holds a special place in the history of college athletics. When he entered SMU in 1965, he became the first African-American to receive an athletic scholarship in the Southwest Conference. His signing with SMU changed the racial makeup of college football in the South. Amidst the trials and tribulations of breaking the color barrier, LeVias made both athletic and academic All-American football teams. He was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 and to the National College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
After his football career ended, LeVias became a successful businessman.
Ernie grew up on a farm in Travis County, approximately seven miles southeast of Austin, Texas. The farm, located on Dee Gabrial Collins Road, has been owned and operated by members of the Collins family since the late 1800’s and has been recognized by the state of Texas. He is one of 11 children born to Ella and the late Talferd Collins. Hard work and education were top priorities for the family and all the children were supported and encouraged to take full advantage of educational opportunities. As a result, all 11 children graduated from high school and all attended college.
Ernie attended Prairie View A&M University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and has additional studies toward an MBA at Texas Southern University. At Prairie View, he also enrolled in the advanced ROTC program and upon graduation was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. While at Prairie View, Ernie met the lady of his dreams, Floretta Brown. Prior to reporting for officer’s basic training in artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Ernie and Flo were married in her hometown of Bay City, Texas.
Ernie served two years in the Army as a training officer at Fort Ord, California. He was discharged as a 1st Lieutenant in 1969. Also in 1969, he joined Humble Oil and Refinery Company, now ExxonMobil in Denver, Colorado. Ernie worked in various marketing staff and management positions and in 2003, he retired after 34 years of service.
Ernie is actively involved in the community as he serves as a Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo director, a member of the advisory board for the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence, member of the Prairie View A&M University Capital Campaign Cabinet, member of the board of directors for the H.S. Estelle 4-H and Youth Camp, advisor to the Farm Service Agency County Committee for Harris and Montgomery County and a member of the Land Owners Association of Texas. Ernie and Flo are strong supporters of youth and education and have established scholarship funds at Prairie View A&M University and Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ernie and Flo are the proud parents of three children, Leslie Collins-Thompson (Rod), Todd Jamal (Jeanelle), and Daryl Donovan (deceased). They are also proud grandparents of five: Taylor, Ross and Brooke Thompson, Sydney Rose Collins and Ella Gabrielle Collins.
In retirement, Ernie’s top priorities are spending time at the ranch with family and working with his grandchildren.
Lawrence Sampleton was born in Waelder, Texas, but spent his formative years growing up in Seguin, Texas. After graduating from Seguin High School, he was awarded an athletic scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin where he played tight end for the Longhorns from 1978-1982 while pursuing a degree in communications.
In 1982, Lawrence was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the NFL draft. He finished his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins in 1987, and moved back to Austin to complete his degree and seek a new career path.
Lawrence received his Bachelor of Arts degree in health, recreation and sports management from St. Edward’s University in 1991. His passion for children has guided his career choices over the past 20 years. He has coached several sports, both boys and girls, at St. Michael’s Academy and has worked for St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin for the past 19 years. St. Stephen’s is a college preparatory boarding and day school that serves grades 6-12. He has worn many hats at St. Stephen’s over the years including Head Football Coach, Assistant Director of Admission and Dormitory Administrator. He is currently the Director of Admission and Financial Aid and travels the globe recruiting students to attend the school.
Lawrence currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Secondary School Admission Testing Board (SSAT), a national and international admissions test for independent schools. He has served on the Texas State Advisory Board for Athletic Trainers and is a former member of the Longhorn Foundation Advisory Council. As a community leader he is often asked to speak to young people all over the state to give testament to what hard work and dedication can do for them. Lawrence was inducted into the Seguin Sports hall of Fame in 2000.
Married for 22 years to his wife, Libbi, they have two children, Evan who is a high school senior and Maya who is a sixth grader.
Terrence Gee is a native of Houston, Texas. He graduated from Lamar High School in 1982. He then entered Rice University, graduating in 1986 with a with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.
Terrence began his professional career with Accenture, the global management and technology consulting firm, in 1986. He was admitted to the firm’s partnership in 2000. Terrence retired from Accenture in 2008.
Terrence has expertise in organizational design, change management, and strategy development. His functional expertise includes Human Resources, Information Technology, Finance, and Supply Chain Management.
Over the course of his career, Terrence led consulting engagements with companies including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, Marathon Oil, ConocoPhillips, Duke Energy, Anadarko, Koch Industries, DCP Midstream, and Dynegy. In addition, Terrence led a number of pro bono engagements with organizations such as Child Advocates, the United Way, and the National Black MBA Association.
Terrence is now the Managing Partner of Trilogee Venture Partners, a private investment management firm specializing in early stage investments in healthcare, energy, and education.
Terrence currently serves as a member of the Child Advocates, Inc. Board of Directors, the Rice University Centennial Commission, the Prairie A&M University Business School Advisory Board, the Unity National Bank Advisory Board, the Texas Dragon Boat Association Board of Directors, and the Brentwood Baptist Church Board of Trustees.
Terrence and his wife Terri are the proud parents of one daughter, Madelyn, and twin boys, Matthew and Cole.
Mr. Clark is a native Texan. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and a regular Army commission as a Second Lieutenant from Prairie View A&M University in 1967. He attended Long Island University, completed course work for a master’s degree in Public Administration, and graduated from The John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Mr. Clark retired from the Federal Government on February 3, 2000 after serving 25 years as an FBI agent/executive and 10 years as an Airborne Ranger Infantry officer.
Mr. Clark supervised numerous high profile FBI investigations including the 1979 Iranian Hostage Crisis where he handled the movement of the Shah of Iran from New York City to San Antonio, Texas. He supervised the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City. He coordinated and managed the investigation and prosecution of the dragging death of James Byrd, Jr. in Jasper, Texas and was in charge of the investigation and coordination to locate FBI’s top fugitive and accused “Railcar Killer” Rafael Resendes Ramirez.
Mr. Clark is currently employed at The O’Quinn Law Firm, and he works for FOX 26 television, as an on air Analyst and Consultant on Law Enforcement and related issues. He also appears frequently on Fox News Channel, CNN and MSNBC Cable Networks and on a variety of radio programs nationwide to discuss terrorism, security and crime prevention issues.
In addition to being a founding board trustee for the Texas A&M PAC, a member of the Texas A&M Chancellor’s Century Council, and the Co-Chair of the Prairie View A&M University Capital Campaign Committee, he also serves as a Director on the Houston Parks Board, Houston Children’s Charity Board, D.A.R.E. (Drug Awareness) Board and The Small Business Administration Advisory Board. He is a member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and has served as Vice Chairman of the Go Texan Scholarship Committee. He has always demonstrated a concern for public safety, protection of our kids and caring for the community.
Mr. Clark has numerous awards and recognitions from the FBI and as a combat veteran in Vietnam, however one of the most notable is the U.S. Attorney General’s highest Award for Excellence recognizing his efforts in the investigation and prosecution of the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Murder in Jasper, Texas.
Mr. Clark is married, has two daughters, two stepdaughters, and six grandchildren. He is an avid runner and enjoys golfing.
Frederick (Fred) is a native of Hallsville, Texas and currently resides in Houston. After high school, he attended Prairie View A&M University in Texas and the University of Washington in Seattle, earning degrees in Electrical Engineering and a Masters of International Business, respectively. Between undergraduate and graduate school, he served two years in the United States Army.
Fred is currently Director of Public Affairs for Valero Energy’s regional refining operations. Prior to this assignment, he served in a variety of engineering, human resources, and public affairs positions within Valero and Exxon Mobil’s operations in Texas, California, and Louisiana.
In his civic life, Fred has volunteered in many capacities including the Boards of Directors for United States Olympic Committee and USA Track and Field. He is past Chairman of the Board of the Texas City/ LaMarque Chamber of Commerce, Chair-elect for the Houston East End Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of Houston’s Community Family Center, and Vice-chair of the Black Heritage Committee – Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Fred also serves on the Capital Campaign Committee for Prairie View A&M University and is an avid supporter of the United Way and Boy Scouts of America.
While at Prairie View A&M, Fred was a three time All-American and National Champion in Track and Field. In 1976, he won Gold and Silver Medals in the Montreal Canada Olympic Games. In 2000, Fred was appointed Team Leader for the United States Men’s Track and Field squad to the Olympic Games in Sydney, Austria. He has served as the High School Referee for the Texas Relays for the past seven years and Co-Referee at the Texas State UIL Track and Field Championships for the past six years.
Fred is a member of the First Metropolitan Church in Houston. He and his wife of 38 years, Rhonda, have 2 daughters - Vonda and Benecia; a son-in-law, Pele’ Nunley (Vonda’s husband); and two wonderful grandsons, Andre’ and Bryce. His hobbies are gardening, ranching, and volunteering in youth oriented programs.
Phyllis Darden-Caldwell (formerly Phyllis Tidwell) was born in Taylor, Texas and spent her childhood living in California, Spain and Texas. She received her B.S., Sociology Education (‘80) and M.S., Sociology (‘81) from Prairie View A&M University.
After college, Ms. Darden-Caldwell spent 3 years working for Tideland Signal Corporation managing overseas sales of marine and solar equipment. In 1984, she joined the law firm of Vinson & Elkins LLP as a paralegal where she currently works. She practices in the areas of litigation and antitrust matters with a specialty focus on electronic discovery. During discovery and trial, she works with the Firm’s attorneys and outside technological consultants on various aspects of the case including coordinating electronic discovery and trial presentations and courtroom communication.
Ms. Darden-Caldwell has been able to work on pro bono and community projects that have been supported by V&E and allowed her to give back to the community. As coordinator of the Firm’s Innocence Project, she and her team were responsible for gathering and reviewing documentation for 150 Texas-based cases, which eventually led to the acceptance of 10 cases by Barry Scheck and the Innocence Project in an attempt to exonerate wrongfully convicted inmates. To date, nine persons have been freed from prison based upon DNA evidence—some through the efforts of fellow alumni, Craig Watkins, Dallas County DA. She recently received word that inmate, Timothy Cole had recently been posthumously exonerated as well. She works with the firm’s pro bono advisory boards and assists with research on the Texas Appleseed “Texas School-to-Prison Pipeline” report.
Ms. Darden-Caldwell is frequently called to participate as a speaker/presenter for various paralegal seminars. As a member of the Board of Directors and Chairperson of CLE Seminars for the Houston Metropolitan Paralegal Association, she coordinated and facilitated full-day CLE seminars for 3 years. She is a member of several Board of Directors and Committees including the Houston Metropolitan Paralegal Association (former board member), the Texas State Bar - Paralegal Division, Institute for Paralegal Education Program Review Board and the Houston Community College Paralegal Advisory Board.
Phyllis is a member of the TransAfrica Forum, immediate past-chair of Neighborhood Centers, Inc. - Ripley House Advisory Board, Greenfield Development Board of Directors, PVAMU Sports Hall of Fame Committee and Capital Campaign Cabinet, 2008 National Association of Professional Women Inductee and the National Council of Negro Women.
Ms. Darden-Caldwell is an active member Mount Corinth Missionary Baptist Church where she participates in several ministries including travel to Haiti as part of a church mission entourage.
She has one son, Philip Tidwell, 23 and she currently resides in Houston.
Lieutenant General (Ret.) Marvin D. Brailsford was born in Burkeville, Texas on January 31, 1939. He graduated cum laude and as a distinguished military graduate from Prairie View A&M College with a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1959. He went on to receive a master’s degree in bacteriology from Iowa State University. His educational pursuits also include completion of the Executive Program at the Graduate School of Business, University of California at Berkeley; graduate of the Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, the Army War College, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Chemical School Advance Course and the Armor Officer Basic Course.
General Brailsford culminated his 33 years of military service as the deputy-commanding general of the United States Army Materiel Command in 1992. During his Army career, he held several key positions including, commanding general of the U.S. Army Armament, Munitions, and Chemical Command, the 59th Ordnance Brigade, the 60th Ordnance Group, 101st Ordnance Battalion and other staff assignments in Vietnam, Germany and the United States.
After his retirement from the U.S. Army, he served as president of Metters Industries. He formed his own company, the Brailsford Group Inc., in 1996. He is also a retired Vice President of Kaiser-Hill Company. General Brailsford is currently a director of Conn’s Inc., Illinois Tool Works Inc., and the Southeast Texas Community Development Corp.
General Brailsford is a recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal and the Parachutist Badge.
He is married to PVAM Alumna, June Samuel Brailsford. They have three children and two grandchildren.
Nathelyne Archie Kennedy was born in Richards, Texas and raised in Conroe, Texas. She was the first female to receive an engineering degree from Prairie View A&M University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering in 1959.
Ms. Kennedy worked 12 years as a Bridge Design Engineer in the firm of Alfred Benesch & Company in Chicago, Illinois. Later she worked three years as a Bridge Design Engineer for Bernard Johnson, Inc., in Houston. In 1981, she started her own venture, Nathelyne A. Kennedy & Associates, a civil and structural engineering firm.
Her company specializes in many facets of civil and structural engineering design and project/program management for projects involving highways, roadways, bridges, public transit and parking facilities, marine terminals, airport and air terminal facilities, rail systems, public schools and universities, sports complexes, correctional facilities, water and wastewater systems, and various types of buildings and special structures.
The firm provides services to such clients as Texas Department of Transportation, Port of Houston Authority, Harris County Toll Road Authority, Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, City of Houston, Houston Airport System, Houston Independent School District, Houston Community College System, University of Houston, Texas Southern University, and Prairie View A&M University, as well as to private engineering and architectural firms throughout Texas and the nation.
Ms. Kennedy’s efforts have received wide recognition and numerous accolades including: “Small Business Leadership Award” from the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Office of Business Development; “Outstanding MWBE Contractor in Professional Services” and several “Distinguished Service” awards from the City of Houston; and 1996 “Entrepreneur of the Year” from the Black Engineer of the Year Awards sponsored by U.S. Black Engineer magazine in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, she was appointed to the Texas Turnpike Authority Board of Directors by former Governor Ann Richards and re-appointed by former Governor George W. Bush, serving on the TTA Board from 1992 through 1996.
In October of 2006, Prairie View A&M University honored her devotion to the school and its students by naming the School of Architecture building, which also contains the Texas Institute for the Preservation of History and Culture, the “Nathelyne Archie Kennedy Building”.
Ms. Kennedy’s entrepreneurial enthusiasm, leadership, and example have been a role model to others striving to become business owners and entrepreneurs; not just in engineering, but in many fields and types of business ventures.
Roy G. Perry, a Houston, Texas native, received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Prairie View A&M University in 1978. He is a Sloan Fellow and holds a master’s degree in management from Stanford University and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University.
Perry served in executive managerial roles at IBM, Allied Signal, Dell and StorageTek. In addition to his corporate career, Mr. Perry has several entrepreneurial pursuits including product design, manufacturing and supply chain consulting, His most recent entrepreneurial role, he served as CEO of ThinIdentity Corporation, a start up focused on improving productivity, enhancement in the usage of electronic medical records and regulatory compliance in Healthcare.
Perry also serves as a Councilor with The Texas A&M Research Foundation ( http://rf-web.tamu.edu/). The Research Foundation’s mission is to facilitate research and development within The Texas A&M University System and selected other entities. In addition, he is a member of the Austin Science and Engineering Festival Advisory Board. The Austin Science and Engineering Festival (http://www.texassciencefestival.org) works to Inspire youth to pursue studies and careers in STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), educate families about the economic importance of and opportunities provided by the STEM fields and integrate the celebration of STEM into the culture of the community. Mr. Perry serves as a Board Member of Power Tagging (http://www.powertagging.com), a privately held energy technology company that has developed a technology for tagging or fingerprinting power on the grid. This technology turns the existing global grid into an electrically self aware network that in turn is the underpinning of a new generation of energy efficiency applications, cyber security and applications for the integration of distributed renewable energy and electric vehicles.
He has served as Chairman of the United Negro College Fund drive for Central Texas, Board Member of Junior Achievement – Denver and Chairman and founding president of the 100 Black Men of Austin and Central Texas.
As a distinguished alumnus of PVAMU, he served on the university’s capital campaign cabinet. He is an advisor on the PVAMU College of Engineering’s Dean’s Advisory Board and the College’s Steering Committee helping to developing strategic relationships with the engineering, technology and the business communities. In recognition for his contributions to the university, the college and the field of engineering, the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents recently approved the naming of the College, Roy G. Perry College of Engineering.
Copyright © 2009-2011 Prairie View A&M Foundation
Several images courtesy PVAMU.
