February 2007 - Austin College

BOARD OF TRUSTEESC H A I R :Robert J. Wright, Dallas, TXC H A I R - E L E C T :Robert M. Johnson ’53, McLean, VAT R U S T E E S :John Q. Adams, Jr. ’84, Southlake, TX Robert W. Minshew ’60, Sherman, TXRichard J. Agnich, Dallas, TXSteven M. Mobley, Austin, TXMargaret Allison, San Antonio, TX Samuel S. Moore ’64, Dallas, TXJerry E. Apple ’60, Irving, TXLinda C. Morris, Fort Worth, TXLee Dean Ardell ’74, Houston, TXMarcus Payne ’58, Waxahachie, TXJames D. Baskin III ’ 75, Austin, TX Jo Ann Geurin Pettus, Graham, TXJacqueline R. Cooper ’ 73, Oakton, VA Davis B. Price ’67, Lubbock, TXBarry B. Donnell, Wichita Falls, TX Fazlur Rahman, San Angelo, TXF. R. “Buck” Files ’60, Tyler, TXAnnadele H. Ross ’66, Dallas, TXRebecca Moseley Gafford ’ 72, Dallas, TX Ann Coit Sporer Smith ’65, Fort Smith, ARDennis E. Gonier ’83, Fredericksburg, VA Caroline Elbert Taylor ’66, Wyalusing, PAMary Ann Stell Harris ’ 70, Fort Worth, TX Jesse R. Thomas ’ 74, Sherman, TXCharles Hendricks ’61, The Woodlands, TX Linda Plummer Ward ’78, Nashville, TNM. Steve Jones, Sherman, TXWilliam E. Warren ’ 74, Plano, TXSharon S. King, Richardson, TXTodd A. Williams ’82, Dallas, TXJeffrey Landsberg ’81, Dallas, TXStanley M. Woodward, Dallas, TexasFred R. Meyer, Dallas, TXMichael G. Wright, Dallas, TexasCOURTESY PHOTOMEET THE TRUSTEEFred Meyer likes a challenge. At one point in his businesscareer, Meyer served as both president and chief operating officerof Tyler Corporation and as chair of the board of AladdinIndustries. “I like to work,” Meyer said.Even now, at age 79, Meyer serves on six boards, is an elderat Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, and is vicechair for the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research. “I don’t liketo do things that are easy,” Meyer said.Meyer has run in four marathons in his lifetime, climbedMount Rainier in Washington, and from 1996-2003, was aracecar driver forRealTime Racing in theSPEED World Challengesponsored by the SportCar Club of America. “Iwas an amateur with theprofessionals,” Meyersaid. “I didn’t win, but Ialways qualified.”Outside of businessand sports, politics isFred MeyerMeyer’s passion. In 2000,presidential nominee George W. Bush asked Meyer to serve aschair of the Republican National Committee “Victory 2000Campaign,” so for nine months Meyer flew to Washington,D.C., on Mondays and returned home to Dallas on Fridays.Meyer has served on so many committees that “chair”sounds like part of his name. He served as chair of the hostcommittee for the 1984 Republican National Convention, theRepublican Party of Texas, the executive committee for the 2001Presidential Inauguration, the finance committee for Bush-Cheney ’04, and half a dozen national campaigns.“You win some, you lose some,” Meyer said about politics.“I’ve learned that victory plants the seed of our own defeat,whether in business, politics, or sports. You become veryconfident that you are right.”Leadership also has taught Meyer lessons. “The first day youare the boss is the last day you hear the truth,” he said. “Thefurther up you go, the further people skew the truth.”Meyer describes himself as a “24/7 kind of guy” who getsplenty of sleep because he doesn’t watch television or movies.“I was very fortunate,” Meyer said. “I grew up in theDepression. There’s no substitute for that. Those were hardtimes. That tends to give you focus.”AUSTIN COLLEGE MAGAZINE 47