donor spotlight
Baggett ’81 boosts business school with professional development endowment Shortly after graduating, David C. Baggett ’81 quickly transitioned from student to ardent supporter of Mays Business School. Baggett’s fast track to graduation with honors at age 20 quickly led to his first job, with Deloitte & Touche. He was the youngest partner in the history of that firm when he was promoted to partner at the age of 29. At his alma mater, he was one of the youngest members appointed to the Accounting Advisory Council and he is now the longest-serving member of that group. Baggett has helped with the development of programs — advising on curriculum and program strategies, mentoring students and recruiting graduates, and assisting with fund-raising. “He began contributing financially to our program immediately after graduation, and the amount of his contributions have increased proportionally with his success in business,” says James Benjamin, accounting department head at Mays and Baggett’s long-time friend. His most recent gift to Texas A&M of $500,000 went to create the Denise and David C. Baggett ’81 Professional Development Endowment in support of the Business Honors Program.
Baggett has always seemed more interested in the impact of his support on the accounting program, Mays and Texas A&M than in recognition for his gifts, Benjamin says. “I am gratified but not surprised with his latest commitment to the Mays Business Honors Program,” Benjamin says. “David has also been a great personal friend and advisor, and I know that he has been a significant, positive influence in my life.” In return, Baggett says Benjamin has had a profound impact on his professional and personal life. He adds, “Denise and I are blessed to be able to give something back to Mays Business School, and trust that our recent endowment will be meaningful to students in the Business Honors Program for many years to come.” Baggett was recognized in 2011 as one of the Mays Outstanding Alumni Award winners. Mays Dean Jerry Strawser says the Baggetts have benefitted many with their generosity. “Through their most recent commitment to support our students’ professional development through study abroad and participation in other extracurricular opportunities, they will open many doors for our students and truly influence their lives,” he says. Dean Strawser continued, “In addition to his ongoing financial support and other fundraising efforts, Baggett has supported Mays in many other ways including hiring
numerous Mays graduates, mentoring MBA students and using the Mays Center for Executive Development for the advancement of his colleagues.” The pair are involved in several charitable endeavors, including the establishment of the David and Denise Baggett Teaching Award for Accounting Professors in Mays. Baggett serves on the Dean’s Development Council and the Accounting Department Advisory Council, and he is on the Champions Council of the 12th Man Foundation. In 2005, Baggett founded Opportune LLP, an energy consulting firm that assists clients with corporate finance, complex financial reporting, process and technology, strategy and organization, dispute resolution, enterprise risk, tax and outsourcing. Opportune serves clients throughout North America and Europe through offices in Houston, Denver and London. The company ranked fourth in the 2011 Aggie 100, which recognizes the fastest growing Aggie-owned or Aggie-led businesses in the world. Baggett lives in the Houston area and serves on the board of directors of NorthStar Energy and Marlin Midstream. He previously served on the boards of AMPAM, Genesis Energy, Encore Energy Partners and ERCOT, the independent system operator for electrical markets in Texas. He is actively involved in the several trade organizations, including the IPAA and the Turnaround Management Association.
Loefflers’ generosity creates scholarship for undergraduate business students Robert (Bob) ’77 and Janet Loeffler wanted to help students with financial needs gain degrees in business, so they contributed $200,000 to fund the Robert D. ’77 and Janet K. Loeffler Scholarship in Business. The scholarship is intended to aid students whose academic record and personal commitment qualify them for admission into Mays Business School, but who do not have the financial resources
needed to fund their time at Mays. The fund will provide a scholarship to a new fulltime student, and the student will continue to receive the scholarship each year he or she is a full-time student in good standing pursuing an undergraduate degree at Mays. Bob Loeffler said he learned a lot about leadership and engineering from his undergraduate degree at the U.S. Naval Academy, but he got his start in business at Texas A&M, where he earned an MBA in 1977. “I was with H-E-B for 33 years, and over that time we hired many graduates of Texas A&M who have gone on to have their own very successful careers with the company.”
Loeffler said many bright students don’t have the financial resources needed to attend a school like Mays. “Hopefully this endowment will result in a Mays school undergraduate degree every four years for a deserving and bright student – and a subsequent successful and rewarding career.” “The Loefflers’ generosity is truly a gift from the heart,” said Mays Dean Jerry Strawser. “They are providing the opportunity of a lifetime for an outstanding young person. Bob and Janet’s most gracious gift will have such a significant impact on the young people who receive their scholarship.”
@Mays Fall 2012
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