Hicks family reflects leadership, scholarship and stewardship By Mark Kiester, Texas-Austin ’71
Ralph De Ayala, Renaissance, and son Carlos, ’83, got dressed up for the first Red Garter event celebrated in the newly built house in 1982.
life-long friendships with new brothers from across the state and other parts of the country.
What inspires you to provide financial support to SigEp? Carlos: Giving back is natural, not only to maintain the experience, but also to connect different generations. The chapter’s recently established BuffkinFelker Award and Scholarship (see p. 4) is one example that will connect the past, present and future. It was very humbling to see so many brothers contribute and encourage others to contribute as well. Mano: The late 1980s were not the best of economic times in Texas, and I was at risk of having to drop out of the Fraternity. One of our best and most active alumni, John Tyler, ’63, found me work and a small scholarship that made it possible for me to finish my SigEp experience. Prior generations inspire us to support Texas Alpha financially. They have carried the torch when the chapter needed financial help, and our generation and those that followed were the beneficiaries.
How does SigEp come up at home? Mano: When my brothers attended Texas, I was at home and would listen to the stories (at least the ones they were willing to share with Mom and Dad) and meet their new brothers. SigEp was such a significant part of their college experience, I always imagined my college experience would include SigEp…and it did. With our sons, we make it a point to visit the house when we attend football games or are otherwise in Austin. When my brothers and I are in the storytelling mood, our sons seem to listen and even put down their smart phones. For at least a brief moment, they see a side of us that isn’t quite so old and uncool. 26
sigep journal Spring 2013
Bill’s boys came to UT all three—Will, ’04, Andrew, ’06, and Tim, ’09—joined Texas Alpha. Hence the string of Hicks legacies was re-established. Will relates that it was a lot of fun when the extended family would gather and Tom, Bill and Steve would give Tom’s first two sons—Mack and Tom—a bit of good-natured ribbing that Will had not made the same mistake as they did. The legacy was extended a bit further The Hicks Family when Tom’s next son, Bradley, ’08, after a Tom Hicks, ’68, due to his past service very heated competition with the UT SAEs, on the SigEp Educational Foundation board became Tom’s first and only son to join and the establishment of the Thomas O. the “family fraternity.” When asked his Hicks Scholarship, has the highest profile opinion on why Bradley chose his father’s of the Hicks brothFraternity over ers. He represents his brothers’, he an important lesson remarked, “Because of the value of they promised him recruiting legathey could nurture cies. Texas Alpha’s and develop his recruitment of this leadership skills; family started with and they did. a clean sweep of the Bradley eventually sons of John Harden became vice presiHicks—a successful dent of recruitment Texas radio station and president of owner. the chapter. More All four Hicks brothers, Jay, Bill, Tom, and Steve, attended The first was proof that SigEp can a wedding together. The eldest brother, Jay, a brother at Southern Methodist’s Phi Delta Theta Chapter, passed away Tom, who became develop leadership in 2007 at age 64. a SigEp in the early is that Bradley is ’60s and was a member of three consecutive now serving his country as a Navy Seal— classes of chapter brothers who, through the most selective U.S. military unit. their leadership, helped establish Texas The Hicks family at all levels has experiAlpha as an up and coming UT fraternity, enced a great deal of success after college despite the chapter’s status as one of the in a wide range of fields. Tom is a noted last fraternities established on campus in investor and SigEp Citation recipient. Steve, 1930. Tom was followed by Steve, ’72, then also a Citation recipient, owns and operates youngest brother Bill, ’76. three successful companies including the But with Tom’s first two sons, the chain rapidly growing Harden Healthcare and was broken. They both attended Highland a new investment in Capstar Aviation. He Park High School in Dallas, a school with was recently inducted into the prestigious a very strong pipeline to the UT’s Sigma Texas Business Hall of Fame. Bill and his Alpha Epsilon Chapter. Even though Tom sons operate a cluster of successful radio and his two younger brothers tried to stations in Bryan/College Station (home of persuade Tom’s sons to become SigEps, the Texas Aggies), Texas. they both joined SAE. Steve, when asked why he became a SigEp, simply said, “SigEp is like a second The next generation family to me.” To the same question Tom Neither of Steve’s sons attended UT remarked, “I just liked the fellowship and and both attended schools where we had to this day my three closest friends were no SigEp chapters at the time. But when all Texas Alpha brothers. Over the years At Texas-Austin’s Texas Alpha Chapter, recruitment of legacies is serious business because it significantly adds to the rich history of the chapter as it approaches its 85th anniversary in 2015. Texas Alpha manpower ranges between 170 and 190 men. Of those, 30 to 35 undergraduate brothers are legacies—sons, brothers, nephews, and grandsons.