TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION HONORS BLUE BELL EXECS, CLAYTON WILLIAMS AND SPOUSES
Evelyn and Ed Kruse, Verlin and Howard Kruse and Modesta and Clayton Williams are recipients of the Sterling C Evans Medal, awarded by the Texas A&M Foundation Board of Trustees. The award is the foundation’s highest honor.
Winners of this award are honored for their philanthropy, volunteerism and leadership, their devotion to Texas A&M, and their desire to motivate others to strengthen the university.
The Kruse Families are known for their connection to Blue Bell Creamers and have donated $9 million dollars both personally and corporately, and their monetary gifts have helped renovate and expand Olsen Field, and as a result, the facility now bears the name C.E. Pat Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
The families have also have an endowed dean’s chair in the Bush School of Government and Public Service.
Ed Kruse, former CEO of Blue Bell, is a 1949 graduate of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and was a member of the Corps of Cadets and varsity letterman in swimming.
Evelyn Kruse has supported her husband in his endeavors and the couple has four children, all Texas A&M graduates.
Ed Kruse’s brother Howard Kruse graduated from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1952 and was also a member of the Corps of Cadets. He became president and CEO at Blue Bell after his brother’s retirement in 1992, running the company until his retirement in 2004.
A key player in the family’s philanthropic decisions, Verlin Kruse was a lab technician at Blue Bell when she met her husband more than 50 years ago. Howard Kruse credits the success he achieved while leading Blue Bell to his wife’s support and devotion to their family.
Both Kruse brothers are members of the Corps Hall of Honor and have received distinguished alumni awards, and, together with their wives, are members of the A&M Legacy Society. Both couples have made significant contributions to Texas A&M programs, including:
- The Association of Former Students
- The 12th Man Foundation
- The Corps of Cadets
- The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- The Bush School of Government and Public Service
Clayton Williams Jr. graduated from Texas A&M in 1954 with a degree in animal husbandry from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. A jack-of-all-trades, Williams has bred cattle, developed real estate, worked as a banker, served as a telecommunications mogul and ran for Texas governor. Today, he is president and CEO of Clayton Williams Energy Inc., cementing his legacy as one of the state’s most well-known oilmen.
A former model who managed a modeling school in Midland, Texas, Modesta Williams attended Texas Tech University and studied business at Texas Christian University before leaving college to earn a living. She served as a director of ClayDesta National Bank, which survived the 2008 economic crisis that recorded 1,600 bank failures. She also designed the 183-acre ClayDesta Plaza.
Clayton and Modesta Williams have contributed more than $7 million to Texas A&M. Their most recognizable contribution is to The Association of Former Students in the form of a $2.5 million gift to help complete the organization’s headquarters, the Clayton W. Williams Jr. Alumni Center. The couple has also funded scholarships for the Corps of Cadets and supported a variety of activities, including the Berg-Hughes Center for Petroleum and Sedimentary Systems within the College of Geosciences.
For a full list of the recipients, visit txamfoundation.com/EvansMedal