REPORT: VOELKEL, McCAUL, HEGAR AMONG TOP CANDIDATES FOR TEXAS A&M CHANCELLOR’S ROLE

  

The Texas A&M System Board of Regents is nearing a decision on picking the next person to serve as the system’s next chancellor, and reports say there are several candidates with local ties.

The board is holding a special meeting today (Monday) in Houston, where at the end, regents may possibly name a finalist for the position currently held by John Sharp, who has announced plans to retire at the end of June. 

According to the Texas Tribune, the A&M system has closed in on five candidates: Texas A&M Foundation President Tyson Voelkel, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, University of Alabama President Stuart Bell, and State Representative Trent Ashby. 

Voelkel is a Brenham native and a U.S. Army veteran who has served as the Texas A&M Foundation’s president since 2016.

McCaul is serving his 11^th term in the 10^th Congressional District of Texas, which includes Washington and surrounding counties, after being re-elected this past November.

Hegar was first elected as the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in 2014.  He was previously a member of the Texas House’s 28^th District from 2003 to 2007 and the Texas Senate’s 18^th district, currently held by Lois Kolkhorst, from 2007 to 2014.

Bell has led the University of Alabama as president since 2015.  He had announced plans in January to step down from the presidency this summer. 

Ashby, who lives in Lufkin, has held the District 9 seat in the Texas House since 2013, representing six counties in east Texas.

Voelkel, Hegar, Bell and Ashby are all graduates of Texas A&M. 

Should the board of regents make its pick today, it must then wait 21 days before making the appointment official.