McCombs Alumni Network News

On April 16, the McCombs School of Business honored two companies and one individual for their significant contributions to the School at the inaugural Corporate Recognition Dinner which was held at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on The University of Texas at Austin campus. The honorees were ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, and Don Wagner of Deloitte & Touche.

The 104 guests that were in attendance represented a diverse mix of company representatives, student corporate scholarship recipients, faculty and staff. The event was held to pay tribute not only to the three award recipients, but also to the more than 70 companies that partner with the McCombs School by providing support for students, faculty and key initiatives annually.

ConocoPhillips for Outstanding Corporate Partner

This award honors a company whose support and engagement extends beyond recruiting and reaches broadly across the McCombs School’s key areas for partnership: priority initiatives, students, research and research centers, faculty and executive education.

From left to right: Jim Mulva, Ann Kluppel, Keats Moeller, Christina Mair (ConocoPhillips Spirit Scholar recipient), Rex Bennett and Dean Thomas Gilligan

ConocoPhillips, one of the world’s largest international, integrated energy companies, employs more than 30,000 people and operates in over 30 countries. With a longstanding commitment to education, ConocoPhillips has been a dedicated partner, investing in McCombs School students and assisting in initiatives where students are given the opportunity to develop practical skills to complement their academic studies.

ConocoPhillips has made a significant longstanding impact on the students of the McCombs School by supporting student and departmental initiatives in each of our three academic programs as well as the majority of our faculty departments. Since 2003, the firm has awarded approximately $190,000 to the McCombs School annually, funding Dean’s initiatives, research centers, student organizations, and priority leadership and diversity programs. ConocoPhillips also provides $5,000 scholarships annually to 15 McCombs School students.

Additionally, approximately 50 students campus-wide are awarded scholarships through the ConocoPhillips SPIRIT Scholars Program. The total annual contribution from ConocoPhillips to the University of Texas is $1,000,000. This past year, ConocoPhillips demonstrated its true dedication to leadership development at the McCombs School by committing to fund a portion of the undergraduate LeaderShape program for the next four years. Through this partnership, ConocoPhillips and the McCombs School will be able to provide this experience at no cost to student participants ensuring that all deserving students are given the opportunity to participate. Beyond funding, ConocoPhillips employees have generously donated their time by participating as cluster facilitators in this weeklong program.

This collaboration demonstrates the positive impact a company can make working with the McCombs School in providing students a well-rounded business education. The McCombs School is proud to honor ConocoPhillips for their longstanding partnership.

Halliburton for the “Halliburton Business Foundations Summer Institute” Blazing Saddles

This award honors a company that has the most unique and innovative involvement with the McCombs School over the past year.

From left to right: Ken Braud, Amy Grace, Lawrence Pope, Dean Thomas Gilligan, John Brady (Halliburton Scholar), Mike Vu (Halliburton Scholar), Lyn Beaty, Regina Hughes

Halliburton, one of the world’s largest providers of products and services to the energy industry, employs over 55,000 people in approximately 70 countries. As retirement among engineering and science professionals continues to increase, Halliburton has anticipated the impact on its future employee base. In response to the need to develop well-rounded leaders in the areas of engineering and geosciences, Halliburton generously awarded the McCombs School a $250,000 grant to develop and launch the “Halliburton Summer Business Foundations Institute”.

This nine-week summer intensive program targets engineering, geosciences, liberal arts and economics majors and offers students the opportunity to build critical foundations in business while earning a business minor and Business Foundations Certificate. Students benefit from small class sizes of 50 or fewer students and receive career services support. In addition to providing critical program support, Halliburton’s grant also enables the McCombs School to award 25 scholarships to make the program an option for students regardless of financial need. Students within Halliburton’s targeted majors are selected as Halliburton Scholars based on outstanding academic achievement throughout the duration of the program. Halliburton’s support extends beyond their financial commitment through their participation in speaking engagements, mock interviews and hiring consideration of graduates of the program, reinforcing their commitment to the program and business education.

This collaboration demonstrates the creative ways the McCombs School and industry can partner together to address real-world business issues, and we are proud to honor Halliburton for their foresight and innovation.

Don Wagner of Deloitte & Touche for Outstanding Corporate Champion

This award honors an individual within a company who has made significant, ongoing contributions to the relationship between the school and their company.

Don Wagner with Dean Thomas Gilligan

The McCombs School might have hoped that as the President of Beta Alpha Psi in 1972, Don Wagner would go on to stand out as a leader in his accounting career. What we could not have known was how Don would continue to assume a leadership position with the school for the next 37 years.

An audit partner at Deloitte & Touche in Dallas, Don has been an active member of the Accounting Advisory Board for the past 13 years, serving as chair in 1998. Throughout his tenure, Don has played a leadership role in advising on accounting curriculum and industry developments to keep our faculty abreast of the ever changing accounting field.

In 2000, due solely to his efforts, Deloitte & Touche augmented contributions to the firm’s fellowship to upgrade it to a professorship. Don then spent seven years on a mammoth fundraising campaign which resulted in a $1 million gift to the school from the people of Deloitte and the Deloitte Foundation to create a “Super Chair” to assure the continued presence of outstanding faculty.

Though that astounding achievement could be enough for a lifetime, Don and his partners decided they wanted to honor the legacy of former partner, Larry Jones, by raising money for an endowment to fund perpetual accounting scholarships. In Don’s own words, “I enjoy helping deserving students receive scholarships to pursue a higher education. Our endowments will help UT Austin maintain and solidify its preeminent status among the other accounting programs across the country.”

While Don will retire from Deloitte this May, his legacy will live on in the faculty and students that he has impacted throughout his career. The McCombs School is honored to award Don for his lifetime of contributions to the school.

If your company is interested in exploring opportunities with the McCombs School of Business, please visit the Corporate Relations Web site or email Megan McAdams at megan.mcadams@mccombs.utexas.edu.