Search committee is named for Texas A&M's next president

This podcast contains comments from the October 3, 2025 special meeting of the Texas A&M system board of regents.The Texas A&M system has announced who is on the search committee for the next permanent president of the flagship campus. One of three members of the board of regents on the committee, chairman Bob Albritton of Fort Worth, said last Friday (October 3) during a special board meeting there is no timeline.Albritton added "We're going to make sure that this next president is the exact right person to lead us forward" and "The most important thing is we get this right and we will take our time and we will get the right input to make sure it's a great decision."Those on the 16 member committee also includes three members of the president's cabinet, two deans, the chair of the university's staff council, the last speaker of the faculty senate before it was eliminated by state lawmakers, the student body president, former A&M president Elsa Murano, the university's chief community engagement officer, A&M's athletics director, and one department head.News release from the Texas A&M system issued October 7, 2025:Chancellor Glenn Hegar today announced a blue-ribbon committee of distinguished leaders to guide the search for the next president of Texas A&M University. “This is a committee of accomplished leaders who know exactly what makes Texas A&M University special,” Hegar said. “They understand our rich traditions, our mission, and our grit. I’m confident they’ll bring us a leader who will lead Texas A&M with the same passion and purpose that built it.”The search committee includes some of the most respected voices from across the Aggie community:• Robert L. Albritton, Board of Regents Chairman• John W. Bellinger, Regent• Mike Hernandez, Regent• Carter Mallory, Student Body President• Lt. Gen. James W. “Chip” Bierman Jr., USMC (Ret.), Commandant, Corps of Cadets• Andrew Klein, Professor of Geography• Fred McClure, Chief Community Engagement Officer• Elsa A. Murano, Professor, Director of the Borlaug Institute, and President Emerita• Clint Patterson, University Staff Council, Chair, Office of the Provost• Joseph P. Pettibon II, Senior Vice President for Strategy and Business Services• Amy Waer, Dean, Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine• Susan Ballabina, Executive Vice Chancellor, Texas A&M University System• Nicholas K. “Nic” Taunton, Executive Vice President and COO of The Association of Former Students• Trev Alberts, Director of Athletics• Nate Sharp, Dean, Mays Business School• Thomas Blasingame, Department Head, Petroleum Engineering “Choosing the next president of Texas A&M is one of the most important decisions we will make,” Albritton said. “This university has shaped Texas for nearly 150 years and the right leader will set the course to ensure its success over the next 150. We need someone who understands our values and has the vision to lead this great institution into its next era of service, discovery, and impact.”The next president will inherit a University that continues to set records in research funding, student enrollment, and national rankings. Hegar said the new president must be a leader who can accelerate Texas A&M’s trajectory, while preserving the core values and traditions that define the Aggie spirit.The committee is expected to begin stakeholder input in the coming weeks.  Chancellor Hegar’s recommendation for the position of president will be submitted for approval to the Board of Regents.“We are starting the search process quickly, yet we will be methodical in our approach to find the right person to lead Texas A&M University as this decision will define how we serve our students, our state, and the world for decades to come,” Hegar said.