April 5, 2005 - L.C. "Chaz" Neely, Jr. '62 of San Antonio has committed $1 million to endow the Trisha and L.C. "Chaz" Neely, Jr. '62 Endowed Chair in Business. The gift will support the teaching, research, service and professional development of a faculty member at Mays Business School.
"The Neelys' most generous commitment will allow us to continue to build on our outstanding faculty," said Dean Jerry Strawser. "Faculty are truly the lifeblood of our school; in addition to their research, it is our faculty who create the outstanding learning environment that benefits our students."
Neely was the first person in his family to attend college, graduating from A&M with a marketing degree in 1962. In 1979, after working for a family business and for Atlantic Richfield, Neely founded San Antonio Steel Company. He now serves as CEO of what has become one of the largest business-to-business steel and fencing companies in the southwest. Chaz and his wife Trisha have been married for more than 40 years. They have three Aggie children and three grandchildren. They have long been supporters of Mays, most recently giving $150,000 in 2003 to establish a matching Heep Foundation graduate fellowship.
"The dean wants to have Mays Business School in the top 10 and I'd like to help him get there," Neely said. "I've been blessed with doing well in business and I want to help Mays find even more success."
Neely's gift will be included in the One Spirit One Vision Campaign, the university's multi-year fundraising effort. The campaign goal is to help Texas A&M attain national top 10 status among public universities while sustaining the distinctive A&M spirit. The volunteer-led campaign, coordinated by the Texas A&M Foundation, encompasses all private gifts benefiting the university.