William B. and Mary G. Mitchell William & Mary Mitchell

The William B. and Mary G. Mitchell Chair of Engineering was established in April 1998. In August of 2022, Dr. Venkatesh Uddameri and Dr. Annette Hernandez became the inaugural holders of the chair. The Mitchell's are both 1958 graduates of Lamar University, Bill earned a degree in mechanical engineering while Mary received a degree in social science.

Mr. Mitchell received a master of science degree in engineering with a major in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University in 1965.

Michael and Patricia Aldredge Mike and Pat Aldredge

The Michael E. and Patricia P. Aldredge Chair of Engineering was established in January 2001. Dr. Mansour Karkoub is the inaugural holder of the Aldredge Chair of Industrial Infra structure. 

Mike and Pat are 1965 and 1961 graduates of Lamar University, respectively. Mike earned his degree in industrial engineering and began a career with Puffer Sweiven, a Houston-based distributor of process instrumentation. His career with Puffer Sweiven took him from clerk to chair man of the board and chief executive officer before retiring in 2000. He and Pat live on a Bellville-area farm where they manage a commercial operation with purebred Limousine, Simmental and Angus cattle.

Joyce and Andrew Green Joyce and Andrew Green

Lamar University alumni Andrew and Joyce Moore Green established a new academic chair in Lamar University's College of Engineering with a $1.2 million gift from the Green Foundation. Dr. Robert Yuan is the inaugural Green Chair of Composites and Structural Engineering.  

A native of Southeast Texas, Andrew Green graduated from Lamar University in 1954 with a bachelor science degree in civil engineering. He received a master's degree from Southern Methodist University in 1958 and worked for Bethlehem Steel in Beaumont, Texas, and for General Dynamics in Fort Worth before founding Composite Technology, Inc., in the 1960s.

A registered professional engineer, Green holds several patents for composite structures.

Jack and Linda Gill Jack and Linda Gill

The Gill Foundation of Texas, founded by Jack and Linda Gill, has given $1 million to support major initiatives at the university. Dr. Tracy Benson serves as the inaugural Jack M. Gill Endowed Chair. Jack Gill, a graduate of Lamar University, holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Indiana University. He is the founder and managing partner (retired) of Vanguard Ventures in Palo Alto. During his career, Gill has earned distinction and honors as a scientist, senior executive, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, university professor and philanthropist.

Gill has more than four decades of experience working in Silicon Valley and Boston as a company founder and venture capitalist. Gill has founded and financed start-up companies in the instrumentation, computer, communications and medical industries. Vanguard Venture’s first five funds invested $155 million in 107 start-ups and generated more than $1 billion return to investors.

Charles and Eleanor Garrett Charles and Elenor Garrett

Dr. Brian Craig is the Charles and Eleanor endowed Chair. Charles Garrett, a 1959 electrical engineering graduate of Lamar, was honored as a distinguished alumnus of Lamar in 2003 and awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters in 2011. Eleanor Smith Garrett earned a bachelor of science in 1954 and a master of education in 1955 from what was then Sam Houston State Teachers College. She was honored by Sam Houston as a distinguished alumna in 2008 and awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree in 2010.

Lamar University provided the education that Charles needed to achieve iconic status in his field, but it was Eleanor who made his education possible, Mouton said. She taught school in the Nederland and Port Neches-Groves school districts while Charles, home from his military service, pursued his electrical engineering degree from Lamar and worked for the Texas Highway Department and Texas Instruments.