BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The search for Texas A&M University’s next president shifted into high gear today after Chancellor John Sharp signed a contract with one of the top executive search firms in the nation.

“Finding new leadership for Texas A&M University is my top priority,” Sharp said. “Texas A&M is an exceptional place. Texas A&M demands exceptional leadership.”

Texas A&M’s next president needs to have more than just superb academic credentials. “Texas A&M needs someone who understands the importance of maintaining the unique culture and traditions that make Aggies so successful after earning their degrees,” Sharp said.

To accomplish this, Sharp hired Isaacson, Miller, the largest higher education executive search firm in the nation. “Isaacson, Miller has an outstanding reputation for finding leadership at large and prestigious universities,” Sharp said. “They also excel at attracting candidates from outside the Ivory Tower, from industry, the military, the financial world and from government.”

Isaacson, Miller has appointed John Isaacson, chair of the Board, and David Bellshaw, partner, to lead this search. Bellshaw is the leader of the firm’s higher education practice.

Texas A&M’s 17-member presidential search committee will now meet with Isaacson, Miller and begin extensive conversations with key leaders of the university. The 17-member presidential search committee will also hold forums — open to faculty, staff and students — to allow Isaacson, Miller the opportunity to hear from the campus community as they begin their search. Once the position has been thoroughly defined, Isaacson, Miller will spend several weeks identifying and cultivating suitable candidates before bringing them before the committee for consideration.

Sharp said his plan is to have a new president hired before President Michael K. Young steps down. Young will retire as president on May 31, 2021 and return to teaching at Texas A&M University. He also plans to lead the new Institute for Religious Liberties and International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation with a budget of $6.3 billion. The System is a statewide network of 11 universities; a comprehensive health science center; eight state agencies, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management; and the RELLIS Campus. The Texas A&M System educates more than 151,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $1 billion in FY 2019 and helped drive the state’s economy.

Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell
lcopelin@tamus.edu

About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation with a budget of $6.3 billion. The System is a statewide network of 11 universities; a comprehensive health science center; eight state agencies, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management; and the RELLIS Campus. The Texas A&M System educates more than 151,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $1 billion in FY 2019 and helped drive the state’s economy.

Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell
lcopelin@tamus.edu

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — A 17-member committee has been created to conduct a national search to find a successor to Texas A&M University President Michael K. Young, Chancellor John Sharp announced Thursday.

Young notified the campus community on Wednesday that he would retire as president, effective May 31, 2021, to return to teaching and lead the new Institute for Religious Liberties and International Affairs within the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

“Selecting a university president for this great institution, particularly in these challenging times, is of paramount importance,” said Chancellor Sharp. “I want to thank this committee for volunteering their time to this critical task. We want a president with superb academic credentials who recognizes and will maintain the special culture and traditions that make Aggies unique in the world.”

The search advisory committee is charged with delivering a minimum of three candidates to Chancellor Sharp who will refer one of them to the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. The committee includes two Texas A&M System regents: Chairman Elaine Mendoza and Vice Chairman Tim Leach.

The other voting members are:

Susan Ballabina
Deputy Vice Chancellor
Chief Operating Officer for the Vice Chancellor of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Kristina Ballard
Staff Council Chairperson
Communications Specialist III, TAMU Engineering

Kathleen Gibson
Chair of Trustees
Texas A&M Foundation

Greg Hartman
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Texas A&M Health

Yava Jones-Hall
Associate Professor, Veterinary Pathobiology
Director of the Core Histology Laboratory

John Junkins
Distinguished Professor and Royce E. Wisenbaker Chair of Aerospace Engineering
Regents Professor; Director, Hagler Institute for Advanced Study

Jack Lafield
Board of Trustees
12th Man Foundation

Arvind Mahajan
Associate Dean, Mays Business School; Regents Professor; Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence;
Piper Professor; Lamar Savings Professor of Finance

Cathy Mann
Chair, Board of Directors
The Association of Former Students

Eric Mendoza
TAMU Student Body President
Mays Business School

Roderic Pettigrew
Chief Executive Officer of Engineering Health
Executive Dean for Engineering Medicine

Joe Ramirez
Brigadier General, (Ret.)
Commandant, Corps of Cadets

John Stallone
Professor, Vascular Physiology and Pharmacology
Faculty Senate Speaker

Jorge Vanegas
Dean, College of Architecture
Professor of Architecture

Karen Wooley
Distinguished Professor, Chemistry; W.T. Doherty-Welch Foundation Chair; Professor of Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering; Director, Laboratory for Synthetic-Biologic Interactions

James Hallmark, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, will be the committee staff person and an ex-officio member.

About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation with a budget of $6.3 billion. The System is a statewide network of 11 universities; a comprehensive health science center; eight state agencies, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management; and the RELLIS Campus. The Texas A&M System educates more than 151,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $1 billion in FY 2019 and helped drive the state’s economy.

Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell
lcopelin@tamus.edu

• A video introduced by Chancellor John Sharp about the vision of the two lead researchers, Dr. Bill Merrell; and Dr. Sam Brody: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2iqXkt7uOY
• A news release with more about the importance of the plan to Texas and the nation:  https://www.tamus.edu/texas-am-galveston-professors-have-solution-to-protect-texas-lives-refineries-from-hurricanes/
• A story on Texas A&M Today that features a recent interview with Dr. Merrell: https://today.tamu.edu/2020/08/24/texas-am-expert-ike-dike-still-needed-to-protect-galveston-area/

About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation with a budget of $6.3 billion. The System is a statewide network of 11 universities; a comprehensive health science center; eight state agencies, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management; and the RELLIS Campus. The Texas A&M System educates more than 151,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $1 billion in FY 2019 and helped drive the state’s economy.

Contact: Tim Eaton
Executive Director, Marketing and Communications
Office of Marketing & Communications
1122 TAMU | College Station, TX 77840-7896
Tel. 979.458.6018 | www.tamus.edu
teaton@tamus.edu

Contact: Tim Eaton
Executive Director, Marketing and Communications
Office of Marketing & Communications
1122 TAMU | College Station, TX 77840-7896
Tel. 979.458.6018 | www.tamus.edu
teaton@tamus.edu