Regents name Glenn Hegar '93 as sole finalist Texas A&M Chancellor

On Friday, the Texas A&M's Board of Regents named Glenn Hegar as the next chancellor of the Texas A&M University System.

Hegar will succeed John Sharp, the system's longest-serving chancellor. Sharp, 74, announced his plans to retire in June.

“The Board is confident that Glenn Hegar is ready to usher in the next era of excellence at The Texas A&M University System,” Chairman of the Board of Regents Bill Mahomes said via release. “Hegar grasps the unique breadth and depth of the System’s impact on every corner of Texas through its eight state agencies and 11 universities. We, as members of the Board of Regents, are eager to see what he will accomplish.”

With Friday's announcement, a mandatory 21-day waiting period under state law before the Board of Regents can make its final appointment has begun.

This decision was made from a group of five final candidates that also included Texas A&M Foundation President Tyson Voelkel, University of Alabama President Stuart Bell, State Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin and U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin.

Hegar, 54, currently serves as the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and has held that office since winning the general election on Nov. 4, 2014.

Before his time as the state’s chief financial officer, Hegar was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2002 to serve District 28, which serves part of greater Houston’s southwest suburbs, including Sugar Land, Fulshear and parts of Rosenberg. In 2006, he was elected to the Texas Senate to represent District 18, which serves all of Aransas, Austin, Burleson, Calhoun, DeWitt, Fayette, Goliad, Gonzales, Grimes, Lavaca, Lee, Refugio, Victoria and Washington Counties as well as portions of Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery and Waller Counties.

Hegar graduated from Texas A&M University in 1993. He then attended law school at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio before earning a Master of Laws degree from the University of Arkansas.

“The Board members were pleased to see its search for chancellor yield so much interest and so many qualified candidates,” Mahomes added. “We thank everyone who was involved in this extensive search and selection process.”

Hegar is set to become the 15th chancellor in the 77-year history of the Texas A&M University System.