Advisory Board
The Institute’s Advisory Board was initiated in 1984. Initially, nine members made up the advisory board, two of which serve on the Board today. In 1999, the Institute recruited outstanding individuals to provide, for the first time, a full compliment of fifteen members. This Board provides the Institute leadership and guidance in research ideas, landowner issues, and fundraising programs. Research priorities are also evaluated every year with council from the Advisory Board.
- Buddy Temple
Buddy Temple, Chairman
Buddy Temple was born in Texarkana, Arkansas in 1942 and grew up in Lufkin, Texas. A 1960 graduate of The Lawrenceville School, he attended the University of Texas at Austin from 1960 to 1961, when he joined the U.S. Army and served until 1963. After working in various businesses, including Temple Industries, from 1964 to 1966, he ran Exeter Investment Company as Vice-President, President, and Chairman from 1968 to 1982, and 1986 to 2002. Buddy began his public service when he was elected member of The Texas House of Representatives for four terms, 1973 to 1981. Running for Governor of Texas in 1982, he served on the Texas Railroad Commission and as Chairman, from 1981 to 1986. Buddy serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Temple-Inland, Inc., Chairman of the Board of First Bank & Trust, East Texas, and Chairman of the Board of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation. Buddy’s passion for wildlife and ranching took him and his wife, Ellen, to south Texas in 1991 when they purchased their ranch near Freer. They now divide their time between their home in Lufkin and their ranch.
- T. Dan Friedkin
T. Dan Friedkin
Dan Friedkin was born February 27, 1965, in San Diego, California. He graduated from Georgetown University and received his Master’s degree from Rice University. He is President and CEO of the Friedkin Companies, with responsibility for companies and investments principally in the automotive industry. These include Gulf States Toyota, the distributor for Texas and the gulf states. Dan is a director with JP Morgan Chase in Houston, Trustee of the Kinkaid School Board, Chairman of the Kinkaid Investments Foundation, and Commissioner of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Dan and his family spend much of their time in south Texas on the Comanche Ranch in Maverick and Dimmit Counties, where they are involved in wildlife management and research. Dan is also involved in wildlife conservation initiatives in Africa. He and his wife, Debra, have four children: Danny, Ryan, Corbin, and Savannah. They reside in Houston, Texas.
- Henry R. Hamman
Henry R. Hamman
Henry Royden Hamman was born in 1937 in Houston, Texas. He graduated from The Lawrenceville School in 1955, the University of Texas in geology in 1960, and attained a Master’s degree in 1963 in geology from the University of Texas. He is currently President of Hamman Oil & Refining Company and pursues oil and gas exploration in Texas. He has been active in the business since 1961. He has explored for uranium in the Colorado Plateau and lived four years in Sydney, Australia prospecting for oil and gas, base metals, gold, and heavy mineral sands. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Aries Resources Company, and is President of the George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation. He has served on the Board of Directors of Q Services, Pennz Energy and Devon Energy. Henry is dedicated to wildlife conservation and management as a landowner of his ranch, “The Gato Montes”, in Jim Hogg County, Texas. Henry is married to Ann and has two daughters, Anne and Kendall, a son, Russell, and six grandchildren.
- George "Tim" Hixon
George C. "Tim" Hixon
Tim Hixon moved to San Antonio, Texas in 1962 from Jacksonville, Florida. He graduated from the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut and attended Washington and Lee University. After two years in the Army, he attended Trinity University where he graduated in 1964. Tim has worked for various Hixon family interests over the years and recently stepped down as Chairman of Hixon Properties. Over forty years his family business interests have involved the stock market, venture capital, oil and gas exploration, and real estate development. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation. He has served as Executive Vice President of Game Conservation International, Treasurer of the African Wildlife Foundation, President of the Boone & Crockett Club, President of the San Antonio Zoological Society, a member of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, and Chairman of the Parks and Wildlife Foundation of Texas. He serves on the Boards of the Texas Nature Conservancy and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. He and his wife, Karen, have two children and one grandchild.
- Karen Hunke
Karen Starr Hunke
Karen Starr Hunke was born in Vinita, Oklahoma but grew up in the Panhandle of Texas. Spending time in the country with her farm and ranch friends, riding horses, and looking for wildlife were all huge influences in her life. She earned her B.S. from Texas Tech University and a Master’s of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University. Karen serves on the Board of Directors for the Valley Zoological Society, Valley Zoological Endowment, Valley Land Fund, and Qunita Mazatlan World Birding Center. She is past president of the McAllen Memorial Library Advisory Board of Directors and the Valley Zoological Society. Karen and her husband, Phil, are the proud owners of the El Tecolote Ranch located in Hidalgo and Kenedy Counties. They received the Land Steward Award from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 2001-2002 and the Land Steward of the Year from Texas Wildlife Society in 2004. The El Tecolote opens its gates to researchers, school and scouting field trips, nature festival tours, and wildlife photographers. Karen and Phil have two married daughters and three grandchildren.
- A.C."Dick" Jones IV
A. C. "Dick" Jones, IV
A. C. “Dick” Jones IV, of Corpus Christi, was born December 15, 1949. Dick graduated from Texas Military Institute and attended Texas A&I Business School in Kingsville, Texas. Currently, he owns and manages cattle and hunting operations through Jones Ranch LLC, a ranch that began in south Texas in 1895. The headquarters of the Jones Borregos Ranch are located south of Hebbronville in Jim Hogg County, Texas. In addition to ranching, Dick’s other business activities include directorships with the First National Bank of Hebbronville, the First National Bank of Beeville and Mesteña Operations, Ltd. of Corpus Christi. He currently serves as a director for the Texas Wildlife Association, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, an honorary director of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Foundation and Trustee of Texas A&M-Kingsville Foundation. He is a member of the Gulf Coast Conservation Association and First Methodist Church of Corpus Christi. He and his wife, Ann, have three children, Katherine Camille, William Whitby III, and Laura Christina.
- David Killam
David W. Killam
David W. Killam was born January 7, 1952, in Laredo, Texas. He graduated from the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, the University of Texas at Austin, and Texas Christian University’s Ranch Management School. As a south Texas rancher, David raises cattle on the Killam “Ortiz” Ranch in Webb County and the Killam Freer Ranch in Duval County. He is involved in oil and gas exploration and real estate development and is currently CEO of Killam Oil Co., and Killam Ranch Properties, Ltd. David is a director of the Laredo National Bank and Texas Oil & Gas Association and a former director of Webb Soil and Water Conservation District Zone III. He is a member of All American Wildcatters and the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Organization. He also serves as Director of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. He is a past recipient of the State Wildlife Conservation Award. David is married to Hayley Killam, and has two sons, Radcliffe II and David Winfield Jr.
- Tio Kleberg
Stephen J. "Tio" Kleberg
Stephen J. “Tio” Kleberg was born in Austin, Texas, to Richard M. Kleberg Jr. and Mary Lewis Scott Kleberg on March 17, 1946. Tio grew up on King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas, working summers with ranch operations. Tio graduated from Texas Military Institute in 1964. In 1969, he received a B. S. in Animal Science at Texas Tech University. From 1969 to 1971, he served as a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army receiving a Distinguished Service Medal. Upon his father’s death in 1979, Tio managed all of King Ranch south Texas agriculture enterprises and later served as Vice President of King Ranch Agri-business, managing all agricultural enterprises in Texas, Arizona, and Florida, as well as the international operations in Brazil, until 1998. Tio serves on the King Ranch Board of Directors and is past president of the American Quarter Horse Association. He currently serves as Chairman of the Caesar Kleberg Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Vice-Chairman for TAMUK Foundation and is a member of the Quail Unlimited National Board. Tio and his wife, Janell, have three married children, Christopher, Adrian (Sabom) and Robert Justus and five grandchildren.
- David Garza-L.
David Garza-Laguera
David Garza-Laguera was born May 1, 1940, in Monterrey, Mexico. He graduated from the Western Military Academy in Alton, Illinois, the Institute of Superior Studies in Monterrey (Tech), and the Alfred P. Sloan School of Management at MIT. As a landowner in northern Mexico, David raises cattle and has an active wildlife management program on his El Rincon Ranch in Coahuila, Mexico. He is involved in several corporations and is CEO of Maquinaria Diesel (MADISA) of Mexico and Grupo Delta. David is a Board Member of ADMIC NACIONAL, which is a small business consulting group. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Conchita Maternity Hospital in Monterrey, and the San Pedro Country Club. He is also an appointed member of the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature. David has long been involved with wildlife conservation in Mexico, and was instrumental in the re-establishment of elk in the Carmen ecosystem, and for the conservation of black bears in the Serranias del Burro, Coahuila.
- Ken Leonard
Kenneth E. "Ken" Leonard
Kenneth E. “Ken” Leonard was born in San Antonio, Texas, into an agricultural family. Ken’s father, A. E. Leonard, was the founder of L&H Packing Co., one of the largest independent meat packing companies in the United States. Ken is Chairman and CEO of Leonard Holding Corporations. He has been very active in his family’s ranching business. In 2001, they were awarded the “Lone Star Land Steward” from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Ken has shared his corporate and ranching expertise with many organizations and universities. He has been a member of the Range and Wildlife Board at Texas Tech University as well as a member of the Agriculture Board at Texas A&M University. He has served on the Whitetail Deer Advisory Board for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He is also a member of the South Texas Natives Advisory Group and a lifetime member of the Texas Wildlife Association. He has two children, Neal and Clayton and three grandchildren. Ken and his wife Tanya reside in New Braunfels, Texas.
- Jim McAllen
James A. "Jim" McAllen
James A. "Jim" McAllen was born on December 13, 1937 in Brownsville, Texas. He has spent his whole life on the McAllen Ranch, 35 miles north of Edinburg. Jim is an eleventh generation rancher in south Texas and head of the McAllen Ranch, McAllen Land & Cattle Co., Inc., McAllen Communications Co., and Ranch Specialties Co. in Hidalgo County. McAllen Ranch is involved in various conservation projects and is recognized as one of the oldest ranches in Texas still in operation by the same family. Jim is one of the founders and former president of the Museum of South Texas History and the Valley Land Fund. He serves as a director for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and was awarded the National Beefmaster Breeders United Environmental/Conservation Award. Jim was also presented the “San Antonio Conservation Society Publication Award” for a book he co-authored with his mother and daughter entitled “I’d Rather Sleep in Texas.” Jim and his wife Frances have five children, Mary Margaret (Amberson), Melissa (Guerra), Elizabeth (Roberts), James Jr., and Stephanie (Moore) and eleven grandchildren.
- Barry C. Roberts
Barry Coates Roberts
Barry Coates Roberts was born September 7, 1959 in San Antonio, Texas. He attended high school in San Antonio and graduated from Texas A&M University, College Station, with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering in 1982. After working several years in the oil and gas business, he joined the family business in 1985, now known as Coates Energy, a diversified land, mineral, royalty, and production company. In 1995, he became Co-trustee of Coates Energy and holds that position today. He is also the Operations Manager. Barry’s family owns the El Negro Ranch in Starr County, Texas, where he has implemented numerous deer, quail, turkey, habitat, and other wildlife management practices. His family also owns the Heritage Ranch in Wilson and Karnes County. He is an active member of numerous educational, civic and social organizations in San Antonio. He is also an active member of the Texas Wildlife Association and the Texas Land and Mineral Owners Association. Barry’s hobbies include hunting, fishing, skiing, tennis, and swimming. Barry and his wife of sixteen years, Elizabeth (McAllen), have three children and live in San Antonio.
- Diane King Scovell
Diane King Scovell
Diane King Scovell was born March 30, 1946 in San Antonio, Texas to Faye Stone King and J. S. King. She later moved to Brady, Texas, where her father was a veterinarian and rancher. Diane graduated from Brady High School and later received her Bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University. A fifth generation Texas rancher in Brady, Diane and her brother, Kim King, are partners in S&K Ranches. She is a director of Texas Country Banks Holding Company and owner/ operator of Brady National Bank, First National Bank of Ballinger, Citizens Bank of Knox City, Citizens Bank of Abilene, Bank of San Angelo, and Uvalde National Bank. Diane is past president of the Texas Tech University Association of Former Students. Her interests have been in education, history, preservation, and parks development. She has chaired various boards, fundraising events, and capital campaigns. Diane and her husband, John, have three grown sons: Field, recently married to Lyle Foster, King, and Dupree. Diane and John have lived in Dallas thirty-five years and have been active in church, civic, and community activities.
- Stuart W. Stedman
Stuart W. Stedman
Stuart W. Stedman has enjoyed a rewarding relationship with the Institute since 1985 when he funded a deer research project at Faith Ranch, his family ranch in Dimmit, Webb, and Maverick Counties. He joined the Advisory Board in 1991 and has served as Chairman for the Institute’s Capital and Endowment Campaign. He funded the Stuart W. Stedman Chair for White-tailed Deer Research through his family foundation and has helped fund an extensive deer research project conducted on the Faith and Comanche Ranches. Stuart has written several lay articles on white-tailed deer, and given numerous talks on white-tailed deer management issues. Stuart received three degrees from the University of Texas at Austin: a B.A. in the Plan II Honors Program, a J.D. from its law school, and an M.B.A. from its business school. He is the President of Stedman West Interests, Inc., a family investment office that manages the investments of the Stedman West family. He is also a Trustee of the Stedman West Foundation, a former director of the Texas Wildlife Association, a former trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and a former trustee of Texas Children’s Hospital. Stuart is married to Eliza and has two sons, Wes and Stu.
- Ben Vaughan, III
Ben F. Vaughan, III
Ben F. Vaughan, III was born in Corpus Christi, Texas to Ben F. Vaughan, Jr. and Rachael Dougherty Vaughan on May 2, 1941. He attended Stanford University and received a B. A. degree in 1963. Ben received his legal education from the University of Texas and graduated with honors in 1967. During 1967, he was admitted to the bar and now serves as counsel for Austin law firm, Graves, Dougherty, Hearon, & Moody. He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Dougherty Foundation and President of the James R. Dougherty, Jr. Foundation. He is also President of the Rachael and Ben Vaughan Foundation. He is an advisory board member of the University of Texas Marine Science Institute of which he served as chair from 1991 to 2002. From 1989 to 1999, he was Chairman of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute Advisory Board and is currently a member of that board. He also serves on the State of Texas and the National Boards of Directors and Executive Committees for the Coastal Conservation Association. Ben resides in Austin, Texas and is married to Daphne duPont Vaughan. They have two sons, Ben F. Vaughan, IV and James C. Vaughan and three grandchildren.