After 16 years as executive director and CEO of the Texas Exes, Jim Boon announced today he will step down in December to lead the newly formed Texas Exes Scholarship Foundation.

During Boon’s tenure as the fifth executive director in the organization’s 125-year history, revenues have more than doubled, staff size has nearly doubled, and membership has reached an all-time high. The Association’s assets have increased from under $10 million to more than $80 million, and its vast programming slate has made it a model for self-governed alumni associations nationwide.

“Jim Boon has been a truly fabulous leader of the Texas Exes,” said UT president William Powers. “I cannot express strongly enough my personal and UT’s gratitude for all the excellent work he and the Texas Exes under his leadership have done to advance our great University. He has been the face of UT for so many of our alumni, and we could not have had a better face. And, thankfully, he will still be part of our family as he continues to work on the 40 Acres Scholars Program. I want to congratulate him on the tremendous positive effect he has had, and wish him Godspeed as he makes this transition in his life.”

Under Boon’s leadership, the Texas Exes developed and opened Longhorn Village, a state-of-the-art retirement community in Steiner Ranch; secured exclusive rights to sell UT class rings; launched the UT Heritage Society; and largely expanded its legislative advocacy program.

Boon secured a $2 million gift from Jack Harbin to remodel the Alumni Center and a $1 million gift from John and Jane Barnhill in 2006 for a communications endowment and oversaw the fundraising and construction of the Texas Cowboys Pavilion. He has helped diversify the Board of Directors and emphasize Life Membership in the Texas Exes. In 1994, 52 percent of the Association’s members were Life Members versus 68 percent today.

“We will miss Jim’s leadership as executive director but will continue to work closely with him as he takes the lead in raising funds for the 40 Acres Scholars Program,” said Texas Exes president Richard Leshin. “Jim's legacy as executive director will be ensuring that The University of Texas at Austin is a ‘university of the first class.’ We owe him a great debt of gratitude and our deepest appreciation.”

In conjunction with the University of Texas athletics department, Boon led the Texas Exes in launching the Texas Fans Make Us Proud campaign to promote good sportsmanship. The Texas Exes boast 150 chapters and networks worldwide, and recently have added young alumni groups in several cities and expanded into social networking.

This year, the Texas Exes is undertaking its most ambitious project ever, the 40 Acres Scholars Program, a merit-based scholarship program aiming to raise $150 million to support 300 full-ride scholarships to The University of Texas. The Texas Exes Scholarship Foundation was formed to oversee the 40 Acres Scholars Program, as well as the more than 700 other scholarships the Texas Exes administers. So far Boon has raised $22 million for the 40 Acres Scholars Program.

Recently, the Texas Society of Association Executives named Boon the 2010 recipient of its Distinguished Executive Award. “After 16 years of gameday tailgates, graduations, and ring ceremonies, I’m ready to let someone else have the fun,” Boon said. “The 40 Acres Scholars Program is where my heart really lies, and I want to devote my full energy to it.” On Friday, the Texas Exes Board of Directors named Boon the Scholarship Foundation’s first executive director.

President Richard Leshin has appointed a search committee to find Boon’s replacement. Their work is underway.

Here's some happy news for a Friday: Jim Boon, executive director and CEO of the Texas Exes, has been named the 2010 Distinguished Executive of the Year by the Texas Society of Association Executives.

The award recognizes outstanding leadership and achievement in association managers who serve TSAE, contribute to other voluntary membership organizations, and participate in civic and community affairs. It has been given out since 1973.

Boon has run the show as executive director of The University of Texas' alumni association for 16 years, is a former board member of KLRU, and was chairman of TSAE in 2007-08.

“TSAE is fortunate to have such an exceptional leader as Jim Boon,” said TSAE president and CEO Beth Brooks. “This award recognizes the outstanding leadership he has provided to not only TSAE, but also the association profession, Texas Exes, and his community. He has been a role model to me, and I am pleased to see him honored for his contributions.”

In his time as the Texas Exes CEO, Boon has overseen a profound expansion of the Association. Revenues have more than doubled, staff size has nearly doubled, and membership has reached an all-time high. The Association’s assets have increased from under $10 million to more than $80 million.

Under Boon’s leadership, the Texas Exes developed and opened Longhorn Village, a state-of-the-art retirement community in Steiner Ranch, secured exclusive rights to sell UT class rings, and significantly expanded its legislative advocacy program.

This year, the Texas Exes is launching its most ambitious project ever, the 40 Acres Scholars Program, a merit-based scholarship program aiming to raise $150 million to support 300 full-ride scholarships to The University of Texas.

"This is a tremendous honor," Boon said, "but is more representative of the great work our staff does everyday than anything I have done."

Boon will be presented with the award September 20 at the TSAE annual conference in Dallas.

Renowned concert pianist and Distinguished Alumnus James Dick teamed up with the UT Symphony Orchestra this past weekend for two performances — Saturday at Dick's Round Top Festival Institute and Sunday at UT's Bass Concert Hall.  

Dick showed off his Longhorn pride by donning the burnt-orange blazer he received at the Distinguished Alumnus Awards last October. 

Texas Exes executive director and CEO Jim Boon and his wife, Betty, were among those who attended. 

Though he is an immensely talented pianist, much of what makes Dick truly extraordinary is his work with the next generation. At his Festival Institute young musicians and distinguished faculty collaborate year-round, and universities and high schools regularly use his 200-acre campus in Round Top for everything from concerts to ballet performances to track practice.

For more on James Dick, see the Ex-It Interview on the last page of your March/April Alcalde.

To honor and celebrate a longstanding educational partnership between the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and The University of Texas, the rodeo saluted UT in Reliant Stadium Tuesday night with an entourage of UT administrators taking center stage. 

The Houston rodeo is one of the largest volunteer events in the country and it annually awards more than $8 million in scholarships to more than 500 Texas high schoolers who plan to attend a university in-state. The students receive $15,000 per year for four years.

There are currently 1,884 Texas students earning a higher education thanks to the rodeo's scholarships — 403 of them are Longhorns.

And droves of the rodeo's 22,000-plus volunteers are UT alumni.

Many of them gathered Tuesday, along with some Houston-area Exes and a few special guests from Austin, at a reception prior to the rodeo.

There President Bill Powers thanked the supporters for investing in the future leaders of the University and the state. He then presented show chairman of the board Butch Robinson with a longhorn statue and a custom-made pair of black boots featuring a longhorn, the HLSR logo, and the words "partners in education," compliments of Louis Pearce Jr., a Distinguished Alumnus, past show president, and all around rodeo fixture.

But then, the fun had just begun — the salute to the Horns went public in the rodeo's grand entry.

Some of the University's finest, including President Powers (bottom left), university provost Steve Leslie, McCombs School of Business dean Tom Gilligan, College of Natural Sciences associate dean David Laude, and Texas Exes executive director and CEO Jim Boon (bottom right, and dressed almost identical to Powers), processed in on horseback and in wagons. 

Cowboys, bucking broncos and bulls, and some eager high school FFA students scrambling for calves provided the entertainment from there on out.

The storied Cactus Cafe could be finding a new home on the University of Texas campus -- the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center.

Texas Exes CEO and executive director Jim Boon spoke with UT president Bill Powers Tuesday about the idea of incorporating the Cactus Cafe into a planned building expansion set for 2011.

University officials announced over the weekend that the Texas Union would be closing the Cactus Cafe in August due to budget cuts. Informal Classes, too, are set to end.

"We understand the financial pressure the University is under and recognize that it needs to be focused on delivering services to students," Boon said. "As keepers of the history and traditions of the University, we are always sensitive to experiences that touch students' lives and create memories for alumni."

President Powers is scheduled to hold a town hall meeting Tuesday on campus to discuss the proposed budget cuts, including the fate of the Cactus Cafe.

Reaction to the news of the Cactus' impending closure has been overwhelmingly negative, particularly from alumni. A Facebook group started over the weekend Save the Cactus Cafe currently has more than 13,600 members. University officials have defended the cuts as necessary.

The plan to move the Cactus Cafe to the alumni center would not involve helping Informal Classes.

If adopted, and there were no legal obstacles, the Cactus Cafe would keep its name. The alumni center has its own liquor license and could serve alcohol at performances.

The move could be completed and performances resumed as early as fall 2011.