Monday, September 7, 1987/The Battalion/Page 3
State and Local
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Workers outlast weather, material barriers
A&M opens new alumni center doors
layton W. Williams Jr., Class of ’54, addresses
e crowd at the grand opening of the Clayton W.
Photo by Sarah Cowa
Williams Jr. Alumni Center. Williams donated
$2.5 million toward building the new center.
By Elisa Hutchins
Staff Writer
Texas A&M students and for
mer students received a late
Christmas present Saturday as
Clayton W. Williams Jr. formally
opened the Clayton W. Williams
Jr. Alumni Center by cutting the
ribbons in Corps style, with a
saber.
Planning for the $7 million
center, located at the corner of
Jersey and Houston streets, be
gan in 1979 and its construction
was supposed to be finished by
the beginning of this year, said
Jim Jeter, associate executive di
rector of the Association of For
mer Students.
The center cost $2 million
more than the association origi
nally planned, he said.
“W T e had some problems get
ting materials and the weather
also played a big factor in the de
lay, out we had no major prob
lems,” he said.
Ernest T. Pitzer, Class of ’50
and former 1986 association
president, did a lot of initial plan
ning, but died before the building
was completed.
About 1,500 present and for
mer students as well as commu
nity members and guests of Wil
liams’ and Pitzer’s families
attended the ceremony of the
long-awaited building.
Randy Matson, executive di
rector of the former students’ as
sociation, said, “After more than
100 years, the Association of For
mer Students now has a perma
nent home.”
The association offices were lo
cated in the System Administra
tion Building in the mid 1950s
and, for the last 14 years, at the
MSC.
Matson, Class of ’67, Williams,
Class of ’54, President Frank E.
Vandiver, David Eller, chairman
of the A&M Board of Regents,
and association president W.
Mike Baggett, Class of ’68, spoke
at the dedication ceremony.
Williams, a Midland oilman
and owner of Claydesta Commu
nications, contributed $2.5 mil
lion for the center.
Baggett said, “He (Williams)
followed through on his promise
early, even with the difficult times
in Texas. If it was not for him, it
would have been harder to get
things done.”
Vandiver said Williams has
done more than his share for the
University by donating money
and teaching a management class
on entrepreneurship.
Thousands of former students
donated money and materials for
the center and Jeter said the
building is, for the most part,
paid for.
“There are several conference
rooms that community members
can rent,” he said. “We have al
ready catered two wedding recep
tions. But former students have
really come through on this pro
ject.”
He said it is the largest and
most tastefully decorated build
ing of its kind. There is a 6,000-
square-foot reception area called
the Great Hall. It has two large
curving mahogany and brass
staircases and a 1,200-square-foot
board room for association exec^
utive members.
The Glitsch Library and Aggie
ring collection have been moved
to the center. The Aggie ring of
fice, which used to be on the first
floor of the Pavilion, has also
been moved to the new center.
Williams said having the build
ing named after him is the high
est honor he could receive.
“It culminates everything that
is Texas A&M,” he said of the
center. “It represents athletics,
educaton and the pride of being a
former student.
m gra
asked
bers asked me to donate the
money. I’ve done a lot of things
for A&M, but every gift I’ve given
has given me so much more in re
turn.”
New lab to aid
A&M in studying
biotechnology
By Mary-Lynne Rice
Staff Writer
Granada Genetics, the first pri
vate sector tenant of Texas A&M’s
research park, opened its new of
fices and laboratories Friday.
Granada Genetics is a subsidiary
of Granada Corp., a Houston based
operation owned and directed by
A&M Board of Regents Chairman
David Eller.
The firm — whose research also
serves three others of Granada
Corp.’s other biotechnology labs —
will conduct biotechnology research
in conjunction with A&M.
Granada Genetics had previously
established its administrative offices
in the ANCO insurance building in
Bryan. Friday evening it moved to its
new location at One Research Park
on Discovery Drive, west of the vet
erinary school, to continue its work
with A&M, said Dr. Mark Money,
A&M’s vice chancellor for research
park and corporate relations.
Dr. Joseph Massey, president of
Granada Genetics, cited A&M’s well-
known research in agriculture and
biotechnology as its reason for
choosing to move into the research
park complex.
Money said that A&M’s reputa
tion will help to attract top-notch sci
entists, and that the park nas an con
venient location close to the main
campus research facilities.
Granada Genetics’ current pro
jects deal with state-of-the-art ge
netic manipulation in the field of nu
trition, Money said.
“They’re developing applications
for biotechnology in the agricultural
field,” he said.
Massey said current research
deals with animal embryo transfer,
shrimp mariculture and work with
hormone development and recombi
nant DNA.
Money said Granada’s move to the
research park will help broaden the
job market in Bryan-College Station
for students and graduates and it
also will provide consulting opportu
nities for the faculty.
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Aggie Friends
Youth Fun Day
55 Aggie men 1
iervice of their
War I.
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i Aggie — and^
f ar as the Aggiff
e. Please, Goad 1
te LSU back. Tin
ontest, butnoto
is guests act as
LSU fans do.
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skit mishes orfe”
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lot of character
* a junior jou#
; writer for The
Breath
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Hands Across A&M
Bonfire Cookie Crew
Association
’87 - ’88
P
Holiday Services
Food For Thought
Ice Cream Extravaganza Tues. Sept. 8th 6:30 p.m.
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