(Ed.'s Note: Brownsville native and Texas A&M University graduate Mike Hernandez returned home with a mission after he read that his hometown had been declared the poorest community in the United States. A self-made millionaire, he founded OP 10.33, an advocacy group composed of academic, voc-tech, social, political and religious components to confront the conditions that gave Brownsville its unsavory ranking. Between running his successful business and giving incentives to local residents to better their lot, he has since been appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to the A&M Board of Regents.
Despite predictable blowback by the usual suspects in this city, Hernandez has persevered and established the Cameron County Educational Incentive which has graduated several classes of students in vocational-technical fields, the Brownsville Scholars Program for city students at A&M, a collaborative engineering program with Texas Southmost College, all without forgetting to assist residents in Cameron Park through Proyecto Juan Diego, battling the Zika virus, and collaborating A&M, TSC, and Texas State Technical College to support training the local workforce at the Port of Brownsville.Just a little over 300 A&M graduates have been recognized as distinguished alumnus from more than half a million former students since 1962. Among his fellows for this year's recognition are Army generals, business CEOs. higher educational leaders and distinguished scholars.)
The Aggie Ring
Texas A&M UniversityThe Distinguished Alumnus Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a former student of Texas A&M University, awarded since 1962 to only 303 of Texas A&M’s more than 517,000 former students.
Presented jointly by the university and The Association of Former Students, this award recognizes Aggies who have achieved excellence in their chosen professions and made meaningful contributions to Texas A&M University and their local communities.
Mike Hernandez III ’83, owner of D&M Leasing and several auto dealerships, founded the Brownsville Scholars Program at A&M and nonprofit ventures that boost opportunities in Cameron County, and leads and supports other educational and charitable work.
Presented jointly by the university and The Association of Former Students, this award recognizes Aggies who have achieved excellence in their chosen professions and made meaningful contributions to Texas A&M University and their local communities.
Mike Hernandez III ’83, owner of D&M Leasing and several auto dealerships, founded the Brownsville Scholars Program at A&M and nonprofit ventures that boost opportunities in Cameron County, and leads and supports other educational and charitable work.
He is a member of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.