Distinguished Alumni
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 18, 2019
STEPHENVILLE, Texas —Tarleton State University honored two alumni, a former faculty member and a prominent corporate partner Feb. 16 during the Alumni Association’s annual dinner and awards banquet.
Tarleton President F. Dominic Dottavio and Alumni Association President-elect Ranae Lane ’99 welcomed former students, friends of the university and their families to the University Gala, where the awards were presented.
Honored were retired Col. Lacy Breckenridge (’50), this year’s Distinguished Alumnus; Brady Pendleton (’08), 2019 Outstanding Young Alumnus; Dr. T. Lindsay Baker, 2019 Distinguished Faculty/Staff; and S’Ville Services, 2019 Distinguished Friend.
S’Ville Services, LLC – Distinguished Friend
In 2012, Jori Bragg moved back to her hometown with the opportunity to start her own business. The city needed a local communications company, so she and her father, David Bragg, formed S’Ville Services, LLC, a certified historically underutilized business having a woman as the majority owner.
The company originally focused on communications work specializing in fiber and copper. After Jori died in 2015, her sister, Jamie Jones, inherited the company. Jamie with her parents, David and Rhonda, as partners, continues Jori’s legacy.
In recent years the company has added electrical work, access controls and security camera installations. S’Ville Services, LLC, is involved in the community as a supporter of the Chamber of Commerce, Erath County Junior Livestock Buyer’s Pool, Chamberlin Elementary School Carnival, Zonta Club, Tarleton scholarships and other endeavors.
T. Lindsay Baker – Distinguished Faculty/Staff
Dr. Baker joined the Tarleton family in 2002 as the first to hold the university’s oldest endowed chair, the W.K. Gordon Endowed Chair in Texas History. He holds professional memberships in the Texas Institute of Letters, Western Writers of America and Texas State Historical Association, among other organizations.
He has written two dozen books on a variety of topics, from Texas lighthouses to organized crime in the Lone Star State, and is known internationally as an expert on American wind power history. He currently is researching and writing about Route 66.
Brady Pendleton – Outstanding Young Alumnus
A native of Stephenville, Brady received his undergraduate degree in animal industries from Tarleton in 2008. He served as student body president and president of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity; was a member of the oldest spirit organization in Texas, the Purple Poo; was elected Mr. TSU; and was a member of the 2004 National Champion Meats Evaluation Team.
After Tarleton, he attended Texas Wesleyan School of Law where he was a member of the traveling mock trial team and clerked for longtime Tarrant County attorney Jim Lane. Brady has offices in Stephenville and Glen Rose providing legal services in criminal law, family law, wills and probate, immigration, aviation and civil litigation.
In addition to his legal practice, he is Stephenville mayor pro tem, municipal prosecutor for the city of Dublin, and city attorney for Glen Rose.
Lacy Breckenridge – Distinguished Alumnus
Retired Col. Lacy Breckenridge is a 1950 Tarleton graduate. He attended Texas A&M after his time in Stephenville and went on to become an Air Force fighter pilot.
When the Vietnam conflict began, he was among the first to enter the fray. On his 49th mission over North Vietnam, his aircraft was hit by enemy fire, forcing him to bail out over enemy territory. He landed in a tree, where he stayed hidden for three hours before being rescued by an Air Force helicopter.
He completed 100 combat missions and was awarded the Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross for performance and bravery in combat, and numerous other honors.
In retirement he has continued his love for flying, becoming an executive pilot and businessman.
Tarleton,founding member of The Texas A&M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven education marked by academic innovation and a dedication to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders. It offers degree programs to more than 13,000 students at Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian, RELLIS Academic Alliance in Bryan, and online, emphasizing real-world learning experiences that address societal needs while maintaining its core values of tradition, integrity, civility, excellence, leadership and service.
Contact: Phil Riddle, News and Information Specialist
817-484-4415
[email protected]
