{"id":48992,"date":"2023-05-12T12:40:29","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T17:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/?p=48992"},"modified":"2023-06-23T08:47:18","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T13:47:18","slug":"tarleton-state-university-awards-sam-pack-honorary-doctorate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/tarleton-state-university-awards-sam-pack-honorary-doctorate\/","title":{"rendered":"Tarleton State University Awards Sam Pack Honorary Doctorate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"TSU
Sam Pack received an honorary doctorate of humane letters today during Tarleton State\u2019s spring 2023 commencement ceremonies. From left: Dr. Diane Stearns, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Sam Pack; Dr. James Hurley, Tarleton President; and Dr. Diana Ortega-Feerick, Vice President for Student Engagement and Success.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

STEPHENVILLE, Texas \u2014 Illness forced a course change after Sam Pack started classes at Tarleton State University in 1956. But it never diminished his belief in the power of education or his drive to make life better for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has given liberally over the years to hundreds of nonprofits and community endeavors, and today Tarleton recognized his leadership and giving spirit with an honorary doctorate of humane letters during spring 2023 commencement ceremonies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSam gives tirelessly of his time, selflessly of his energy and generously of his resources,\u201d said university President James Hurley. \u201cHis life\u2019s work is an example of the spirit Tarleton Texans embody and a model for all of us to follow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pack owns and operates six Five Star dealerships (Pack Automotive Group) in the Dallas-Fort Worth market and co-owns six more in Tulsa. In 2018 he cofounded Triton Automotive Group, a collection of like-minded dealers (16 shareholders, representing 200 dealerships).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Texas Automobile Dealers Association in 2005 recognized him as an Industry Legend \u2014 only the second person in the association\u2019s 93-year history so named. He was one of five dealers inducted into Ford\u2019s inaugural Top Volume Dealers Hall of Fame in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His business and community leadership earned him the national 1988 TIME Dealer of the Year tribute, one of the auto industry\u2019s most coveted honors. Only one other Texas dealer has received this award, and none since Pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAn honorary doctorate is Tarleton\u2019s highest recognition,\u201d said Dr. Diane Stearns, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, \u201cand it is fitting that one goes to Sam Pack. His achievements are exemplary, and his love for all people is inspirational.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pack supports more than 300 nonprofits, service organizations and community events through Sam Pack Cares, the charitable arm of Pack Automotive. In 2003 he received the Ford Motor Company Salute to Dealers Award, presented by Edsel Ford II, for his commitment to improve communities and the lives of individuals in them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has given to Tarleton\u2019s food pantry, the President\u2019s Circle and the Dr. James and Kindall Hurley Scholarship Endowment. The Tarleton State University Pack Automotive Group Intern Program provides Texans with learning opportunities that inspire career success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am deeply humbled to receive this honorary doctorate degree, and I thank Chancellor John Sharp, the Board of Regents, Tarleton\u2019s faculty and staff, and President Hurley,\u201d Pack said. \u201cWhen President Hurley shared the news, I was surprised and filled with excitement. Tarleton has always had a special place in my heart. My family and I are proud to support this wonderful university.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

STEPHENVILLE, Texas \u2014 Illness forced a course change after Sam Pack started classes at Tarleton State University in 1956. But it never diminished his belief in the power of education …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":49012,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","wds_primary_category":347,"footnotes":""},"categories":[382,423],"tags":[431],"class_list":["post-48992","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homepage","category-academics-research","tag-administration"],"acf":{"image":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"keegan","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/author\/keegan-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/65\/2023\/05\/TSU_0780-edited-scaled_UpdatedSpotlight600x400-300x200.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["_Homepage<\/a>","Academics & Research<\/a>"],"unlinked":["_Homepage<\/span>","Academics & Research<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["Administration<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Administration<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":0,"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 3 years ago","modified":"Updated 3 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on May 12, 2023","modified":"Updated on June 23, 2023"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on May 12, 2023 12:40 pm","modified":"Updated on June 23, 2023 8:47 am"},"featured_img_caption":"Four people in academic regalia hold a diploma on a graduation stage.","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48992","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48992"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48992\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48992"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48992"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}