Author Archives: Kristina Campos-Davis

TSTC auto body students presented scholarship, tool grants

(HARLINGEN) – For the first time, every Texas State Technical College Auto Collision and Management Technology student in Harlingen that applied for a scholarship or tool grant from the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) Education Foundation and 3M were selected as recipients.

A total of four Auto Collision and Management Technology students received a Sears Vo-Tech Tool Grant, a 3M Hire Our Heroes Tool Grant or a Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) Foundation scholarship.

“These scholarships and grants are awarded every year and we encourage as many of our students who are interested to apply,” said Joseph Cantu, TSTC auto collision and management instructor. “And this year’s selection is especially exciting for us because everyone who applied received something.”

Auto collision and management student Adrian Escamilla was awarded a $5,000 scholarship to be used for tuition, room and board, b

ooks, tools or safety equipment, made possible by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) Foundation which supports the I-CAR Collision Repair Education Foundation.

“I applied about three months ago and since I hadn’t heard anything I had written off the scholarship,” said Escamilla. “So I was totally shocked to learn that I had been awarded the money.”

Escamilla said this is not only a load off of his shoulders, but also his mother’s, who helps him pay for college, since he has to pay out of pocket.

“This money is a big help for my mom and I and a step toward making my dreams come true,” said Escamilla.

Once Escamilla graduates with his associate degree next semester, he said he wants to work to gain experience and eventually open his own body shop.

Christopher Valdez, a United States Army veteran, received a 3M Hire Our Heroes Tool Grant valued at $4,500 and focused on helping veterans who are interested in pursuing a new career in the auto body industry.

He will receive an initial $1,500 in tools as a student and the additional $3,000 after he graduates this summer with his certificate and finds employment in the industry.

“These awards were not expected; it’s exciting news to get the help I need to purchase the tools that are required if I want to be successful,” said Valdez.

TSTC 3M Veteran Hire Our Heroes Recipient

The husband and father of two served in the Army for 15 years and completed four tours in Iraq. When he was medically discharged in February 2017, he enrolled at TSTC to work at realizing his dream of owning a golf cart business.

“As a soldier for so long it’s hard returning to civilian life, but TSTC and its instructors have been so supportive and motivating,” said Valdez. “And now these grants are a good sign for my future and a financial relief for my family and me.”

3M Sales Representative for South Texas Fernando de la Garza also presented Valdez with a flag designed by Chip Foose, American automobile designer and star of the reality television series ‘Overhaulin’.

A Sears Vo-Tech Tool Grant for a Sears tool kit valued at $150 was also awarded to Escamilla and Valdez, in addition to Daniel Gaitan and Benjamin Soto.

All men agree that they are thankful and owe a lot to the I-CAR Education Foundation, 3M, PPG and Sears for selecting them for scholarships and grants that will make a difference in their education and careers.

For more information on Auto Collision and Management Technology in Harlingen and Waco, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC in North Texas Welcomes New Recruiter

(RED OAK) – Texas State Technical College has welcomed a new recruiter. Annie Garcia began working at TSTC on April 30.

Garcia, a Palmer resident, most recently worked as a Job Corps admissions and outreach professional in San Antonio. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Public Relations from the University of Texas at Arlington.

When Garcia found the opening at TSTC, she said it was an opportunity for a seamless relocation.

“I had heard all good things about the school before,” Garcia said. “When we were looking into moving back into this area and I saw there was an opening, it kind of seemed like it was meant to be. With the position being so similar to what I was already doing, and it being so close to home, it was kind of perfect.”

Although the job duties are similar, Garcia said she noticed one big change: the teamwork.

“Even though I was doing something similar before, it was very much me on my own, almost like they wanted us to compete,” she said. “Here, we work as a team. Whether it be all of the campuses or all of the recruiters at one campus, I definitely feel like the three girls I work with will be pretty close-knit.”

TSTC Provost Marcus Balch said he is happy to have Garcia on board.

“We’re excited to welcome Annie to our team and once again have a full student recruitment staff,” Balch said. “The team is critical to the continued growth of our campus as we work to meet the needs of our industry partners in the area. Annie has hit the ground running and brings enthusiasm to our campus and to the students she serves.”

Garcia is enjoying her new position.

“I love it,” she said. “I haven’t met one stranger since I’ve been here. I get along with everybody, and I like the job. It makes it easy for sure.”

So far, her favorite thing about TSTC is the enthusiasm she sees from her co-workers.

“Everybody that’s here is very passionate about what they do,” Garcia said. “Whether it be the provost or the instructors or the recruiters, everyone is very passionate about the school and their position. It makes the school worth coming to for the students because if they’re going to spend the next two years here, they need to be around people who believe in what they do.”

TSTC prides itself on being “a great place to work” and is currently hiring for positions at its 10 campuses statewide. For information on open positions at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/about/employment.

TSTC Names Block Campus Director

(HUTTO) – Texas State Technical College in Williamson County has named Darren Block as its new Campus Director and Campus Academic Manager.

Block retired from the Army in 2010 as a sergeant first class

“I was a motor sergeant or a maintenance supervisor,” he said. “I was in charge of the motor pool. I was in charge of machine shops, maintenance shops, welding shops. I retired as an E-7 sergeant first class, but I was doing the job of an E-8 first sergeant. So, a lot of admin stuff, a lot of running a company-sized element in the army. That’s what I did in the last 10 years.”

After retiring, he attended TSTC in Waco and graduated from the college’s Mechanical Engineering Technology (now Precision Machining Technology) program with a 4.0 GPA.

“I wanted to become an engineer, and that was the liaison in between the two,” Block said.

After working in the field for a while, Block paid a visit to TSTC in Waco to update his machining software.

“Well, I went to Waco for software, and while I was there, Mr. Rodriguez (Jose Rodriguez, statewide division director of Production Manufacturing) asked me if I’d ever considered teaching,” Block said. “I said I hadn’t, and he asked, ‘Would you? We’d really like to have you.’ So I applied for it, and they hired me.”

Block began teaching Precision Machining at TSTC in Williamson County in 2014 in the early stages of the program and grew to love the profession.

“I really love technical school,” he said. “You can walk into any program here and ask the guys anything. They’re the product-knowledge experts. So if I have a problem with HVAC, I go talk to those guys. They’ll troubleshoot with me right here, right now. Or welding — I’m taking welding classes. You can learn anything you want to. That’s the best part.”

Though his new position focuses more on the management side of things, Block is glad to lend support to his colleagues.

“It’s broader,” he said. “I’m more involved in streamlining ways to teach or processes, like when we order tools or expendables, I’m making that process easier and more efficient. We’re working on making syllabi easier for instructors so they don’t have to spend time doing that when they could be spending time on teaching. I’m trying to do the background legwork for them.”

TSTC Provost Edgar Padilla said Block is a great asset to the leadership team.

“We are pleased to have a proven leader at the helm of our student learning operations and proud that one of our own, a TSTC graduate, is leading our instructional team on campus,” he said. “Darren has already proven that he has the subject-matter expertise to effectively manage our instructional programs, and as we grow, we will continue developing our leadership team internally.”

Block said he is happy to be in a position where he can effect change.

“I’m glad that I am in a position where I can make a difference, a good one,” he said. “That’s the main reason I took this position.”

TSTC prides itself on being “a great place to work” and is currently hiring for positions at its 10 campuses statewide. For information on open positions at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/about/employment.

TSTC training to help fill nursing shortage

(HARLINGEN) – The Texas State Technical College nursing division in Harlingen is celebrating its second consecutive 100 percent national exam pass rate for its vocational nursing program, a mark of distinction for the department that is working to relieve a shortage of nurses in the Rio Grande Valley and across the state.

“We hold all of our students to a high standard,” said Heather Sauceda, TSTC vocational nursing program director. “Here at TSTC we produce skilled, competent and compassionate nurses who we can trust in the field to fill the gap in patient care.”

For a vocational nursing graduate to become licensed as an LVN, he or she must first pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which gives them the right to practice nursing in the state.

Last year, to give its vocational nursing graduates and current LVN licensees more opportunity and because nurses are in high demand, TSTC introduced an Associate of Applied Science licensed vocational nursing (LVN) to registered nursing (RN) transition degree.

According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies of the Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas will see continued demand for registered nurses through 2030.

Additionally, Texas is the highest employer of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Among the contributing factors to the rising need for nurses are an increase in demand for health care services, an aging population, an increase of chronic disease, new patient-centered medical homes and health centers, and nursing personnel who are nearing retirement.

Harlingen Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer Amy Flores oversees more than 200 nurses, with a large of number of them, she says, retiring within the next five to 10 years.

“The future is bright for nursing right now. We’re going to be scrambling to find enough (nurses) soon,” she said. “And it’s important now, more than ever, that we have more colleges and qualified staff to train new nurses.”

Jean Lashbrook, TSTC’s statewide nursing division director, said that the approval in 2017 for a new registered nursing program at TSTC’s Harlingen campus has allowed them to train more students pursuing the field.

“We started with a cohort of 30 students in Fall 2017, but after three years we plan on increasing the number of students accepted, along with increasing faculty,” she said.

The first cohort will be graduating this summer.

Lashbrook also added that the registered nursing program at TSTC’s Breckenridge and Sweetwater campuses in West Texas is increasing its number of students and graduates.

“In West Texas we’re increasing our numbers by branching out in local communities for clinical experience for students, which gives our program more visibility in the surrounding area,” said Lashbrook.

Vocational and registered nursing students at TSTC have the opportunity to learn and practice simulation exercises in state-of-the-art labs.

“The training we provide allows our students to practice real-world scenarios they will encounter,” said Sauceda. “This helps reduce their anxiety, which in turn allows them to provide the best patient care possible.”

Flores, who has worked with TSTC nursing students completing their clinical hours, has found their skills to be above average.

“They are professional, prepared for clinicals and have good instructors that monitor their progress,” Flores said. “We have found in the past with other programs that students did not come with all the necessary skills and had to be followed closely,” she said.

TSTC’s objective and focus is to produce highly skilled nurses who are compassionate, committed to their career, can think critically, multitask and have good time management, which is the type of nurses that Harlingen Medical Center and many others across the state are looking for.

“Acuity (intensity of care required by a patient) in hospitals has been rising rapidly due to an average decline in length of stay because of new technology that allows rapid assessment, treatment and discharge,” said Flores. “Hospitals are now also becoming large intensive care units, with cardiac monitoring, respiratory assistance and intense treatment, so skilled and specialized nurses are in great demand.”

Hospitals across the Rio Grande Valley have licensed vocational nursing and registered nursing positions posted on their websites. Harlingen Medical Center and Valley Baptist Health System in Cameron County have nearly 80 available positions combined, while Doctors Hospital at Renaissance and South Texas Health System in Hidalgo County, combined, have more than 100.

“There is no lack of positions in our field,” said Sauceda. “And our goal is not only to prepare our students for a career in nursing, but also to get them ready to take their education a step further.”

Sauceda added that the TSTC nursing division team has also been visiting local high schools to plant the seeds of a career in healthcare early.

“These teens and young adults are the people who will be taking care of us all someday,” she said. “It’s our job to encourage them, and because of the demand, there will be many doors of opportunity open to help them climb the ladder.”

TSTC’s Breckenridge and Sweetwater campuses also offer a certificate in vocational nursing or an associate degree in nursing.

For more information on TSTC’s nursing programs or about upcoming information sessions, call 956-364-4762.

Student Success Profile – Ruben Rodriguez

(HARLINGEN) – Ruben Rodriguez, a Harlingen native, is the newly elected Student Government Association treasurer at Texas State Technical College.

The 19-year-old is studying his academic core and expects to finish in Spring 2020. He is a recent graduate of the TSTC Student Leadership Academy, volunteers across the community and around campus, and is working toward growing the TSTC discount program, which provides TSTC students with discounts at local restaurants and shops.

What are your plans after graduation?

As soon as I complete my academic core at TSTC, I plan on transferring to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become a U.S. Border Patrol agent and when I retire become a state trooper.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment at TSTC so far has been becoming treasurer of the SGA. I was unsure about trying for the position, but with the great leadership from Student Life and my friends, I was encouraged to do it, and it has been the best experience.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that anything worth having is not easy. It requires hard work, sacrifice, and trial and error, but in the end it’s all worth it.

Who at TSTC has had the most influence on your success?

The people who have influenced my success the most are my supervisors: Executive Director of Student Life Adele Clinton, Student Life coordinators Belinda Palomino and Larissa Moreno, and my fellow SGA officers. They are my advisors, motivation and support and always help me push forward.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to remember that college is what you make of it. It can be hard or easy, fun or boring, but when you make the best out of any situation, your experience is bound to be great. Work hard, reach for your goals and have fun.

TSTC Wind Energy Technology alumni give back to their community

(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College Wind Energy Technology alumni Eric Ramirez and Rene Lopez normally spend their days working the wind turbines at Duke Energy in Lyford, but on Thursday they were found working the barbeque grills at the Harlingen Boys and Girls Club.

“I used to spend my summers playing video games and basketball at my hometown Boys and Girls Club in Raymondville,” Ramirez reminisced. “It’s a great place for the kids, and I feel it’s my duty to give back to the place where I grew up.”

Lopez added, “It feels great giving back to the community where I was raised. We’re here to help in any way we can, big or small.”

Both men and a team of their colleagues chopped brisket cooked by Harlingen firemen; packaged trimmings of onions, jalapenos and pickles; and put together plates with brisket, rice, beans and bread for the fundraiser, which was hosted by the United Way of Northern Cameron County. Proceeds benefited 14 nonprofit partnerships, including the local Boys and Girls Club.

“We are so excited to have them here and have Duke Energy as a United Way partner,” said Jessica Belschner, United Way executive director. “They are doing a wonderful job.”

Ramirez and Lopez graduated with certificates in Wind Energy Technology in 2012. Both wind energy technicians have worked with Duke for nearly four years.

The men have had several opportunities to volunteer in the communities where they grew up since graduating from TSTC and joining the Duke Energy family.

“Without TSTC I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said Lopez, a Sebastian native. “Studying wind energy was never the plan, but I’m glad it worked out the way it did.”

Lopez said that initially he was at TSTC only to finish his basics while he worked at a local roofing company, but when he was introduced to the wind energy program, he was compelled to enroll in it.

“TSTC gave me the opportunity to learn and try new things and to kick-start my career,” said Lopez. “I haven’t been without a good-paying job since then.”

Lopez also holds a Federal Aviation Administration license to be a drone pilot for Duke Energy. He has already assisted in many projects, including hurricane relief efforts in Florida after Hurricane Irma.

As for Ramirez, TSTC’s Wind Energy Technology was a career change and a second chance at a better life.

Ramirez said he worked for many years in trucking, and when he began to see wind farms pop up across the Valley, he knew that was where he was supposed to be.

Immediately after graduating, Ramirez worked for a year and a half with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Sarita before making the move to Duke Energy.

“TSTC was a great experience for me. It provided me with the foundation I needed to enter a field with many job and growth opportunities,” said Ramirez. “It is definitely because of TSTC that I have been able to find great jobs.”

Duke Energy Area Planner for Wind Operations Sotero Regalado is also a TSTC alumnus and is Ramirez and Lopez’s supervisor.

Regalado, who earned his certificate in Wind Energy Technology in 2011, said Ramirez and Lopez are two of the best technicians he has in the field.

“Both men are top-notch. They instill safety in our overall culture at Duke and are great team players,” said Regalado. “There is no doubt that the success they have found with us is because of the training they received at TSTC, (and) their hard work and motivation.”

May is Duke Energy in Action Month for the company, but Regalado said he hopes to continue volunteer efforts throughout the year, especially after seeing how excited Ramirez, Lopez and their team were to help out, and he hopes that they can also mentor or assist other Wind Energy Technology students from TSTC.

For more information on Wind Energy Technology, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC swears in new Board of Regents members

(FORT BEND) – Administration officials at Texas State Technical College welcomed two new regents to the TSTC family during a dinner and special meeting of its Board of Regents at the college’s Fort Bend County campus in Rosenberg last week.

The two new regents, Charles “Pat” McDonald of Richmond and Tiffany Tremont of New Braunfels, were sworn in after being appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in February for terms ending in February 2023.

TSTC Board of Regents Chairman John K. Hatchel of Woodway was also reappointed by the governor; he was first appointed to the board in September 2011.

“TSTC is a great college that does great things,” said McDonald. “I’m honored to be part of the work they’re already doing, and my goal is to work closely with the board members in getting the legislative funding we need.”

TSTC Chancellor Mike Reeser described McDonald as an asset to the board.

“Mr. McDonald’s extensive professional experience in the not-for-profit sector and in economic development will be a great resource for the Board of Regents,” said Reeser. “We’re especially honored to have representation from Fort Bend County, which is home to our newest TSTC campus.”

McDonald, who holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University, serves as president and chief executive officer of the Henderson-Wessendorff Foundation. He is also a member of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, director of the Morton Cemetery Association and the Winston Foundation, and is a former trustee and chair of the George Foundation.

Tremont, who is founder, president and CEO of Silotech Group Inc., said she is excited about her new appointment.

“I’m honored to have been trusted by the governor’s office for this appointment,” said Tremont, a service-disabled veteran of the U.S. Air Force. “My goal is to grow the number of women who pursue cybersecurity and science, technology, engineering and mathematics educations and careers.”

Tremont holds a Bachelor of Science degree in information systems management from the University of Maryland University College, where she is completing a Master of Science degree in cybersecurity management and policy. She is a former vice president of the Young Alamo chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) and a former president of the National Association for Female Executives San Antonio.

“Ms. Tremont brings leading-edge-level technical experience and has achieved an outstanding level of professional success,” said Reeser. “Likewise, TSTC has robust offerings in IT and cybersecurity, so we’re excited to have her unique perspective as part of our governing body.”

Hatchel, who is serving his second term, is also the former chairman of the TSTC Board of Regents’ Finance Committee.

Before retirement, Hatchel served for 33 years in municipal administration in various cities in Texas, including Abilene, Plainview and Waco.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M University). He is a life member of the Texas City Management Association and the International City Management Association, and a member of the Brazos Higher Education Service Corporation, Texas Legal Board of Directors and the State Bar of Texas Standing Committee on Minimum Continuing Legal Education.

“I am very pleased and glad that I was appointed for another term,” said Hatchel. “It’s great being a part of the TSTC family and working toward creating a quality workforce for Texas. I am very passionate about what the college does, and I sing praises about TSTC wherever I go.”

Hatchel added, “I always tell people that the way you spell TSTC is J-O-B-S.”

Leaving the board is Joe M. Gurecky of Rosenberg, appointed in 2006 and reappointed in 2011, and Joe Hearne of Dallas, appointed in 2006 and reappointed in 2011.

TSTC Looks to Expand Team

(MARSHALL) – Texas State Technical College is looking to expand its Marshall campus team and is hiring for several instructor and staff positions.

Jamee Quaid, a TSTC human resources manager, said she hopes interested applicants will believe in TSTC’s role in strengthening the Texas workforce.

“What we do here, ‘Place More Texans,’ is a mission that all of us believe in,” Quaid said. “We offer a tremendous asset to our local community by providing qualified students as our community’s next generation of employees. We are always looking for dedicated teammates who share the vision of changing lives by providing our students with great career opportunities.”

Patty Lopez, coordinator of student recruitment, needs another recruiter for her team.

“The student recruiter position is one of the most fulfilling positions because you get to work with individuals who are looking to take the next step in their education,” Lopez said. “Whether it is working with nontraditional students or high school students, each day in the recruitment office is totally different. If you enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life, the student recruitment office is a great place to be.”

TSTC Provost Bart Day said he hopes those interested in joining TSTC will gain more than just a job.

“There is a universal thought I always like to express to folks when they consider joining any piece of the TSTC team: I came here for the mission and stayed for the people,” Day said. “The family atmosphere, teamwork and true sense of purpose drive every aspect of what we do.”

TSTC has 10 campuses statewide in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas, Sweetwater, Waco and Williamson County. Each campus provides a unique atmosphere with programs chosen to suit the area’s employment needs.

Quaid said part of what makes working at TSTC so great is the relationship between co-workers.

“We encompass a family atmosphere that not only extends to our employees, but also to our students,” she said. “Our leadership is so dedicated to making TSTC a greater place to work, that it is now one of our top strategic goals.”

TSTC offers benefits such as retirement, medical, dental, vision and more.

For information on open positions at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/about/employment.

TSTC Alum Returns as New IT Field Tech

(MARSHALL) – When Scott Hodkinson joined the Texas State Technical College team earlier this month, it was like coming back home.

Hodkinson, a graduate of TSTC’s Computer Networking & Systems Administration and Cyber Security programs, began working as a field tech in the Office of Information Technology at the Marshall campus on April 16.

Hodkinson graduated from TSTC in August 2017 but worked as a restaurant manager for the last six years. He chose to go into information technology because it is something he has always been interested in.

“I’ve always wanted to do IT,” Hodkinson said. “I was doing restaurant management to get by until I found something that I really wanted to do. The hours and the stress level at a steady job are so much less than I’m used to — it’s amazing.”

The main part of Hodkinson’s job is keeping the campus’ computer network up and running.

“My main duty is to fix anything that breaks as it comes up,” he said. “I’m trying to make sure that everyone has what they need to succeed on their end of things.”

Hodkinson said he was happy to join the TSTC team.

“This campus feels like home,” he said. “Everyone knows everybody. We’re all one big family here at the Marshall campus. It just feels comfortable. It really is the people that make TSTC my favorite — my coworkers.”

Terrye Newcomb, OIT Manager III, said she is happy that Scott joined the organization.

“Scott is a great asset to the Marshall campus,” she said. “He knows the technical field, and he has jumped on board with the rest of the employees. I am glad that he was chosen to be on my team.”

TSTC Provost Bart Day also said he was proud to have Scott join the team.

“It’s especially great to add another TSTC graduate to our full-time family,” Day said. “Scott brought a terrific can-do attitude to the team and has been making a great impact since his first day with us.”

So far, Hodkinson’s favorite part of the job is the challenges he sees daily.

“I like the challenge of having to come up with something to make things work,” he said. “Sometimes I have to try to make something out of nothing, but that’s what I like.”

TSTC prides itself on being “a great place to work” and offers benefits such as retirement, medical, dental and vision. For information on open positions at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/about/employment.

TSTC machining lab dedicated to regent, local leader

(FORT BEND) – In what was an emotional Texas State Technical College Board of Regents meeting, outgoing regent Joe M. Gurecky was recognized for his service to the college, the manufacturing industry and the community.

At that special meeting a resolution of appreciation was presented to Gurecky and in a rare and distinguished tribute the lab inside the Industrial Technology Center was named the Joe M. Gurecky Machining Laboratory.

“I am overwhelmed and moved with emotion,” said Gurecky. “I never expected to have the lab named after me. It is a true honor.”

Gurecky was appointed as a TSTC Regent by Governor Rick Perry on June 9, 2006, and reappointed on September 1, 2011, serving more than a decade.

It was also some 15 years ago, as Mayor of Rosenberg and sitting on the Rosenberg City Council, that he worked diligently to bring TSTC to the community.

“It is impossible to state the importance Joe Gurecky has had on TSTC,” said TSTC Chancellor Mike Reeser. “And I want to note that without his contribution, TSTC in Fort Bend County may have never happened.”

TSTC Board of Regent Chairman John Hatchel shared Reeser’s sentiment.

TSTC Regent Joe Gurecky and wife Doris Gurecky

“It’s going to be difficult to replace Joe,” said Hatchel. “He added stability and wisdom to our decisions.”

A product of technical education, Gurecky knows first-hand the impact it can have on a person’s life and calls it a privilege to provide the same opportunity to the community.

“The doors of opportunities that opened for me because of my technical education was remarkable,” said Gurecky. “And I, along with my wife Doris, want to give the same opportunities to the students of TSTC.”

Gurecky and his wife have donated more than $100,000 for scholarships and the Chancellor’s discretionary fund, which is used to facilitate the institution’s needs.

Gurecky always gives credit where credit is due; he said he could not have spent the last 12 years as a regent, or the last six decades pursuing his career, without the support from his wife and family.

“I couldn’t have done what I have done alone,” he said. “This is as much their accomplishment and honor as it is mine.”

Gurecky spent 27 years working for Baroid Corporation, a Houston-based oil and gas industry production company, before using his family’s life-savings in 1983 to open Gurecky Manufacturing, which operated out of his garage with only three machines.

Since then, the company has undergone significant growth and is now housed in a 40,000-square-foot-facility filled with state-of-art precision manufacturing machines.

And although Gurecky will no longer serve as regent, he said he will continue to work closely and share his experiences and advice with TSTC as a mentor for students, and assist with recruitment efforts.

“Joe and Doris are pillars of this community and to have Joe serve as a regent has been a distinct privilege for TSTC,” said TSTC Field Development Officer John Kennedy. “He has brought a unique perspective to the board and we will forever be grateful for his years of service to the college.”

Kennedy added, “Joe and Doris are financially vested in TSTC. As a result of their generosity more than 150 students have been able to attend classes at our Fort Bend County campus.”

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