Top left to bottom right: Richard “Dick” Myers, Oscar E. Venegas, Margie Salazar, Lewis Teal, Jaswinder “Jassi” Chadha, Ida Almanza, Alfredo Carbajal, Vikram Jayaram, Punya Prakash, Susan Moreland, Jack Moreland, and Tita Yanar.

Celebrating our 2024 Distinguished Alumni and Gold Nugget Award Recipients

Every year, The University of Texas at El Paso and the UTEP Alumni Association honor a group of men and women whose achievements stand out as examples of dedication, integrity and hard work – they are the UTEP Distinguished Alumni. On Friday, November 8, 2024, during Homecoming week, the 2024 Distinguished Alumni and Gold Nugget Awards recipients will be recognized at the annual UTEP Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner at the Don Haskins Center. 

RSVP HERE

Internal campus/departmental purchases can be made by purchase requisition. Please email jheredia@utep.edu for more information.  

UTEP 2024 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS

Richard “Dick” Myers

BBA in Management, 1967
Woody L. Hunt College of Business

Richard “Dick” Myers is a dedicated business analyst and former UTEP Basketball player. Myers was recruited from Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas by Coach Don Haskins to play at UTEP, known as Texas Western College at the time. He was part of the historic 1966 UTEP Basketball team that won the NCAA National Championship over the University of Kentucky. His involvement contributed to the expansion of civil rights in the sports realm and opened a conversation on discrimination.     

Upon graduating from UTEP, Myers stayed in El Paso and built his family alongside his wife, Elsie Myers. They continued supporting UTEP Athletics, spending their time and talents with the Miner Athletics Club and the student athletes. Myers dedicated 20 years working at Farah Manufacturing, a leading local manufacturer and marketer of men’s apparel, and subsequently obtained an administrative position at Coach New York, the American luxury fashion house, where he built a 14-year career and retired as the Vice President of Planning and Logistics in 2007.

Even during their time away from El Paso, the Myers family supported UTEP through donations to UTEP Athletics and the Woody L. Hunt College of Business.

 

Oscar E. Venegas

B.S. in Civil Engineering, 1973
College of Engineering

Oscar E. Venegas is a prolific engineer and a successful business leader with an unwavering commitment to education and his community. Venegas founded VEMAC, LLC in 2003 and served as its President until 2019, during which he grew and transformed the company into one of the most successful and highly respected construction management firms in the El Paso region.

His philanthropic impact is enduring as he has generously donated to UTEP Athletics and the Department of Civil Engineering, backing initiatives that help current and future students. He is an advocate for UTEP graduates and supports them directly by not only mentoring students, providing them with guidance and knowledge, but also opportunities as engineers and businesspeople. Under his leadership at VEMAC, LLC, many graduates from the College of Engineering and the College of Business Administration have been hired to work in the firm.

Venegas’ dedication also led him to establish the Alumni Association for Civil Engineers at UTEP, bringing together a successful group of UTEP civil engineering graduates to support the educational, research and service activities of the department. He serves on the Department of Civil Engineering Advisory Board and in the Athletic Advisory Board and was recognized with the College of Engineering Gold Nugget Award in 2012.