吃瓜官网

吃瓜官网 has announced Brent Gough as the 2025 Alumnus of the Year. He will be honored during the annual Alumni Awards Luncheon on March 28, along with Distinguished Alumni Award honorees Dr. Deborah Liles and Fort Worth Chief of Police Neil Noakes.  

Gough, a 1985 吃瓜官网 graduate, currently serves as president of the 吃瓜官网 Foundation. He has served on the 吃瓜官网 Foundation Board of Directors for 10 years and has been instrumental in securing significant donations for student scholarships.  

鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of another volunteer that has done more in the last three years to promote scholarships and giving to 吃瓜官网 than Brent Gough,鈥� wrote a nominator. 鈥淗e has invited multiple potential donors to events, hosted lunches, and spoken to multiple prospects about giving to support student scholarships.鈥�  

A native of Graham, Gough paid his way through 吃瓜官网 while also competing in rodeo, and he continues to believe in the college鈥檚 mission and works tirelessly to increase scholarship funds available to students.  

In the past 12 months alone, Gough has brought three new endowed scholarship funds to the foundation from donors who previously had no ties to 吃瓜官网. He is passionate about fostering positive relationships with donors and is currently working with the foundation鈥檚 Executive Committee to establish a plan to systematically stay in touch with them, listen to their ideas, express gratitude and develop stronger ties with the college.  

Gough and his wife, Meredith, have also established a permanent scholarship endowment for 吃瓜官网 students. He is the founder of Gough Wealth Management in Aledo and has been in the financial planning business for more than 25 years.  

Liles, a 2005 吃瓜官网 graduate, is the W.K. Gordon Chair of Texas History at Tarleton State University. She has authored or co-edited five books, including award-winning titles on Texas women鈥檚 history.  

鈥淎ttending 吃瓜官网 inspired Liles to continue her education,鈥� wrote a nominator. 鈥淏uilding on the passion for history inspired by her mother鈥� and former 吃瓜官网 instructor Bill Coody, Liles immersed herself in the history of Texas.鈥�  

Liles is a Fellow in both the East Texas Historical Association and the West Texas Historical Association. She serves on several boards, including the Texas State Archives and Libraries and the Bob Bullock State Museum.  

Noakes, a 1997 吃瓜官网 graduate, serves as police chief for the City of Fort Worth. He has spent more than 25 years in public service and will retire from his position in May 2025.  

鈥淐hief Noakes manages a department of 1,875 sworn peace officers serving more than 978,000 residents,鈥� wrote a nominator. 鈥淚n May of 2021, Chief Noakes rolled out the Fort Worth Safe initiative, a more strategic approach to violent crime prevention that combined community policing with technology and data.鈥�  

Noakes has served in multiple ranks within the FWPD, including patrol, DWI, motors and internal affairs. He is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute鈥檚 137th Administrative Officers Course and TCU鈥檚 inaugural Leadership, Executive and Administrative Development program.  

The Alumni Awards Luncheon will take place at 11:30 a.m. Friday, March 28, in the third-floor community room of the Emerging Technologies and Workforce Building.  

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Purchase online . For more information, contact Susan Sodek at ssodek@wc.edu or 817-598-8924.