Everything Nac

Robert Flores is all about Stephen F. Austin State University and Nacogdoches. Although he’s a native of Corsicana, he fell in love with the city and community while attending the university.

“I was lucky enough during my senior year at SFA to begin working for Elliott Electric Supply,” said Flores, who was recently appointed to the SFA Board of Regents by Gov. Greg Abbott. “Bill Elliott, the owner, has really been a mentor to me; it’s just his nature. We would spend hours talking about every aspect of business. It was an incredible opportunity.”

Flores received his Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from SFA in 1985 and is now the chief financial officer for the company, as well as a board member and secretary/treasurer for The Micky Elliott Family Foundation.

As a first-generation college student, Flores earned a scholarship that assisted with financing his own college career. He wants to ensure future SFA students are willing and able to compete in the workforce and attain the same level of success he has enjoyed.

“When it comes to SFA, the local hospitals or public schools, we shouldn’t criticize unless we are willing to step up and get involved,” he explained. “Many times, I have found myself wishing I could do more, so I was thrilled with the opportunity to be a part of the SFA Board of Regents.”

Flores practices what he preaches. He is vice chair of the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation, past chair of the Nacogdoches Medical Center Governing Board and a previous board member of the Nacogdoches Rotary Club. He is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Alton Frailey, chairman of the SFA Board of Regents, believes Flores’ experiences will make him a valuable board member.

“Robert Flores is a great alumnus and member of the community,” Frailey said. “I have enjoyed working with him in various endeavors over the past few years. I look forward to his insight, passion, integrity, and love for our town and university as an official part of our team.”

Flores’ wife, Kelly Bowers Flores, is a Nacogdoches native and also a graduate of SFA. Their sons have followed in the Lumberjack tradition.

“Kelly is a certified financial planner, and our oldest son, Drew, graduated from SFA with a degree in finance,” he said. “Our younger son, Blake, is a current student majoring in finance and accounting and working toward his master’s in accounting.”

Flores served on SFA’s screening committee to evaluate presidential candidates in 2019, when Dr. Scott Gordon was selected as SFA president. He is joining the SFA leadership team at a volatile time, as the university grapples with the issues presented by COVID-19.

“The higher education landscape is changing, and COVID has accelerated that change,” he said. “In addition to providing leadership, the board has a responsibility to be cheerleaders for the faculty, staff members and administrators who are bringing education to East Texas, as well as for the students themselves. I think there’s never been a more important time for this than now.”

Also new to the SFA board is Student Regent Ireland Bramhall, a senior hospitality administration major from Ennis.

“Stephen F. Austin State University is excited to have both Robert Flores and Ireland Bramhall serve as members of the Board of Regents,” Gordon said. “I have had the pleasure to get to know Robert and serve on a variety of community organizations with him and know he is a proud alumnus, tremendous SFA supporter and active community member. Ireland is a wonderful student leader at SFA and will provide a valuable voice to the board. I look forward to working with Robert and Ireland to help move SFA to new levels of success.”

Flores replaces former SFA Regent Nelda Luce Blair of The Woodlands, who resigned upon her appointment to the Public Safety Commission, which oversees the Texas Department of Public Safety. Flores’ appointment is set to expire on Jan. 31, 2021.

For more information about SFA’s Board of Regents, visit sfasu.edu/regents.

Stephen F. Austin State University alumnus Clayton Wolf has been named the chief operating officer of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Wolf, who graduated from SFA with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry with a concentration in forest wildlife management, has a 27-year career with TPWD and previously served as the statewide wildlife division director.

“Any success I have achieved is because of my parents, all the great people around me and SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture,” Wolf said.

In this new position, Wolf will work within the executive office of TPWD as a liaison between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission and TPWD staff members, and he be responsible for the overall operation of the statewide department that manages more than 770,000 acres of wildlife management areas and 600,000 acres of state parks, natural areas and state historic sites.

“Having been with TPWD for many years, I’m confident we can utilize the many success stories within the agency as models to make TPWD even more effective and efficient in delivering our mission,” Wolf said. “Externally, our work must be relevant to all Texans, whether they enjoy wildlife as hunters, anglers, hikers, campers, or they simply enjoy watching wildlife in their backyards and local communities.”

The mission of the TPWD is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. It is a recognized national leader in implementing effective natural resources conservation and outdoor recreational programs.

Wolf earned a master’s degree from Texas A&M University and, prior to beginning his career with TPWD, worked as a private sector wildlife biologist in Southeast Texas. He is a member of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture’s advisory council, which comprises a select group of accomplished professionals representing all disciplines within the college who dedicate their time, insight and expertise to enhancing the mission, academic rigor and success of the college.

Story by Sarah Fuller, outreach coordinator for Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. Contact information: (936) 468-1185 or fullersa@sfasu.edu.

Brooks-Quinn-Jones Elementary School in Nacogdoches said farewell to its principal, Tom Miller, a Stephen F. Austin State University alumnus (1980 and 1996), this year. But former BQJ assistant principal, Gerald Fonzie, another SFA alumnus (2008 and 2010), has been promoted to the role to continue the school’s legacy of Lumberjack leadership.

Before serving as principal and assistant principal for six years together at BQJ, Miller and Fonzie earned master’s degrees in education, as well as their principal and physical education teacher certifications at SFA. They also connected over playing sports growing up and participating in Lumberjack basketball. Miller was a graduate assistant in basketball at SFA from 1978 to 1980, and Fonzie played for the team from 2005 to 2008.

“SFA definitely played a big role in the relationship we have,” Fonzie said. “It allowed us to connect from an education and athletics point of view.”

Both Miller and Fonzie learned from Miller’s father, Harry, who coached the Lumberjack basketball team from 1978 to 1988. Another former Lumberjack basketball coach, Danny Kaspar, was an assistant to Harry at SFA from 1983 to 1986 before serving as head basketball coach from 2000 to 2013. Kaspar coached Fonzie with a philosophy similar to Harry’s, Fonzie said.

“I do believe Tom’s and my basketball backgrounds played a big part in our success as a team here at BQJ,” Fonzie said. “We instantly had a connection from day one. We both believe in running a very structured system, and I think we can credit that to Tom’s dad.”

Despite their common paths, Miller didn’t meet Fonzie until summer 2014 when he interviewed him for the assistant principal role at BQJ.

“I knew he was the person we needed after that first meeting,” Miller said. “I feel the connection of both of us being men in elementary education, playing basketball and knowing how to work with others was invaluable in making a winning team.”

Miller said they immediately agreed on how to proceed with leadership at BQJ because they both had an ability to sense what needed to be accomplished and how to succeed through working as a team.

“When one of us was engaged in something we could not pull free from, the other one knew right where to pick up automatically,” he said. “We always had a great working relationship and respect for each other.”

With that working relationship established, Miller and Fonzie “built a positive campus culture,” Miller said.

“We created a place where students felt safe, cared for and recognized for learning and where positive behaviors were supported,” Miller said. “This gave students a real desire to want to come to school.”

Through effective communication and activities, Miller and Fonzie ensured that BQJ was inviting for parents and supportive and collaborative for teachers and staff members who wanted to improve their skills in working with and teaching children.

Fonzie’s biggest challenge as assistant principal was beginning his role at age 26 and proving himself to faculty and staff who had more experience than he did in the education field.

But even at his young age, Fonzie taught Miller some lessons.

“Gerald showed me calm in stressful situations,” Miller said. “I believe he learned this in tight games when time was running out. He had the ability to know what to do under pressure.”

In return, Miller tried to model for Fonzie the importance of being available and responding promptly whenever possible to BQJ stakeholders.

“I had an open-door policy,” Miller said. “I felt it was extremely important to be out walking the halls so teachers and students saw me and knew I was there for them in whatever capacity they needed.”

Fonzie said he keeps the following advice from Miller in mind during his day-to-day work: “Always support your teachers, but never forget you have 800 students telling you that you’ve promised them a good education.”

As the new BQJ principal, Fonzie has three main goals for the upcoming school year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

“Keeping the students and faculty at BQJ safe is my first priority,” he said. “I also want to continue improving the level of instruction on this campus and make BQJ the place to be — a home away from home!”

As a first-year retiree, Miller’s main priorities are playing golf, spending time with his soon-to-be eight grandchildren and helping out at his wife’s store, The Mustard Seed.

Miller said he’ll miss the students, teachers and staff members at BQJ.

“We’ve built a great bond with our teachers and staff over the years, as we worked together to make BQJ a place everyone wants to attend,” he said.

But Miller knows he’s left BQJ in good hands with Fonzie. “It will continue to be a shining light for the district, as well as the city of Nacogdoches.”

By Jo Gilmore, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.