Board of Regents Names Chancellor Finalist
Kent R. Hance
October 18, 2006 | Written by Sally Logue Post
The MINI传媒 Board of Regents today (Oct. 18) announced Kent R. Hance has been named the sole finalist for the position of chancellor.
鈥淲e considered numerous exceptional candidates and found that the best choice is already a member of the Texas Tech family,鈥� said J. Frank Miller III, vice chairman of the board of regents and chairman of the chancellor search committee. 鈥淜ent has exhibited the vision and leadership skills we sought for this position. He has a great commitment to the MINI传媒 and we look forward to his leadership as each of our universities continues to grow and thrive.鈥�
Hance graduated from Texas Tech in 1965 with a bachelor鈥檚 of business administration degree.
鈥淭his is a great honor for me and my family,鈥� said Hance. 鈥淎ll together, we hold nine degrees from Texas Tech, and we have all been proud, loyal supporters. We will continue to do our best to help this vibrant university grow toward its goals of excellence and innovation. I am sincerely grateful to the Board of Regents for this opportunity.鈥�
L. Frederick Francis, chairman of the board, said, 鈥淲hile we looked nationally for candidates, it is not surprising that the most attractive candidate was one who already had a strong personal connection to Texas Tech. The university is indeed fortunate to have one of its own be willing to step away from a rewarding and flourishing professional career to answer a call to 鈥榗ome back home鈥� and help his alma mater when it needs him. There is much to be done at Texas Tech, but our future is brighter today because of the leadership that Kent Hance will bring to the effort.鈥�
Hance, a native of Dimmitt, earned his law degree from the University of Texas in 1968. Hance returned to Lubbock to practice law and teach business law at Texas Tech. He won election to the Texas State Senate in 1974 and the U.S. Congress in 1979 and served as a member of the Texas Railroad Commission from 1987-1990. He currently lives in Austin and is an attorney with the firm of Hance, Scarborough and Wright. In February 2005, Hance established the $1 million Kent Hance Regents Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship in the Rawls College of Business Administration.
Now that Hance has been named the sole finalist for the chancellor position, state law requires that 21 days must pass before any final action can be taken by the board of regents.
Hance succeeds Dr. David R. Smith, who served as chancellor from April 2002 until February 2006. Dr. Donald R. Haragan, president emeritus of Texas Tech, has served as interim chancellor since February.