US Commerce Secretary
Donald Evans
Notes from Evan Smith
"Donald Evans is the 34th Secretary of the United States Department of
Commerce.
Evans was born in Houston in 1946. He graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1969 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and earned a M.B.A. from UT in 1973. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the Omicron Delta Kappa honorary fraternity.
In 1975, Evans moved to Midland from Houston and began his career in the oil industry as a "roughneck" working on oil rigs for Tom Brown, Inc. Ten years later, he became CEO of the company, continuing in that position until President Bush appointed him Secretary of Commerce.
It wasn't the first time Bush had appointed his longtime friend. In 1995, then-Governor Bush appointed Evans to the Board of Regents of The University of Texas. Evans was elected Chair of the Board of Regents in February 1997, and served two consecutive terms. Evans also served as a board member of the Scleroderma Research Foundation for eight years, becoming a driving force behind the Native Vision program, which provides vision services to about 10,000 Native American children. He was also involved with the United Way for many years, serving as president of the
Midland branch in 1989 and campaign chair in 1981.
In December 2001, the University of South Carolina awarded Evans an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. In September 2002, The University of Texas awarded Secretary Evans its Distinguished Alumnus Award. In November 2002,
he was inducted into The University of Texas Red McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame." - Evan Smith, Texas Monthly Talks, Broadcast 7.1.04
