4 new professorships established at West Texas A&M University in honor of late Dr. Paul Engler

CANYON, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Following the death of Dr. Paul Engler on May 3, West Texas A&M University announced that four professorships were established to honor the legacy of the late entrepreneur who worked diligently in the Texas Panhandle cattle-feeding industry.

Dr. Neil Terry, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs expressed to WT that the newly established professorships reflect Engler’s “combination of work ethic, business acumen and resolve that captures the entrepreneurial spirit of West Texas.”

“Dr. Paul Engler singlehandedly transformed the cattle industry in the Texas Panhandle and America, and, likewise, he transformed WT,” said President Walter V. Wendler. “Paul was a bold visionary. He had a vision for WT to serve the people and communities of the Panhandle, and, from here, the state, nation and world as a Regional Research University.”

“Paul’s historic gift of $80 million was his way of investing his money in an idea he could see whether anyone else could see it or not. And the rest, as they say, is history,” Wendler continued. “He propelled WT into a bold future by supporting the people, programs and places of WT. Others have now grasped his vision, as evidenced through the success of the One West comprehensive fundraising campaign.”

In 2017, Engler and the Paul F. and Virginia J. Engler Foundation agreed to provide $1 million a year for 80 years to the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences and the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business which marks the largest gift in WT history, officials noted.

These instructors are now the recipients of the newly established professorships:

• Dr. Bridget Guerrero has been named the Paul Engler Professor of Agriculture.
• Guerrero teaches agricultural marketing, advanced farm and ranch management, agricultural policy, environmental and natural resource economics, and agricultural risk.

• Dr. Carolyn Bouma has been named the Paul Engler Professor of Microbiology.
• Bouma teaches microbiology, histology, medical microbiology and microbial genetics.

• Dr. Dave Howe has been named the Paul Engler Professor of Entrepreneurship.
• Howe teaches principles of management, leadership and teams, small business management, strategy implementation and negotiations.

• Dr. Carl Zhang has been named the Paul Engler Professor of Business Innovation.

• Zhang teaches courses related to programming for business applications, social network analysis, and data visualization in undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Zhang was the recipient of the Paul & Virginia Engler College of Business Teaching Excellence Award in 2023.

“Paul Engler was a great friend and generous contributor to the success of West Texas A&M University, especially to the Colleges that bear his name,” said the Colleges’ deans, Dr. Kevin Pond and Dr. Amjad Abdullat, in a joint statement. “He was consistently present and involved in business and agricultural programs and projects, maintaining office hours and interacting with students and faculty in both of our colleges. Dr. Engler’s life story will continue to stimulate and encourage others to think big, work hard, embrace being an entrepreneur, and choose to surround yourself with great people.”

WT officials reported that more than $500,000 in scholarship funds in the Engler College of Business are annually awarded to students while eight professorships at WT have also been established in the Engler name including:

• Paul Engler Professorship of Animal Science, currently vacant;
• Paul Engler Professorship of Beef Cattle Feedlot Management, currently held by Dr. John Richeson;
• Paul Engler Professorship of Natural Sciences, currently held by Dr. David Khan;
• Engler Professorship of Computer Information Systems, currently held by Dr. Abdullat;
• Engler Professorship of Economics, currently held by Dr. Terry;
• Engler Professorship of Management, currently held by Dr. Kelly McCauley;
• Paul Engler Professorship of Business, currently held by Dr. De’Arno De’Armond; and
• Virginia Engler Professorship of Business, currently held by Dr. Jillian Yarbrough.

Further, due to his continued impact on the Texas cattle-feeding industry, Engler has received several honors and accolades including being inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame and the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame, according to WT.

WT reminded the community that a funeral mass in honor of Engler will be held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, located at 4100 S. Coulter St. in Amarillo.

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