Past Outstanding Ex Recipients

Up until 1990, Austin High School selected the Outstanding-Ex Student. In June 1991, the school requested that the Alumni Association be in charge of selecting the Outstanding-Ex Student and of honoring that ex-student with a reception.

Congratulations to all of the Austin High School Outstanding Ex Recipients.  Panthers Forever!

 

Year

Outstanding Ex Class of

Notes

2017 Edmundo Lujan 1991
  • 2017 Star of Texas Award Recipient
  • Theodore Roosevelt Award for Dallas Offices Recipient
  • Dallas Police Officer
  • Miraculous survivor of near death experience (2015)
  • 4th Degree Knight, Knights of Columbus
  • Eucharistic Minister
  • Bible study teacher
  • Booster & volunteer
2016 Bob Burns 1960
  • Musician, Radio & television personality, Special Events producer and Arts Advocate
  • El Paso Arts Alliance Media Arts Award
  • Chamizal National Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, 1999
  • Community Arts Award, Dona Ana Arts Council, 1999
  • Music Scholarship created in his name at New Mexico State University, Society’s Board of Directors, 2010
  • First Annual Jazz Legends Award, City of Las Cruces, 2015
  • Bob Burns Day, Proclaimed by Las Cruces City Council, 2015
2015 Marcela Navarrete 1985
  • VP of Strategic Financial & Mgmt Services with El Paso Water
  • 2016 Woman of Impact
  • Highest ranking female in El Paso Water’s history
  • CPA
  • UTEP Graduate
2014 Tony Harper 1964
  • 1st head basketball coach at Montwood High School when it opened in 1990
  • Montwood’s gym was renamed Tony Harper Gymnasium
  • Named the 2013 National High School Coaches Association’s National High School Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year
  • 2012 UIL Texas High School Basketball Coach of the Year
2013 Ruben Batista 1976
  • Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Austin High School
  • Coach of the Year for Texas Region I
  • EI Paso’s 2008 Football “Coach of the Year”
2012 Ernest Barnard Polk 1966
  • Lifelong volunteer to numerous service organizations
  • El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame
2011 Dr. Roger V. Gonzalez, P.E. 1981
  • B.S.in  Mechanical Engineering
  • M.S. in Biomedical Engineering
  • Texas-licensed  Professional Engineer
  • Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
  • Founder and CEO of LIMBS International, a non-profit international organization which develops highly functional, low-cost, prosthetic devices for underdeveloped areas of the world.
2010 Dr. Patricia Marie Hills Davis 1971
  • Doctor of Medicine Degree in 1979 from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
  • Physician partner with Physician’s Healthcare Associates since 1999 and is currently on staff and on advisory board appointments for several local hospitals.
2009 Dr. Joseph B. Graves 1941
  • Distinguished Political Science and Criminal Justice Professor at the UTEP.  Contributions to UTEP include:
  • instrumental in establishing UTEP’s criminal justice program in 1973
  • served as the program’s founding director for thirteen years
  • served as the program chairman for six years
  • principal author and former director of the master’s of public administration program
2008 Dr. Dan Acosta Jr. 1963
  • 4th dean of the University of Cincinnati’s James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy. First Director of the Toxicology Training Program.
  • First and only Hispanic dean at the University of Cincinnati and the only Hispanic dean of pharmacy among the research intensive colleges of pharmacy across the country.
2007 Gloria Sapien Peña 1966
  • Administrative Director for Perioperative Services, Providence Memorial Hospital
  • Served in Vietnam
  • Gives her time to causes such as the Baptist Clinic in South El Paso, Medical Explorers and Medical Missions to Chihuahua with a physician’s group.
2006 Jimmy Ortega 1976
  • Stunt Coordinator
  • Stunt Double
  • Stunt Driver
  • Stuntman/Actor
2005 Alejandro (Alex) Acosta 1969
  • Attorney
  • Founding shareholder of  Acosta, Braden & Jones
2004 Chris Forbes 1970
  • Baseball Head Coach with 11 District Championships
  • El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame
2003 Elsie Edwards Partridge 1950
  • EPISD Director of Athletics; one of few female athletic directors in US
2002 Dr. Philip Boswell 1960
  • Dentist
2001 Connie Riordan Hartley 1955
  • Former Austin Teacher-History, P.E.; coached basketball, volleyball, softball, track
2000 Minerva Medina Morales 1976
  • Dedicated to giving back directly to Austin HS
  • Austin PTA President
  • City PTSA Board
1999 Truman H. Wills Jr. 1970
  • Austin Government Teacher
  • Track and Cross-Country Coach
  • Hall of Fame
1998 Col. Heidi Brown 1977
  • One of first women to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1981
  • First woman chosen to command a Patriot missile battalion
  • First woman to command an air defense brigade and lead it into combat during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
  • First woman to serve as Fort Bliss chief of staff
  • First female general in the Air Defense Artillery Branch
1997 Pat Goff 1959
  • Active in El Paso community and civic organizations
  • Local business owner
1996 Dr. Roger Ortiz 1952
  • El Paso Dentist
  • Served on Austin HS Alumni Association since 1991
1995 Thomas L. Redditt, Sr. 1934
  • Philanthropist
  • Donated $100,000 for the formation of a scholarship fund in memory of H. B. Fort, Austin’s first principal
1994 Larry Francis 1951
  • Former El Paso Mayor
  • El Paso Conquistador Award
1993 Peggy Elliot Goldwyn 1959
  • writer, director and producer of documentaries for syndicated television
  • Vice President of the Samuel Goldwyn Company
1992 Tom Moore 1946
  • Creator of “Archie”
1991 Dr. Arthur Najera 1952
  • Orthodontist
1990 Nancy Miller Hamilton 1945
  • Writer, journalist, public relations and local historian
1989 Dr. Ralph Rtolante
1988 Hughes Butterworth 1950
  • Founder of  Lawyers Title of El Paso
  • El Paso Conquistador Award
1987 Nicolas “Nick” Perez Jr. 1935
  • Civil Engineer
  • County Surveyor
  • Executive Director, El Paso Housing Authority
1986 Senator Gail Etheridge Bray 1966
  • Senator
1985 Dr. S. L. Abbott 1942
  • Optometrist and African Ambassador
1984 Lou Proano 1959
  • Public Relations
1983 Dr. Rene Rosas 1950
  • Dentist
1982 Dr Jeff Ekery 1965
  • Optometrist
1981 Justice Sandra Day O’Connor 1946
  • Supreme Court Justice
1980 Dr. Sam Paredes
  • Dentist
1979 Congressman Ron Coleman 1959
  • Congressman
1978 Mary Hoover
1977 Joe Lanford
1976 Toni Canales Hurt 1963
  • Austin HS Student Activities Director
1975 Dr. Robert Saucedo 1951
1974 A. O. Wynn 1932
  • EPISD Assistant Superintendent
1973 Jules Billard 1933
  • Retired Senior Editor, National Geographic
1972 Sam Donaldson
  •  Journalist
1971 Louie S. Camilli 1964
  • El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame
  • Major League Baseball Player
1970 Charlie Tupper 1960
  • Attorney
1969 Tom Niland 1960
  • President, Niland Co.
1968 Robert F. Lockhart 1941
1967 Dr. L. Donald Slaughter 1947
1966 Dr. Gordon Black 1936
  • Radiologist
  • EPISD School Board
1965 Sam Blackham 1947
  • Lawyer
1964 Robert Booth 1944
  • EPISD Band Director
1963 Joe S. Willis 1936
1962 Sam Young Jr. 1947
1961 William Michael
1960 James Francis 1944
  • EPISD Administrator
  • Founding father of Austin Alumni Association

8 thoughts on “Past Outstanding Ex Recipients

  1. Why has David Palacios not been honored? He’s in the basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Texas Western team. And what’s more important he’s a very successful businessman.

    Part of 1966 NCAA champions while at Texas Western college. He was also an executive for Univision.

    David was born and raised in El Paso, graduating from Austin High School in 1964 where he was a member of three consecutive city championship teams. He played three years at Texas Western including the 1966 championship team.

    Currently resides in Northern California where I do my telephone number is area code 707-246-0796.

    After graduating from UTEP in 1968 with a Business degree, he moved to Los Angeles. He worked in the music industry for 36 years before retiring in 2008 as Executive VP & CFO for Univision Music Group. He currently resides in Northern California. He has one daughter, Jessica.

    1. Please email your nomination letter, with additional information attached such as pictures, articles, etc. (if available) to austinalumn@gmail.com.
      Please include the following information: 1) all pertinent information about your nominee; 2) the year of graduation; 3) current home address; 4) phone number and e-mail; 5) why you believe this person should be our Outstanding Ex; and 5) all accomplishments relevant to this nomination.

  2. Do not forget about Eddie Zavala and Paul Anaya these were from the class of 1986; I believe Eddie worked for NASA and Paul is a surgeon.

    1. Please email your nomination letter, with additional information attached such as pictures, articles, etc. (if available) to austinalumn@gmail.com.
      Please include the following information: 1) all pertinent information about your nominee; 2) the year of graduation; 3) current home address; 4) phone number and e-mail; 5) why you believe this person should be our Outstanding Ex; and 5) all accomplishments relevant to this nomination.

      Please note that Mr. Zavala has already been nominated.

    1. Please email your nomination letter, with additional information attached such as pictures, articles, etc. (if available) to austinalumn@gmail.com.
      Please include the following information: 1) all pertinent information about your nominee; 2) the year of graduation; 3) current home address; 4) phone number and e-mail; 5) why you believe this person should be our Outstanding Ex; and 5) all accomplishments relevant to this nomination.

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