COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Porter Garner, President and CEO of The Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University, announced Saturday that he will retire Dec. 31, 2026, capping a career spanning five decades with the organization.
Garner shared his retirement plans with The Association's Leadership Council — the organization's governing body — at its biannual meeting Feb. 21 at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. He noted the decision followed thoughtful consideration and a desire to ensure a strong and well-prepared transition for The Association.
"For this Texas Aggie, there has been no more gratifying opportunity or role or experience that I've ever had in my life, professionally, than to serve this organization as President and CEO," Garner said. "And I thank each and every one of you for all of that."
Garner joined The Association in 1981 as field director, traveling hundreds of thousands of miles across the nation and around the world to engage Aggies. After 18 years of service, The Association's Board of Directors unanimously selected him to lead the organization effective Jan. 1, 2000, making him only the seventh chief executive in The Association's 147-year history.
During his 27-year tenure as President and CEO, The Association raised over $572 million to support scholarships, student organizations, traditions, faculty and staff excellence, career services, former student engagement and more. The Association also distributed more than 310,000 Aggie Rings to eligible students and former students during Garner's tenure.
Garner's leadership helped shape the Texas A&M campus and the broader Aggie community. Among his priorities as chief executive, he led The Association's first-ever branding initiative, creating a unified and recognizable identity for the organization. His vision also led to the creation of signature events and programs including Aggie Ring Day, Aggie Ring Remembrance, the Distinguished Alumni Gala and the Worldwide Muster Roll Call, as well as the development of Aggie Park, the premier green space on the Texas A&M campus.
Shara McClure, the 2026 Chair of The Association's Board of Directors, said Garner's impact is visible across campus.
"Every single Aggie, every single person who steps foot on this campus, sees and feels the impact he has made, even if they do not know to attribute it to him," McClure said. "The Association of Former Students, Texas A&M University, and Texas Aggies are all immensely grateful and deeply indebted to Porter for his 45 years of selfless service and visionary leadership."
Jeff Steen, Immediate Past Chair of The Association's Board of Directors and a member of the Board's Executive Committee, said Garner has been an exceptional connector of people, a devoted champion of his alma mater and a trusted advisor to chancellors, presidents and regents.
"There is no more consistent and influential force at Texas A&M than Porter Garner," Steen said. "Texas A&M and Texas Aggies will continue to feel his impact for generations to come."
John Dickerson, Chair Elect of The Association's Board and a member of its Executive Committee, praised Garner's commitment to The Association's staff.
"For 27 years, Porter has never wavered in his belief that The Association's greatest asset is its people," Dickerson said. "His strategic and proactive efforts to identify, recruit and develop internal talent, along with the culture he championed, are the foundations of The Association's exceptional accomplishments during his tenure as CEO."
Among his honors, Garner was presented with a lifetime membership in The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi in 2019 and was named an Outstanding Alumnus of the Mays Business School of Texas A&M in 2022. He is one of only 4 people to have been honored with a lifetime membership in the Brazos County A&M Club. In 2023, the Washington's Birthday Celebration Association announced their selection of Garner, a native of Laredo, Texas, as the 2024 Mr. South Texas.
Garner and his wife, Lisa, are Endowed Century Club donors to The Association of Former Students, Eppright Distinguished Donors and members of the Texas A&M Legacy Society. Together, they raised three children rooted in Aggie values: Claire, Callie, and Porter IV.
Following Garner's announcement, McClure announced that the Board of Directors had unanimously selected Nicholas K. Taunton, The Association's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, as the next President and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2027.
"Nic possesses the vision, integrity and dedication needed to lead The Association of Former Students," McClure said. "His demonstrated and experienced leadership skills position The Association to seamlessly continue its work as the most prominent and powerful resource for Texas A&M and Texas Aggies."
Taunton joined The Association of Former Students as Director of Development in 2014 and joined the organization's executive leadership team in 2016 as Vice President of Development. In 2023, he became The Association's first Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, leading the organization's day-to-day operations.
Taunton earned a BBA in finance in 2007 from Texas A&M, where he served as student body president. After graduation, he worked as a volunteer consultant in Rwanda before earning a law degree from The University of Texas School of Law in 2011. He began his career practicing commercial litigation as an associate with Norton Rose Fulbright.
"The Board has supreme confidence in Nic's ability to carry The Association's noble mission even further in 2027 and beyond," McClure said. "The future of the Aggie Network is as bright as ever under his leadership."
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