Newsletter of the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University
Ronald J. Gafford, an Outstanding Alumnus of Texas A&M’s College of Architecture, has been promoted to chairman, president and chief executive officer at Dallas-based Austin Industries, one of the largest, most diversified construction companies in the nation.
Gafford, who received a Bachelor of Building Construction degree from Texas A&M’s College of Architecture in 1972, replaces William T. “Bill” Solomon, who retired after more than 45 years with the company.
“Ron Gafford has demonstrated through his role as president and CEO that he will make an exceptionally fine chairman and will lead the company to new levels of accomplishment,” said Solomon.
He became president of Austin Industries in 1996 and was given the added role of CEO in 2001; he joined Austin Commercial, an Austin Industries subsidiary, in 1987 as executive vice president and was named president in 1988.
Austin Industries employes approximately 6,000 workers and is 100 percent employee-owned.
Landmark projects built by Austin in the Dallas/Fort Worth area include the triple underpass and the 72-story Bank of America building in downtown Dallas, the spine roadway and Terminal D at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and the American Airlines Center, home to the Dallas Stars and Dallas Mavericks.
He has endowed scholarships in the departments of architecture and construction science and is a member of the College of Architecture's Dean's Advisory Council.
