Local Texas Exes honors Tylerite, University of Texas board chairman Kevin Eltife

Published 8:37 pm Thursday, July 29, 2021

For University of Texas Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife, two things are near and dear to his heart — the city of Tyler and the University of Texas. 

On Thursday night, those two loves came together as the Tyler-Smith County chapter of the official UT Austin alumni association, Texas Exes, named Eltife an Outstanding Texas Ex.

He received the honor at Hollytree Country Club in Tyler at the Texas Exes Tyler-Smith County chapter’s scholarship dinner. 

“It’s a big honor. I love the University of Texas at Austin. Some of my lifelong friends today are ones I met in Austin,” Eltife said. “It’s given me the foundation to be successful in life and I’m just extremely honored for the award tonight.”

He added receiving the award means a lot to him, and giving back to the Tyler community as a board regent is very rewarding.

Eltife said all the pieces are in place for the new UT System medical school coming to Tyler. The regents committed $100 million, the system gathered $100 million in philanthropy and the school received approval through the legislature. 

Dr. Kirk Calhoun, president of UT Tyler, which now includes UT Tyler and UT Health Science Center at Tyler, is doing a fabulous job leading the institution, Eltife said. 

“We need to build the building and begin the classes. We should have our first medical students in 2023,” he said. 

Eltife emphasized the importance of education, a value that he learned from his mother at a young age.

“My dad died when I was young. My mother raised us single-handedly. Two things she instilled in us were to help the less fortunate and get a good education,” he said. “If you want to succeed in life, you’ve got to get an education. I think that’s what I love about serving on the board of regents is that we’re trying to make sure every student in Texas has accessible education and gets into the University of Texas.”

Eltife was elected chairman of the board and was re-elected as chairman on June 2.

“I’m happy right where I’m at,” he said. “I’m just honored to be on the Board of Regents.”

In addition to his time as mayor and state senator, he also served on the Tyler City Council. He was a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

He owns Eltife Properties, Ltd., and he is the director for Citizens 1st Bank. He also serves on the UT Austin Development Board and the University of Texas at Tyler Development Board.

During the dinner, UT Austin President Jay Hartzell said it’s great to be back in East Texas, and he called Tyler one of the great cities in Texas. 

“It’s our anchor out here in East Texas. It also happens to be the home to our chairman of the board of regents, Kevin Eltife,” Hartzell said. “It’s great to be here, great to see a bunch of Longhorns. It’s clear there’s a passion for the university and it shows up on nights like tonight.”

With the challenges of the last year or so during the pandemic, Hartzell said he feels very grateful for Eltife. 

“I feel just so fortunate that the governor picked a leader like Chairman Eltife,” Hartzell said. “He’s been a champion of democracy, a champion of education, a champion of independent thought and always looks out for the students at the University of Texas.”

He thanked the local Texas Exes chapter for everything the members do to help UT Austin students through scholarships. 

“It makes education possible. It makes a real difference to them,” Hartzell said. “The students are really at the center for you.”

Noting UT Austin alumnus Earl Campbell and future Longhorn Tyler Legacy High School football player Jamarion Miller, Hartzell called Tyler “a hotbed of talent.”

“We’re always happy when Tyler comes to Texas,” he said.