Blinn celebrates the legacies of Kenjura and Sommer, welcomes Kolkhorst and Crowson to the Board of Trustees
Board approves lease agreement for veterinary technology space at Texas A&M
May 21, 2019
The Blinn College District welcomed two newly elected trustees and recognized two retiring trustees who combined for more than a half century of service Tuesday during the College’s May Board of Trustees meeting.
Blinn recognized Board Secretary David Sommer and Trustee Atwood Kenjura, both of whom announced in January that they would not seek re-election.
Kenjura retires after 43 years of service, which includes seven terms as Board Chair, four as Vice-Chair, and two as secretary. A lifelong resident of Brenham and a 1965 Blinn graduate, Kenjura is the pharmacist and owner of Kenjura Pharmacy located in downtown Brenham. An active community leader, Kenjura was named to the Blinn College Alumni and Friends Hall of Honor in 1998.
Sommer retires after eight years on the Blinn board, including a term as Board Chair from 2015-2017. He has served as Board Secretary since May 2017.
A Brenham native and 1975 Blinn College honors graduate, Sommer previously served on the Blinn College Foundation Board, where he held leadership roles as Board Chairman, Treasurer, and Chair of the Finance Committee. In 2010, he was inducted into the Blinn College Hall of Honor for his commitment to Blinn College and his community.
Kenjura and Sommer each were recognized with resolutions from the American Association of Community Colleges, the Community College Association of Texas Trustees, and the Blinn College District. Both trustees also received plaques in their honor from Blinn, and Kenjura received a plaque from the Association of Community College Trustees.
Oaths of office were administered to Charles Moser, who was re-elected to At-Large Position 1; Jim Kolkhorst, who was elected to At-Large Position 2; and Dr. Dennis Crowson, who was elected to At-Large Position 3.
The board also elected three members to two-year terms as board officers. Moser was elected Board Chair, Kolkhorst was elected Vice-Chair, and Teddy Boehm was elected Secretary.
In other business, the board authorized the College District to negotiate and execute a lease agreement with The Texas A&M University System for space within the Veterinary Medicine Administration and Veterinary Medical Sciences buildings located at Texas A&M University’s Veterinary & Biomedical Education Complex in College Station. This agreement will provide expanded space for Blinn’s Veterinary Technology Program, which seeks to increase enrollment to meet the state’s growing demand for veterinary technicians. Blinn’s is one of just 10 veterinary technology programs in the state, and graduates are eligible to take their state and national exams to become fully credentialed licensed veterinary technicians.
The board also authorized Blinn to award a contract to Collier Construction for a new agricultural sciences building on the Brenham Campus. The 6,000-square-foot building will house a livestock demonstration room, tack room, farrowing house, livestock pens, and pavilion. The new facility will allow Blinn to expand its course offerings.
