March 22, 2007
The St. Mary’s University Alumni Association honored three graduates at the annual Distinguished Alumni Dinner on March 26.
This year’s honorees are Douglas W. Cross (B.S. ’68), president and CEO of Zulu Investment Corporation which owns AAA Auger; Barbara B. Gentry (B.A. ’71), senior vice president of community affairs for USAA and president of the USAA Foundation; and Ronald J. Herrmann (B.A. ’57, J.D. ’59), who chairs various family-owned businesses including Columbia 300 Industries.
Douglas Cross is president and CEO of Zulu Investment Corp., which owns AAA Auger. The company has branches in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Tulsa, Okla. His community service is extensive, including terms as president of the Central Catholic Alumni Association and Central Catholic Parents’ Club; chair of the Central Catholic Board of Directors; vice president of the St. Mary’s Alumni Association (1982) and chair of the St. Mary’s Fiesta Oyster Bake. He is considered one of the fathers of the modern-day Fiesta Oyster Bake. In 2002, Cross was named to the San Antonio Archdiocese Catholic Hall of Fame. He currently serves as chairman of the board for the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind, vice president of the Rotary Club of San Antonio, secretary and board member of the Bluestar Contemporary Art Center; board member of Providence High School and Eucharistic minister and Lector at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church.
Barbara Gentry is the senior vice president of community affairs for USAA and president of the USAA Foundation. She has a long-standing commitment community and serves on the board of directors of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce; as an emeritus board member of the Alamo Public Telecommunications Council; as a member of the Boys and Girls Town San Antonio Advisory Board; as member of the Board of Directors of the Cancer Therapy and Research Center, and a member of the YMCA Board of Governors. Gentry is a former member of the St. Mary’s University Board of Trustees and the St. Mary’s University Alumni Association Board of Directors. She has received the President’s Award from the Child Guidance Center, the Friend of Youth Award from the San Antonio Youth Centers, and the 2002 Women’s Leadership Award from the San Antonio Business Journal.
Ron Herrmann is chair of various family-owned businesses including manufacturing, retail, restaurant and real estate investments. His most recognizable role is chairman of Columbia 300 Industries, the industry leader in manufacturing bowl balls and equipment which was recently acquired by Ebonite. Herrmann’s ties to St. Mary’s remain strong. He was named a Distinguished Law Alumni by the St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1978, and has served a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors and as chair of the St. Mary’s School of Law Advisory Council. He was commissioned in the United States Army Reserves and was a member of the Reserve Officers Association. He served as the Adjutant General of the Reserve Officers Association of Texas. Herrmann was an organizing director of the World Affairs Council of San Antonio.