Distinguished alumni to be honored at luncheon

Four of The University of Texas at Tyler’s 2009 Distinguished Alumni will be honored at a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at the UT Tyler Ornelas Activity Center as part of this year’s homecoming activities.

Honorees are chosen based on outstanding contributions to their chosen profession since graduation from the University. Those being honored include Distinguished Alumni Michael Lujan, M. Ed. ‘01, Brett Sheldon, B.A.A.S. ‘89, and The Honorable James T.  Worthen, B.S. ’78, M.S. ‘99, and this year’s Young Alumna Donna Cummings, B.A.A.S, ’03.

Michael Lujan

With his wife Lisa, Michael Lujan launched Mentoring Minds out of his garage seven years ago. The business has grown so much that Hispanic Business Magazine recently placed it 424th on its 2008 list of Top 500 Hispanic businesses, with annual revenues of $8.59 million. 

In 2002 Lujan, then assistant principal at Douglas Elementary School created a school-subject flip chart  of state standards by grade. He and Mrs. Lujan used credit cards to pay for printing the first 1,000 charts for kindergarten through fifth grade. The Lujans made $6,000 selling the charts at a principals’ conference in Austin.

Interest quickly skyrocketed and Lujan resigned from his principal’s job in 2003 and Mrs. Lujan left her job as a banker. He now has three warehouses with 53 full-time employees, including eight former educators.

Mentoring Minds has the largest digital printing operation between Dallas and Shreveport. The company sells 700 different products, and the customers no longer are teachers and school districts. Many of the products help students prepare for state standardized tests. Mentoring Minds creates products for specific Texas use as well as more general materials for use in schools nationwide.

Michael holds a B.A. degree in elementary education, a B.A. degree in sociology, a B.A. degree in political science, and a University M.Ed. in school administration.

Brett Sheldon

Brett Sheldon has been in real estate for 20 years and has expertise in all facets of the industry including site selection, development, construction, and leasing. His company, Dallas-based Salvo Real Estate Solutions, develops all four hard corners at premier retail intersections.

Projects generally include drug, convenience/gas, bank, restaurant and grocery segments, home improvement, super-centers, general merchandiser, apparel, electronics, and crafts retailers. Since 1992 company experience includes projects for Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Circuit City, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Marshalls, PETsMART, Eckerd, Walgreens and more.

Sheldon developed Broadway Crossing and Circuit City in Tyler. Before founding Salvo, Brett directed the western-division leasing operations of Pan Pacific Development Co. During the 1980s, Brett worked with Southwest Cornerstone Development Co. to develop and lease more than one million square feet of retail space and half a million square feet of office space.

A graduate of the University, Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, and of M.I.T.’s Birthing of Giants program, Brett holds real estate brokerage licenses in Texas and Nevada.

James T. Worthen

Justice Worthen practiced law in Tyler from 1980 through 1998, first with the law firm of Sammons and Parker, and then with Bain, Files, Worthen and Jarrett, P.C. From 1999 through 2002 he served the State of Texas as a Justice on the 12th Court of Appeals in Tyler. He became its Chief Justice in 2003. He served as Chairman of the Council of Chief Justices from 2005 – 2006.

Besides being a member of the State Bar of Texas, he is a member of the Bars for the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Texas and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has served on the Bar Journal Committee for the State Bar of Texas from 1985 to the present.

Chief Justice Worthen is Author of “The Organizational and Structural Development of Intermediate Appellate Courts in Texas, 1892-2003” published in South Texas Law Review, fall, 2004.

Justice Worthen holds a Bachelor of Science; political science, a University Master of Science; political science and received his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1980 and his L.L.M. from the University of Virginia in 2004.

Donna Cummings

Cummings is a local professional photographer who started her business in 2003 after going back to school at the University. Her studio specializes in portraits, weddings, families and high school seniors. Cummings received an unprecedented score of 100 for her wedding entry print, “Daddy’s Girl”, at the East Texas Pro Forum 2006 Annual Print Competition.

The print won “Best Wedding Image” and took the “Judge’s Choice” ribbon as well. “Daddy’s Girl” has gone on to win “Best Wedding Image” at PPA’s Regional five state conference in 2007. Cummings also won the prestigious Kodak Award for Photographic Excellence in the wedding category at the SWPPA convention.

Cummings, who serves on the board of the Pro Forum, received an “Excellent” merit score of 81 on her unclassified print entry, “Dream World” which was taken in Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii during a destination wedding shoot. Cummings has a Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences from the University.

Tickets are available for the luncheon at $30 each. Reserved tables of eight are $250 by contacting UT Tyler’s Alumni Office at 903-565-5779.