The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents elected Nov. 17 Mark Griffin and Ginger Kerrick Davis, chairman and vice chairwoman, respectively, during a regularly scheduled meeting of the board. The two will serve two-year terms, effective immediately.
Griffin becomes the eighth regent from Lubbock to serve as chairman of the board – and the first since 2001 (Alan B. White). Kerrick Davis is the sixth woman – and the first since 2017 (Debbie Montford) – to serve the board as vice chairwoman.
“Regent Griffin is a dedicated and ardent supporter of the Texas Tech University System,” Dr. Tedd L. Mitchell, chancellor of the TTU System, said in a news release. “His enthusiasm and commitment to serving our system and component universities are impactful and admirable. I’d like to congratulate him on being elected chairman of our board, and I look forward to his many contributions serving our board and university system in this elected leadership role.”
Griffin has served the past two years as the board’s vice chairman and twice, throughout his most recent tenure as a regent, has led presidential search committees which have identified and recommended the current presidents of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Lori Rice-Spearman, Ph.D.) and Midwestern State University (JuliAnn Mazachek, Ph.D.).
Griffin was appointed to his second term on the Board of Regents on March 6, 2019, by Gov. Greg Abbott. He previously served as a regent from 2005-09, following an appointment by former Gov. Rick Perry.
Griffin is president of The Griffin Companies consisting of Rip Griffin Truck Service Center, Inc. and the Griffin Family Office, which are investment companies holding positions in numerous, wide-ranging investments.
He previously served as president of Pro Petroleum, Inc. He serves as a director of The CH Foundation and previously served as a director for Plains National Bank and the Governor’s Economic Development Board. He also served the Lubbock Independent School District as a trustee from 1994-2007 and as a trustee for the Covenant Health System from 2003-08. From 1990-93, he served as a director for the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation.
He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor degree from the Texas Tech University School of Law, where he was named a distinguished alumnus in 2009. Earlier this year, Griffin was honored with the Jerry S. Rawls Business Excellence Award.
“I am grateful for Regent Kerrick Davis and the contributions she has brought to our board throughout her tenure, and I’m excited to have her move into this new leadership position,” said Mitchell. “Her passion for our system shines in the work she does, and our system and component institutions benefit from her collaborative approach and desire to serve the students, faculty, staff and campus communities across the system.”
Kerrick Davis was appointed to the Board of Regents by Abbott on March 6, 2019. She currently serves the board as the chairwoman of the Academic, Clinical and Student Affairs Committee. She also is a member of the Regents’ Rules Review Committee. In 2021-22, Kerrick Davis was a member of the MSU Texas Presidential Search committee that resulted in the appointment of Mazachek as the 12th president in the history of MSU Texas.
Kerrick Davis is the chief strategy officer for Barrios Technology, Ltd. Last year, she retired from NASA after 30 years of service. She served in numerous leadership roles for NASA, including her final position as deputy director of the exploration integration and science directorate. In addition, she became the first female Hispanic flight director in the history of NASA in 2005.
She was recognized by the Texas Governor’s Commission for Women for her outstanding leadership and dedicated service to the nation’s space program, as well as her commitment to inspiring others through giving back to her community.
In 2016, Kerrick Davis was one of the five women named to the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. She was named a distinguished alumna by Texas Tech University in 2004, and she also was recognized as a distinguished alumna in 2012 by the Texas Tech Alumni Association.
Kerrick Davis received a bachelor of science in physics in 1991 and a master of science in physics in 1993 from Texas Tech University.
