Armbrister is Commencement Speaker

State Senator Ken Armbrister

James F. Gaertner, Sam Houston State University president, will introduce Armbrister and confer degrees in the morning ceremony for the Colleges of Criminal Justice and Education and Applied Science and in the afternoon for Arts and Sciences and Business Administration.

A total of 866 students have applied for undergraduate degrees, 125 for master's degrees, and six for doctorates.

Armbrister is currently the chairman of the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice and is a member of the State Affairs Committee and Redistricting Committee. Governor Rick Perry recently appointed him to the Task Force on Homeland Security.

In addition, Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff has named him to the Joint Interim Committee on Higher Education Excellence Funding. He is also vice chair of the Natural Resources and Economic Development committees and a member of a special committee on Electric Utility Restructuring.

Armbrister is a 1971 SHSU graduate, and also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He is a former police captain with 14 years experience and served as director of the Victoria Regional Police Training Academy.

His political career began when he was vice president of the Victoria school board. He served two terms in the Texas House of Representatives before being elected to the Texas Senate in 1986.

During his tenure in the Legislature, he has served as president pro tempore of the Senate, has been acting governor, and has been honored as one of the best legislators in Texas by various groups.

The Texas Chambers of Commerce and Business have honored him for his legislative leadership and his public service. Law enforcement organizations, teacher and education associations, health care groups and others have honored him for his service and dedication.

Armbrister and his wife, Susie, live in Victoria where he is the general manager of a private security company. They have a son and daughter and one granddaughter.

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SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
Dec. 3, 2001
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