Former Austin mayor Will Wynn tapped to lead Texas A&M McAllen campus

After leading Austin through six years of rapid growth as mayor, McAllen resident Will Wynn is taking on a new leadership role in the Rio Grande Valley.

Texas A&M University has named Wynn executive director of the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen, where he will oversee day-to-day operations, strengthen partnerships with industry and community leaders, and support the campus’ continued growth. 

His appointment became effective July 13.

Wynn succeeds longtime Executive Director Rick Margo, who has transitioned to Texas A&M Health’s Rio Grande Valley Health Education and Outreach as director after helping establish and expand the McAllen campus.

The appointment brings a well-known Texas public official to one of the Valley’s key higher education institutions as it continues expanding programs designed to meet regional workforce needs.

A Beaumont native who now lives in McAllen, Wynn served as Austin’s 50th mayor from 2003 to 2009, helping guide the state’s capital through a period of significant population growth, infrastructure investment, and regional collaboration. 

His career also includes leadership roles in real estate development, public-private partnerships, utility oversight, sustainability initiatives, and long-term strategic planning.

“Will Wynn brings a rare combination of executive leadership, operational judgment, public-sector experience and deep loyalty to Texas A&M,” Ernest “Ernie” Aliseda, chief operating officer and associate vice president of the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen, said in a news release last week. “He understands complex organizations, budgets, facilities, infrastructure and, most importantly, people.”

Wynn said the opportunity allows him to give back to the university that helped shape his career while contributing to the Valley’s future.

“Texas A&M changed the course of my life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to give back by helping advance the university’s mission in McAllen,” Wynn said. “I love this community and have great respect for the people of the Rio Grande Valley. I look forward to working with students, faculty, staff, university leadership and local partners to support the center’s continued growth and success.”

Established in 2017, the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen gives Rio Grande Valley students access to Texas A&M degree programs without relocating to College Station. 

The campus partners with colleges across the university to offer undergraduate and graduate programs focused on high-demand fields that support the region’s workforce and economic development.

Wynn graduated cum laude from Texas A&M University in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental design. He has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of the university’s College of Architecture and has received Austin Under Forty’s Austinite of the Year award for his public service and civic leadership.