The University of Houston System Board of Regents elected its leadership team for FY2025. During the Board’s recent quarterly meeting, the following regents were named as officers.
- Chair – Tilman J. Fertitta
- Vice Chair – John A. McCall, Jr.
- Secretary – Gregory C. King
Officers will serve in these positions through Aug. 31, 2025. Their leadership will support the board’s governance of the UH System, which includes the University of Houston, the University of Houston-Clear Lake, the University of Houston-Downtown and the University of Houston-Victoria.
Fertitta has served as a UHS Board chair since 2014 and has been appointed as a regent for three consecutive terms by the Texas Governor’s Office. He is a longtime UH supporter and former student of the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality and Leadership. On campus, he has worked diligently to support the University’s growth. His generosity and vision are helping tomorrow’s physicians through the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. Likewise, his passion for school spirit and Cougar Athletics were key in the development of UH’s signature arena, the Fertitta Center. Beyond the campus, he contributes to the region’s sports and cultural landscapes as owner of the National Basketball Association’s Houston Rockets and CEO and President of Landry’s Inc. Fertitta’s influence as an entrepreneur helped him earn a spot in the Texas Business Hall of Fame (becoming the second youngest member). As a regent, Fertitta serves as an ex officio member on each of the board's standing committees; the board liaison for Governmental Relations; and chairman of the Executive Committee.
McCall was appointed to the board in 2019 by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. An alumnus of the UH College of Optometry, McCall owns Crockett Eye Clinic. The clinic, launched by his father in 1949, serves the residents of Crockett, Texas and surrounding areas as a full-service Vision Source Clinic. McCall has been honored for his commitment as an optometrist by several organizations. The University’s College of Optometry awarded him Alumnus of the Year honors in 1998 and the Bill Pittman Leadership Award in 1999. Previously, he was named Texas Young Optometrist of the Year and Optometrist of the Year by the Texas Optometric Association. That very association also recognized him with a Distinguished Service Award. He is a past president of the Student Texas Optometric Association, the Texas Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association. In addition to his service to the UHS Board, McCall continues to serve his alma mater as an adjunct professor for the College of Optometry and is recognized as a community leader in the town of Crockett, Texas.
King was appointed to the board in 2023. He is an alumnus of the UH Law Center and a managing partner of EnCap Flatrock Midstream in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to this role, he served Valero for 15 years in a variety of roles, including general counsel, chief operating officer and president. King also applied his talents as a lawyer in the Houston office of Bracewell L.L.P. from 1985 to 1993. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, former board chairman of Focus on the Family and emeritus director of the University of Houston Law Foundation. He previously served the boards of United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County and the Alamo Area Council Boy Scouts of America. In addition to earning a juris doctor from the UH Law Center, King holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
The full UHS Board includes nine members and a student regent, who are appointed by the Texas Governor. Full board members serve six-year terms while student regents serve one-year appointments. To learn more about the UH System and the UHS Board of Regents, visit its website.