The Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen has named Will Wynn ’84 as its new executive director, effective July 13, 2026. Wynn will succeed Rick Margo, who has shifted to a leadership role with Texas A&M Health’s Rio Grande Valley Health Education and Outreach.
Leadership shift at a regional campus
Wynn, a McAllen resident and former mayor of Austin, arrives with a background in public leadership, civic engagement and asset management. The center said the executive director will manage day-to-day operations, strengthen campus partnerships and support a student-centered environment at the HECM.
“Will Wynn brings a rare combination of executive leadership, operational judgment, public-sector experience and deep loyalty to Texas A&M,” said Ernest Aliseda ’88, chief operating officer and associate vice president of the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen.
The appointment underscores Texas A&M’s effort to align experienced leadership with regional priorities. As a two-term mayor of Austin from 2003 to 2009, Wynn guided Texas’ capital through growth and collaborative efforts that university officials cited as relevant to the McAllen campus.
What this means locally
For McAllen and Hidalgo County, the hire signals continuity and an emphasis on local ties: Wynn is both a Texas A&M alumnus and a resident of the city. The HECM serves as an access point for Texas A&M programs and partnerships in the Rio Grande Valley, and executive leadership will influence how those programs expand and coordinate with local institutions.
- Operational focus: Wynn is expected to oversee campus operations and infrastructure priorities.
- Partnerships: Strengthening ties with local educational and public-sector partners is a stated goal.
- Student services: The center emphasized commitment to a student-centered environment under the new director.
University officials highlighted Wynn’s experience in real estate development, public-private partnerships, utility oversight, sustainability initiatives and long-term strategic planning as assets for the role. Those areas intersect with common needs at regional higher-education centers: facility planning, community engagement and securing resources for program delivery.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| New executive director | Will Wynn ’84 |
| Effective date | July 13, 2026 |
| Predecessor | Rick Margo (transitioned to Texas A&M Health’s RGV Health Education & Outreach) |
Officials framed the selection as a fit of local knowledge and institutional loyalty. Ernest Aliseda, the HECM’s chief operating officer, noted Wynn’s understanding of complex organizations, budgets and facilities — elements central to maintaining and growing a regional education hub.
For the Rio Grande Valley, leadership at the HECM matters because the center acts as a conduit for degree programs, workforce training and health-education initiatives tied to Texas A&M. The next steps will be watching how Wynn engages with community partners, local government and health entities now that Margo has moved to a health-education role within the university system.
Wynn’s combination of municipal executive experience and ties to Texas A&M positions him to navigate both the operational demands of the center and the political and community relationships key to expanding educational opportunity in McAllen and the surrounding region.
