ALWAYS WELCOME A HOUSTON LEGEND HAS NO TIME TO SLOW DOWN
By Victoria Bartlett | Photography by Jenn Duncan
POP QUIZ . Who was a member of the “ The Pride ” at the University of Houston back in the ‘ 40s ? Which Texan talked with John and Jacqueline Kennedy the night before the assassination in 1963 ? Who appeared with LBJ on the front page of the Houston Post at the opening of the Astrodome in 1966 ? Which local icon is a member of the Texas Business Hall of Fame ?
The answer is just one man – WELCOME WILSON , SR . This proud Cougar once said that the three passions of his life were his family , his country and the University of Houston . Very true , but still it doesn ’ t convey the depth and breadth of his contributions to Houston . And this 89- year-old continues to improve our world .
LOCAL : With so many accomplishments throughout your life , you could be resting on your laurels , so to speak , or polishing up your autobiography . Yet , here you are , still working passionately for the University of Houston and the city of Houston . Why ?
WELCOME WILSON , SR .: I am still working because I feel like I can still make a contribution and get things done . It is easier for me now that I am 89 than it was when I was in my 50s . Two-thirds of my time is spent on business and civic matters and one-third is spent on the University of Houston . I sit on many boards . This morning , I got the Houston Realty Business Coalition to endorse a trustee for the Houston Independent School District and to oppose the Robin Hood payment of $ 162 million to the State of Texas . At the University of Houston , I am Chairman of the UH Political Action Committee , and I am on the task force to create a new campus in Katy . My point is , there ’ s still a lot to do .
LOCAL : The University of Houston receiving Tier One status is one of your latest achievements . What does that do for the university ? What does it do for the city at large ?
WILSON : Tier One status for the University of Houston floats all boats . There are now eight applicants for every slot in the freshman class at UH . The average SAT scores for entering freshmen have gone up more than 100 points . The number of National Academy of Science Members of the faculty of UH has doubled . The graduation rate in six years has improved by 10 %. Annual donations to UH have doubled to $ 160 million a year . The amount of expenditures on research have doubled to $ 150 million a year . The business community is now deeply embedded at the University of Houston .
LOCAL : When you were a UH student – since we know you are forever a Cougar – you sold advertising for the Daily Cougar . Give us a short sales pitch for the University of Houston , please .
WILSON : My sales pitch to get advertising for the Cougar newspaper on campus 70 years ago was as follows : We have 10,500 students , 8,000 of which are returning GIs from WWII . These students are older , many are married , and they are all consumers . Whatever your business is , you need to tap into this new breed .
Today , my sales pitch about UH would be as follows : The University of Houston is a Tier One institution with 42,000 students . Its successes are across the board . The entrepreneur program in the College of Business is number one in the nation . The University of Houston Chorus in Geneva this year was named number one in the world ( for the second time ). The creative writing program is number two in the nation . UH has the only engineering school in the world that has a degree in offshore engineering .
LOCAL : Houston will soon be the epicenter of news with Super Bowl 51 next year . You know this city inside and out . What three less-than-obvious places would you take a visitor ?
WILSON : I would take a visitor to The Galleria . If it were a stand-alone city , it would be the 18th largest downtown in America . I would take them on the free boat ride at the Houston Ship Channel . I would also take them to see the magnificent homes in Courtland Place and North Boulevard .
Welcome Wilson , Sr ., University of Houston Class of ’ 49 graduate and fourth-generation Houstonian whose family extends to a seventh generation , is Chairman of the Board of Welcome Group , LLC , a real estate development company .
42 L O C A L | october 16