Texas Border Business
McALLEN, Texas – Manuel “Manny” Vela, associate vice president and chief operating officer of the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen (HECM), will retire effective May 31, 2025. Texas A&M University will work with the McAllen campus to transition the role to a new leader that will continue its campus growth efforts in South Texas.
Vela has served in his current role since May 2023. Prior to that, he served as president and chief operating officer of the Valley Baptist Health System.
During Vela’s tenure as the HECM’s associate vice president and chief operating officer, he played a critical role in establishing new positions for the center, developing and strengthening community partnerships and completing a master plan designed to strategize the expansion and programmatic growth of the McAllen campus.
“This was not an easy decision to make, noting the enormous amount of pride and joy I have experienced being in this role,” Vela said. “I am grateful to be surrounded by such incredible students, faculty and staff. They have inspired and motivated me, and collectively we have made a significant difference in the future of our campus. I’m determined to make the most of this semester and continue driving toward our goal of creating educational opportunities throughout South Texas.”
General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M University, praised Vela’s contributions to the campus.
“Manny has been a force for good for Texas A&M University’s presence in the Rio Grande Valley, and I’m grateful for his hard work over the last few years to set the Higher Education Center at McAllen up for long-term success,” Welsh said. “We’ll get to work to find a replacement soon, but we certainly won’t find another Manny Vela.”
Vela was born and raised in Harlingen, Texas, and has a long history of serving the South Texas community through his leadership positions at the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen, Valley Baptist Health System and the Vela and Vela Law Firm. He also held roles in many local, state and national organizations.
Information source: Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen
