Texas insurers group names industry excellence award for Baylor grad

Reading 1954 Baylor graduate Will Davis‘ resume, my first thought is, “One man did all this?!”

For starters, he has served as general counsel for the Texas Department of Insurance, vice-chairman of the Texas State Board of Education, and president of the Austin ISD board of trustees, Texas Association of School Boards and National School Boards Association. Davis, BBA ’54, LLB ’54, was also co-chair of the National Citizens Committee for a Cabinet-level department of education, which led to the establishment of the U.S. Department of Education.

All this (and more) on top of 50-plus years as a leading legal representative in the world of insurance. For his dedicated service, the Texas Association of Life & Health Insurers — an industry group representing the majority of the state’s insurers — has announced the establishment of the Will D. Davis Excellence in Insurance Award. The award’s first recipient? Davis himself, at a luncheon last week in Austin.

Davis’ leadership roles began at Baylor, where he served as the university’s first student body president. He has also served as president of the Baylor Alumni Association and chair of the Board of Regents.

A former Baylor running back, his family bleeds green and gold, with other Baylor alumni including his late wife, Ann; two children, Lynn Walker, BS ’82, and Dr. Will Davis Jr., BA ’84; and seven grandchildren, Katelyn Baroch, BA ’07, William Walker III, BBA ’07, MTS ’10, Allison Davis, BA ’08, David Walker, BS ’08, Will Davis III, BA ’09, Natalie Walker, BA ’11, and Emily Davis, BA ’12.

Sic ’em, Will!