On November 5, 2014, the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation (TBHF) awarded a $10,000 scholarship to one of Texas A&M Kingsville's newest College of Business faculty members, Rusty V. Karst, as part of their annual awards ceremony. Rusty began his faculty career at TAMUK "all but dissertation (ABD)" this past August and is currently finishing his dissertation at University of North Texas. Karst received the scholarship due to his past contributions as a Texas executive and business owner, and for his current contributions to Texas business as a university professor and consultant to Texas based businesses. The award was presented at a luncheon in the scholars' honor at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. The event culminated in their additional recognition at a black tie gala of 1,200 attendees that evening, hosted by TBHF. During the gala, Rusty was able to "rub shoulders with" Texas Governor Rick Perry, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and Texas business legends such as Ross Perot, T. Boone Pickens and Herb Kelleher. TBHF's mission is to sow seeds for Texas's future by acknowledging and helping underwrite the promise that is being demonstrated by Texas business students. Rusty Karst's accomplishments as a doctoral student are rivaled by his accomplishments in the Texas business community.

by Tim Acosta, Kingsville Record

Kleberg County has the potential to take advantage of the growing oil and natural gas boom in Texas, according to Port of Corpus Christi Commissioner Barbara Canales, who was a speaker last week at an economic forum at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Canales spoke at length about the future of growth at the Port of Corpus Christi, which is one of the top ports in the United States, and how it could impact Kleberg County. She pointed to Kleberg County's existing interstate and railroad infrastructure as attractive selling points for companies looking to move products from and to the port. She said expanding trade with bordering countries was key to that type of growth. Read more from article.

The judges in the 2014 Innovation Competition Committee have selected CBA freshman, Adrian Rodriguez, an accounting major from Friendswood, Texas, for Phase II of final judging in a competition that encompasses various Coastal Bend economic development entities. It is coordinated by the Coastal Bend Business Innovation Center at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Rodriguez's entry is a video outlining his concept "Winged Water Walking (Jesus Shoes)". He is working on an idea to create a device (shoes) that would allow the user to stay afloat/stroll/walk on water. The Innovation Competition encourages the creation of innovative new products, services, technologies, or business processes or significant improvements of existing products, services, technologies, or business processes.