Becky '76 & Monty '77 Davis

Then came the surprise video played for everyone at Davis Diamond, announcing that Becky and Monty were the recipients of the 2022 E. King Gill Award.

“I was crying,” said Becky. “I could not believe it.”

“It took a minute before I figured out what was going on,” added Monty. “It was a wonderful surprise, and we were extremely honored to be in that group of people. It could not have been a better moment or at a better place.”

When the Davises turned around, they were surprised again by friends and family who were waiting to congratulate the couple for the well-deserved honor.

“Becky and Monty embody what it means to be an Aggie and represent what makes Texas A&M a special place,” Dabney said. “They are deeply ingrained in the Texas A&M community, are invested in the success of our student-athletes and want the very best for our university. They are extremely deserving of this recognition.”

FULFILLING A DREAM

Maroon has been one of Monty's favorite colors for most of his life, but not always because of Texas A&M. Coincidentally, maroon and white were his school colors growing up in Killeen, Texas.

“It was good for wardrobe management,” he joked.

Before enrolling at A&M in 1974, Monty did not have any affiliation with Aggieland, and no one in his family had earned a college degree.

What he did possess were parents who aspired to provide Monty and his younger brother, Lloyd, with opportunities that had been unavailable to them.

“That was their dream,” Monty said. “They both grew up on farms and worked at the local bank. They did not push us to go to college, but they worked hard to make it possible.”

Monty visited Aggieland while in community college and ultimately decided to become an Aggie because of the school's strong academic standing. Choosing A&M was also an affordable option for his parents, although Monty worked while in college to help pay for his education.

Monty and Lloyd both decided to come to A&M, and in 1977, Monty became the first in his family to graduate from college.

“Divine intervention directed us to Texas A&M,” said Monty, who fell in love with the university during his time on campus. “It was a great experience that changed my life.”

BAR 707

A major part of that life-changing experience occurred at a party in the summer of 1976 when Monty met Becky Woodruff.

Unlike Monty, Becky had a deep-rooted connection to Aggieland.

“It was kind of all things Aggies,” recalled Becky, who grew up south of Fort Worth in Cleburne, Texas. “I had uncles and cousins who went to A&M, and we would often spend our weekends watching my cousins march with the Corps of Cadets.”

Becky started her college journey at Texas Tech in the fall of 1972, but she soon realized it was not the right fit and embraced her Aggie heritage by transferring to A&M the following year.

She studied education at A&M, and prior to the start of her senior year in Aggieland, Becky and her roommate decided to host a party. Monty attended, tagging along with a mutual friend who he was living with at the time.

A few days before the party, Monty called Becky to ask her out on a date.

“We went to a bar at 707 Texas Avenue,” Monty recalled. “We can't remember the name of the bar, but we know exactly where it was. That was our first date.”

“In fact, we bought a ranch,” added Becky, “and that is the name of the ranch…Bar 707.”

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

The Davises were married in August 1977, shortly after Monty received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from A&M.

The couple started their lives together in Houston, where Monty began working his first job as an accountant for the energy corporation Dresser Industries. As he gained experience, Monty transitioned into the company’s international division and earned an opportunity to work overseas.

“They sent me on a little assignment to Aberdeen, Scotland, for a month,” Monty said. “That is when we became very interested in the international aspect of the business.”

That month across the pond opened a door for Monty, and it eventually led to the company relocating the Davises to Scotland for a brief period followed by a three-year stint in Wimbledon, London.

The couple returned home to Texas when Monty was recruited to be the vice president of the company’s Core Laboratories division. Then, in the early 1990s, the Davises moved to Calgary, Alberta, where Monty accepted an executive leadership opportunity with BOVAR Inc.

The Davises enjoyed the next five years in Canada raising their two daughters, Kelsey and Cristina, as Monty advanced to chief executive officer of BOVAR. Then, in 1998, came a calling to return home to Texas.

“Kelsey, our oldest daughter, was a junior in high school at that time,” said Monty. “We started telling her about all of the good colleges that were close to where we were living in Canada.”

“She looked at us like we were crazy,” added Becky. “She said, ‘I’m going to Texas A&M.’”

COMING HOME

If Kelsey was going back to Texas, so were the Davises.

As fate would have it, Monty had an opportunity to return to Houston that summer of 1998 and become the chief operating officer for Core Laboratories.

“It all fit,” Monty said. “We moved back, and I stayed there for the rest of my career.”

He spent the next 20 years helping grow the oilfield services company into an industry leader in reservoir optimization.

“We assisted and advised oil and gas companies all over the world,” Monty said. “We worked for national oil companies, from the biggest integrated oil companies down to the smallest independent oil companies.”

With the Davises back in Texas, Kelsey and Cristina were able to attend A&M while staying close to home. Both Aggie daughters earned degrees in international studies, with Kelsey graduating in 2004 and Cristina in 2012. Cristina continued in The Bush School, earning a Master of International Affairs degree in 2014.

Monty, who retired in 2018, credits much of his professional success to his desire to work with people from different cultures around the world.

“I was fortunate enough to travel to over 50 countries through my business ventures,” he said.

MAKING A CONNECTION

For Texas A&M, Becky and Monty’s decision to move back home proved to be transformational.

Football season ticket holders and 12th Man Foundation donors for more than 45 years, the couple discovered an opportunity to strengthen their connection to Texas A&M Athletics in 2011 after reading a 12th Man Magazine article explaining the need for a football player development center.

“We were on our way to Luby’s for a date night,” Monty recalled. “We started talking about the article and the idea of making a major contribution.”

A week later, they decided to contact the 12th Man Foundation to inquire about supporting the project. Shelley Nemec, the senior administrative coordinator of major gifts at the time, answered the call.

“It was late on a Friday afternoon,” Shelley recalled. “The phone rings, I pick it up and Monty Davis is on the other end of the line asking about supporting the latest capital campaign.”

“I mentioned we were interested in doing something in the neighborhood of a million dollars,” added Monty. “There was a little pause, and she said, ‘Stu will call you right back.’”

Stu Starner, the 12th Man Foundation’s senior vice president of major giving at the time, quickly returned the call, setting the stage for Becky and Monty’s first major investment in Texas A&M Athletics. The couple’s lead gift resulted in the construction of A&M’s $25 million state-of-the-art football training facility which opened in 2012 as the Davis Center for Football Player Development.

“We knew how important the facility was for the future of the football program,” Monty said. “Becky and I decided that was something we wanted to get involved with, and we were excited to be a part of getting that project completed.”

LEAVING A LEGACY

The couple’s engagement with Aggie Athletics continued to grow in 2014 when Monty was nominated to serve on the 12th Man Foundation Board of Trustees. He served on the board through 2020, including a tenure as chair in 2019.

The Davises generously volunteered their time, leadership and advocacy during a transformational time for Texas A&M Athletics and the 12th Man Foundation. Monty’s seven years on the board were bookended by the historic redevelopment of Kyle Field and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Becky and Monty have been incredibly supportive of every A&M program and of the staffs of the 12th Man Foundation and Texas A&M Athletics,” said Dabney, noting the significant impact of Monty’s steady leadership on the board. “It has been amazing to watch their engagement grow and to see the unbelievable connection they have with the student-athletes and coaching staffs.”

Another facility project caught the Davises’ attention while Monty was serving on the board. During a tour of the aging Aggie Softball Complex in November 2015, Becky recognized the dire need for a new facility. And she felt they needed to do something about it.

“Once Monty saw the facility,” said Becky, “he was on board right away.”

The Davises committed the lead gift for the project, and the following April, the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved the construction of a new softball stadium.

Davis Diamond, the new home of Aggie Softball, opened on April 27, 2018. The $28.6 million project provided A&M with the finest softball stadium in college athletics.

“It was great to see Davis Diamond come to fruition, primarily for the young ladies on the team,” Monty said. “It was a great leap forward for the program, not just the stadium, which everybody gets to see, but also the training, locker room and player development areas that are really second to none.”

SPECIAL BOND

Becky and Monty had never been to a college softball game before committing the lead gift for Davis Diamond. Now, it is safe to say they are the program’s biggest supporters.

Through their generous philanthropy, the Davises have established a special connection with the staff and student-athletes associated with the Aggie Softball program.

“We have been fortunate to make some major financial investments,” said Monty, “but more rewarding has been the emotional investment we have with those young ladies. They are true student-athletes, and we are extremely proud to be associated with them.”

The couple’s unwavering support on and off the field is impacting Aggie student-athletes during their time on campus and beyond. Former A&M softball standout Erica Russell says it is difficult to describe what Becky and Monty’s support has meant to her.

“They support you on and off the field, wanting you to do your best in sports, in school and in life outside of school,” said Russell, who played for the Aggies from 2015 to 2018. “I am so thankful I have the opportunity to be involved in their lives.”

Now living in Bryan, the Davises rarely miss an Aggie home game and enjoy inviting the team into their home for special occasions a few times each year.

“We try to support them in any way that we can,” Becky said. “We consider it a wonderful investment of our time and resources.”

PAYING IT FORWARD

While their initial philanthropy centered around football, the Davises now support every Aggie program, and Texas A&M has benefitted greatly from their generosity.

“I have always been thankful to A&M for providing me with a foundation for success,” Monty said. “My parents provided me with strong guidance, a moral foundation and a strong work ethic before I came to A&M, but I attribute a lot of my success to the university. Because of that, it has always been a pleasure to give back to A&M.”

In addition to their dedication to Aggie Athletics, the Davises have been steadfast supporters of The Association of Former Students and Mays Business School. The couple endowed a business honors scholarship program in 2013.

Carol Meyer, a longtime friend of Becky and Monty along with her husband, Don, says the Davises epitomize the Aggie spirit.

“They would do anything that would better Texas A&M,” said Meyer, a 1978 graduate of Texas A&M. “And they are incredibly humble people. They are doing it because of their love of the university and their love of the kids.”

Davis Diamond and the Davis Center for Football Player Development stand as tangible legacies of the couple’s generosity, but their impact extends far beyond bricks and mortar. They are creating lasting connections that will influence generations.

The Davises’ story is a testament to the transformative impact that one couple’s dedication can make, accentuating why Becky and Monty were recognized with the 2022 E. King Gill Award.

“Becky and Monty are unbelievably generous, not only financially but also with their time and commitment to their community and to our university,” Dabney said. “They are just good people, and Texas A&M is extremely fortunate to have them amongst its half a million graduates.”