Mays Business School has announced the recipients of the 2026 Mays Outstanding Alumni Awards, honoring four distinguished graduates who exemplify leadership and service. The prestigious awards recognize Todd Routh ’86, Chris Work ’90, Jamie Duke ’97, and Devina Rankin ’98 for their professional achievements and unwavering commitment to supporting future generations of business leaders through their contributions of time, talent, and resources to the institution.
The annual Mays Outstanding Alumni Awards celebrate former students who embody the school’s mission of developing leaders of character who positively impact their communities. According to the announcement, this year’s recipients have achieved significant success across diverse industries while maintaining deep connections to Texas A&M University and Mays Business School through advisory roles, scholarships, and mentorship programs.
Real Estate Leader Supports First-Generation Students
Todd Routh ’86 has built a distinguished career in commercial real estate development as the founder and leader of companies managing millions of square feet of retail and mixed-use properties throughout Texas and beyond. His nontraditional path to Texas A&M inspired him and his wife, Stephanie ’93, to invest significantly in student support initiatives.
The Routh family’s transformative gifts have established the Routh First-Generation Center, multiple student scholarships, and endowments for both undergraduate and graduate students at Mays Business School. Additionally, they have made a major contribution to the future Mays graduate studies building. Routh currently shares his entrepreneurial expertise as a member of the Aggie Real Estate advisory board.
Finance Executive Builds Three Billion-Dollar Companies
Chris Work ’90 distinguished himself during his 30-year career at the intersection of finance, energy, and entrepreneurship. According to the announcement, he served on senior management teams that built three separate billion-dollar companies in distinctly different business sectors before retiring in 2020.
A graduate of the James Benjamin Department of Accounting who also earned a varsity letter as a scholarship athlete on the football team, Work maintains extensive involvement with Mays Business School. He serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board, the accounting department advisory council, and the Lettermen’s Association Board of Directors. Work regularly mentors student-athletes through the AmplifyU Program and has established scholarships while contributing to the naming of the accounting department and the Wayne Roberts ’85 Building fund.
Technology Executive Drives Strategic Transformation
Jamie Duke ’97 brings more than two decades of experience driving organizational effectiveness and strategic transformation at the enterprise level for Fortune 500 companies. She currently serves as director of strategic projects at Samsung Electronics America, where she oversees pre-production operations for confidential devices spanning all business units.
Duke earned her BBA in Business Analysis, Management Information Systems in 1997 and received both the Buck Weirus Spirit Award and the Thomas H. Rountree Award for campus leadership. She maintains active involvement through service on the 12th Man Foundation Board of Trustees, Aggie Women Board of Directors, and as a Legacy Society member of the Texas A&M Foundation. She frequently speaks on panels for Mays Business School, sharing professional insights with students and alumni.
Former CFO Prioritizes People-First Leadership
Devina Rankin ’98 built an accomplished career in accounting and finance, including more than 23 years at WM, where she served as executive vice president and chief financial officer. According to the announcement, her CFO tenure delivered outstanding shareholder returns while maintaining an unwavering commitment to integrity, discipline, and building an enduring people-first culture.
A first-generation Aggie who graduated with university honors from the Professional Program in Accounting with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Rankin recently stepped away from her corporate career to focus on family, community, and philanthropy. She supports student scholarships, serves on the James Benjamin Department of Accounting Advisory Council, and co-created and lectures for the ACCT 677 CFOs and Financial Leadership course. As a cancer survivor, she also dedicates time to nonprofits advancing treatment and medical research.
The recipients will be formally recognized at a ceremony, though specific details about the event timing have not been announced. The Mays Outstanding Alumni Awards continue to highlight graduates who demonstrate exceptional professional achievement while maintaining strong connections to the business school through mentorship and philanthropic support.