WC NEWS

Weatherford College has announced Brent Gough as the 2025 Alumnus of the Year. He will be honored during the annual Alumni Awards Luncheon on March 28, along with Distinguished Alumni Award honorees Dr. Deborah Liles and Fort Worth Chief of Police Neil Noakes.  

Gough, a 1985 WC graduate, currently serves as president of the Weatherford College Foundation. He has served on the WC Foundation Board of Directors for 10 years and has been instrumental in securing significant donations for student scholarships.  

“I can’t think of another volunteer that has done more in the last three years to promote scholarships and giving to Weatherford College than Brent Gough,” wrote a nominator. “He has invited multiple potential donors to events, hosted lunches, and spoken to multiple prospects about giving to support student scholarships.”  

A native of Graham, Gough paid his way through Weatherford College while also competing in rodeo, and he continues to believe in the college’s mission and works tirelessly to increase scholarship funds available to students.  

In the past 12 months alone, Gough has brought three new endowed scholarship funds to the foundation from donors who previously had no ties to WC. He is passionate about fostering positive relationships with donors and is currently working with the foundation’s Executive Committee to establish a plan to systematically stay in touch with them, listen to their ideas, express gratitude and develop stronger ties with the college.  

Gough and his wife, Meredith, have also established a permanent scholarship endowment for WC students. He is the founder of Gough Wealth Management in Aledo and has been in the financial planning business for more than 25 years.  

Liles, a 2005 WC graduate, is the W.K. Gordon Chair of Texas History at Tarleton State University. She has authored or co-edited five books, including award-winning titles on Texas women’s history.  

“Attending WC inspired Liles to continue her education,” wrote a nominator. “Building on the passion for history inspired by her mother… and former WC instructor Bill Coody, Liles immersed herself in the history of Texas.”  

Liles is a Fellow in both the East Texas Historical Association and the West Texas Historical Association. She serves on several boards, including the Texas State Archives and Libraries and the Bob Bullock State Museum.  

Noakes, a 1997 WC graduate, serves as police chief for the City of Fort Worth. He has spent more than 25 years in public service and will retire from his position in May 2025.  

“Chief Noakes manages a department of 1,875 sworn peace officers serving more than 978,000 residents,” wrote a nominator. “In May of 2021, Chief Noakes rolled out the Fort Worth Safe initiative, a more strategic approach to violent crime prevention that combined community policing with technology and data.”  

Noakes has served in multiple ranks within the FWPD, including patrol, DWI, motors and internal affairs. He is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s 137th Administrative Officers Course and TCU’s inaugural Leadership, Executive and Administrative Development program.  

The Alumni Awards Luncheon will take place at 11:30 a.m. Friday, March 28, in the third-floor community room of the Emerging Technologies and Workforce Building.  

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Purchase online here. For more information, contact Susan Sodek at ssodek@wc.edu or 817-598-8924.