Vol 15 No 20
Sam Houston State University - A Member of the Text State University System
After leading the San Antonio Police Department, Alumnus Al Philippus joined Valero Energy to head up post 9-11 security measures.
Al Philippus credits the College of Criminal Justice faculty with teaching him leadership skills, which led to his career as Police Chief in San Antonio and as a Vice President at the Valero Energy Corporation.
“The seeds were planted at Sam Houston State University,” said Philippus. “The faculty taught me to think beyond management skills and to think about leadership skills. They were tough on us, but they supported and encouraged us. Truly, they were doing everything they could to teach us to be future leaders.”
After serving four years in the Air Force, Philippus initially had his sights set on being a firefighter. But poor timing in applying for that job led him instead to the San Antonio Police Department, where he served for 27 years. Over the years, Philippus worked his way up through the ranks in nearly every division and eventually served as the Police Chief for the seventh largest U.S. city for seven years.
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