ALEX BROWN
President Alex was born in Birmingham, Alabama and grew up there during the civil rights era. Growing up his grandmother always emphasized the importance of education and having a commitment to excellence. He attended Alabama A & M University, an HBCU, and received a B.S. degree in Mathematics & Physics and completed advanced studies in computer programming at North Carolina State University during his time in the U.S. Army. Alex Brown, C.P.M., is the former Chief Procurement Officer and Corporate Vice President at GlobalFoundries, a global manufacturer of semiconductor wafers. In this role he was responsible for the strategic vision and operational execution of GlobalFoundries’ worldwide supply management organizations. During his more than 30 year career in Supply Chain Management and Engineering, he has held a variety of leadership positions at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Texas Instruments, Xerox and ST Microelectronics. He joined GlobalFoundries in 2015 after more than 25 years at AMD. Alex’s work afforded him the opportunity to travel the world where he saw many different cultures and educational systems. This contributed to him serving in volunteer roles as a past Board Chairman and current member of the Austin Community College District Foundation Board (ACC), current Vice Chairman of the St. David’s Medical Center Board, a past member of the board of directors for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, and past chairman of the Austin Area Urban League board. He also served as the Chairman of Advanced Micro Devices’ corporate foundation for more than 10 years. He has also served on many electronics industry boards and has written and published several industry articles. Alex is now serving in the role of President of the Austin Kappa Education Leadership Foundation (AKELF). |
Lawrence Britton
Vice President Lawrence Britton, Jr. is a native of Austin, TX and attended the public school system in Austin. He graduated from St. Edward’s University in 1975 with a BA in History and received his M.Ed. Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision with Emphasis in Elementary Curriculum from Prairie View A & M University in 1982. He continued his post graduate studies by completing his Mid-Management Certification in 1983 and Counseling Certification in 1986 from Prairie View A & M University. Britton has served as a teacher, coach, counselor, and administrator in the Texas public school system for over four decades. He was initiated into the Austin Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. in 1983 and has served the fraternity in several leadership positions on the local and provincial level. Britton has been a member of professional organizations such as the National Association Secondary School Principals, Texas Association of Secondary School Principals, Austin Association of Public School Administrators, and Austin Association of Black School Educators. He has been very active in his church for many years by being a member of several choirs, participating in Sunday School and Discipleship Training, being part of the Brotherhood, serving on the Church Finance Committee, and currently is the Finance Committee Chairman for Men’s Day. From “The Bridge Builder” by Will Allen Dromgoole “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “there followeth after me today, a youth whose feet must pass this way; this chasm that has been naught to me, to that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be; he too must cross in the twilight dim, good friend I am building this bridge for him.” |
Bobby Scruggs
Treasurer Bobby Scruggs is a native of Decatur, AL, but spent most of his developmental years growing up in Cleveland, Ohio. Bobby was initiated into the Epsilon Lambda Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. at Ohio University in 1979. He graduated in 1982 with a BBA Degree in Marketing. Since graduating from Ohio University, Bobby has held a number of Sales Management and Business Development positions of increasing responsibilities with Fortune 500 companies such as Goodyear Tire & Rubber, BP Oil, Frito-Lay (PepsiCo), and Colgate-Palmolive. Bobby is currently in the process of forming a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), and will be launching his own business in the near future. He joined the AKELF Board of Directors in 2014 and currently serves as Treasurer for the Foundation. Scruggs previously served on the Board of Directors for the Diamond Foundation while he was a member of the New Brunswick (NJ) Alumni Chapter from 2010-2012. He was also recently appointed to the Board of Advisors for Tracy’s Gourmet Foods, based in Charlotte, NC. Bobby attributes his career success to living by this simple, but powerful operating philosophy: “I believe that God will provide me with everything that I want in this life, if I’m willing to help others to get what they want.” |
Eddie Southard
Recording Secretary Eddie Southard is a native of Florence, Alabama. He attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Art/Public Relations in 1979. He is a spring 1976 initiate of the Eta Chi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He began his career with State Farm as an auto company trainee in Birmingham, Alabama. Upon completion of his training, he went on to serve as an auto service supervisor. Over the next 37 years he served in numerous leadership roles in corporate and at five operations centers across the country. During his time at State Farm he assembled and developed effective teams and participated in multiple process improvement efforts resulting in companywide impact. As an avid supporter of diversity in the workplace he assisted in recruiting qualified and diverse candidates for career opportunities during his tenure at State Farm. As an avid supporter of diversity in the workplace he assisted in recruiting qualified and diverse candidates for career opportunities. In 2012 he relocated to the Austin Operations Center as a virtual project manager. He retired from State Farm in May 2017. He is a Life Member of the fraternity and assisted in the chartering of two Kappa Alpha Psi Chapters across the county. A member of the Austin Alumni Chapter, he has served on the leadership team and various committees including his current tenure as community service chairman. Currently, he serves as the recording secretary of the Austin Kappa Education and Leadership Foundation (AKELF) Board and is a member of the Sendero Health Plans Board of Directors. |
Henry Darrington
Board Member Henry E. Darrington grew up in Chickasha, Oklahoma in the home of loving parents. He is son of a strong Baptist deacon who provided an amazing role model with an emphasis on the church and family. His parents promoted the need for an education and strong moral fiber. Henry attended the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma finishing within 3 years. With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Henry moved to Texas in 1975. Henry was initiated into the Austin Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi in 1980 and served in multiple leadership roles including Polemarch, Keeper of Records and Board of Directors. He is also a Life Member of the fraternity. Henry Darrington began his employment in state government. He has spent most of his career in health and human service agencies that provide a broad spectrum of services to vulnerable citizens within the State of Texas. He has held various positions: auditor, financial analyst, program director, branch managers and director. As a branch manager, Henry spent four years at the Texas Highway Department with oversight of construction payments to highway contractors and performed the draw of federal highway funds. He currently is a branch manager with the Health and Human Services Commission in a Quality Management Unit providing oversight of Texas mental health and substance use service contractors. Henry was the Director of Prevention and Early Intervention (DPEI). DPEI focused on stopping bad outcomes before they happened. The program works to help families and communities to prevent child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, runaway youth and truancy. During this period, he was selected by the Governor to a membership of the Texas Drug Demand Reduction Advisory Committee. His work with DPEI and observing other community needs, provides an excellent experience for his position of board member for a foundation that support youth development |
Alexis Horn
BOARD MEMBER Alexis Horn, a native of Miami, Florida, received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 2000, and later received his Masters on Business Administration from Texas State University San Marcos in 2008. He has been living in the Greater Austin area since 2000. He was initiated into the Austin Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. in the spring of 2001. He began his professional career as a Software Engineer and Developer at Dell, Inc. in Austin, TX. HE then transitioned from the technical and engineering field into marketing upon completion of his MBA in 2008. Over the last 10 years, he has served in various product marketing roles in the high-tech industry throughout the Austin, TX area. Away from work, he serves as a leader in his Fraternity on both the local and regional levels, and at Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church, where he leads in several ministries. As a Christian, his belief and faith serve as his foundation for everything he does in life. In his free time, he is a BBQ enthusiast, sending hours most weekends perfecting his craft. His dream is to one day be able to compete in and win BBQ competitions around the country . As a member of the Austin Alumni Chapter, he has served in every role on the leadership team on multiple occasions and has been the chairman of every committee that the chapter has. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Austin Kappa Education and Leadership Foundation (AKELF). |
ALbert Patterson
BOARD MEMBER Albert “Al” Patterson, RPh. is a Austin, Texas native and retired, board certified Texas pharmacist who continues serving people and communities as an independent, consultant pharmacist with a special interest in the wellness of aging/older adults and Vietnam-era military veterans living with the effects of Agent Orange. An avid RVer and member of the National African-American RV'ers Association Inc. (NAARVA) - Southern Region, Patterson shares his professional expertise through speaking opportunities and individual “medication inquiries” with fellow campers in the local Texas groups. Patterson received a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy (1970) from Texas Southern University in Houston. A trusted, healthcare professional for more than 40 years, he helped countless individuals and families understand and manage their prescription healthcare needs at John Sealy Hospital, Kroger, Ace Drug Mart, Walgreen’s, Walmart and CVS pharmacies in Galveston, Austin and Waco, TX. He founded and operated his own pharmacy, ARx in the late 1980s. Patterson's interest and commitment to Kappa Alpha Psi is longstanding. He was initiated into the Austin Alumni Chapter in 1982. A legacy of Brother Roy Patterson, father (deceased) and a lifetime member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Austin Alumni Chapter and the AKELF Board of Directors. He also proudly continues the tradition and legacy of brotherhood and membership with another generation through his son, Kedric Patterson. As a man of faith, Patterson is a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church, and attributes his life's successes to having trust in God, compassion, perseverance, commitment, laughter and enjoying life. |
Eric Narcisse
BOARD MEMBER Eric Narcisse is a native of Port Arthur, Texas. He attended The University of Texas at Austin from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in government. Following UT-Austin, he entered the graduate program at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he received his Masters of Arts in government. He is a fall 1999 initiate of the Port Arthur Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He worked as special assistant to the Superintendent and later as activities director on the district’s new ninth grade campus in the Port Arthur Independent School District. He served on the the district’s citizens’ bond committee that developed bond propositions totaling $110 million that was presented to the district’s voters. He worked on the bond campaign that advocated and won passage of all three bond propositions, one of which included the construction of the district’s new high school. During his return to Port Arthur, he was an active member of the Port Arthur Branch of the NAACP serving as its youth director and coordinator of the branch’s Afro-Cultural Technology and Scientific Olympics program. He also was involved in a variety of other community programs in the city. He is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. having served in various leadership roles in the Austin Alumni and Port Arthur Alumni Chapters and in the Southwestern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He has assisted in the formation of two chapter foundations, the Port Arthur Guide Right Foundation and the Austin Kappa Education and Leadership Foundation and served on the planning committee for several area and regional fraternity meetings. Over the last seven years, he has served as a judge for the HEB Excellence in Education School District Award, which is one of the largest awards programs of its type in the nation. He is currently an employee with the Texas Association of School Boards in the Policy Service Division in the role of assistant director of research and policy development where he supervises a team of consultants who assistant the over 1,000 Texas school districts in updating their school board policies. |