The fall of 1967 in San Marcos saw many incoming freshmen students begin their four year journey as undergraduates at Texas State University. One of these incoming freshman was Refel Rushing. As many freshman do, Refel participated in Fraternity rush. Good choice, as the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity quickly became an integral part of his life after he was initiated in 1967.
Brother Rushing earned his BBA in 1969 and his MBA in 1971 at Texas State University. TSU is very important to Refel as he has served as Advisory Board Member to the President of TSU and to the McCoy College of Business. In addition to this, he is a contributor to the Ralph B. Rushing Texas State University Scholarship program for underserved students from the Lower Rio Grande Valley attending TSU. In 2004, Refel received the Texas State University Distinguished Alumnus Award.
After graduating in 1971, he worked as a bond specialist for both Kidder, Peabody and Co. and Hatcher & Co. He then moved on to become the President and CEO of his own businesses RB Rushing & Co. and Loanstar Funding Group. He also developed the Higher Education Secondary Market Program in Texas and California which became the prototype financing entity for 42 State Agencies and Not For Profit entities operating in the United States. These entities were special public purposes corporations which created financial access for millions of students attending a post secondary educational institution in Texas and across the nation. He has served as a Financial Advisor to many private hospital and medical related companies in connection with tax exempt municipal bond financings.
Giving back to the community and its children is especially important to Refel. He continues to contribute to the 500 member Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas and the Children’s Theater of Dallas. In addition to this, he served as a special advisory member to the Norman Brinker Committee in connection with the development of the City of Dallas Downtown Arts Center.
These days, Refel is retired and works as a Rancher on his own land. He continues to be a member on the Garnet and Gold Housing Corporation board. Brother Rushing’s love of Pike means that Pike is a 50 year connection with men that are not only brothers, but also friends.