Remember Randy Matson? Threw 71-5, set world records, etc.? Now I learn he did something even more impressive: He raised $1.4 billion for his alma mater, Texas A&M! Now he’s retiring at the young age of 61. So why doesn’t someone from USATF Masters T&F call up ol’ Randy and say, “Have we got a little job for you!” He might have the time now. (And while you’re at it, tell him heart ailments can be overcome. He can still throw if he wants to.)

Here’s the story:
Foundation officer retires from philanthropic career
By HOLLY HUFFMAN
Eagle Staff Writer
Texas A&M Foundation Senior Philanthropic Officer Randy Matson — a famed Aggie Olympian and longtime fund-raiser for his alma matter — retired Friday, closing the book on a storied career in Aggieland that spanned five decades.
Matson, a 1967 graduate, set world shot put records while attending A&M and later spent 20 years as the executive director for The Association of Former Students before retiring in 1999. More recently, he worked with the Texas A&M Foundation, the university’s major fund-raising arm.
He joined the Foundation in 2003 and helped push the recently completed One Spirit One Vision campaign that exceeded its $1 billion fund-raising goal. He announced Thursday that he would be resigning the following day.
“All Aggies ought to take a lot of pride in the fact that it was more than successful,” Matson said Thursday, referring to the $1.4 billion raised by the campaign. “It’s going to benefit A&M for many, many years.”
The 61-year-old said he had been planing to leave once the capital campaign was complete. Heart trouble he suffered last year reinforced the importance of family, he said, explaining that he hopes to spend more time with his six young grandchildren.
“That kind of made me think about what is most important. I’m just doing what I want to do, which may be nothing,” he said with a chuckle. “I still will be involved a little bit. I still have very strong feelings about A&M and everything that goes on here.”
Foundation Senior Vice President for Development Jim Palincsar said the organization created the senior philanthropic officer post for Matson, hoping to tap into his institutional knowledge of Aggieland and his relationships with former students.
The organization was ecstatic when Matson agreed to come on board, Palincsar said, noting that the group likely wouldn’t have raised as much money without his help. Matson’s job, he said, was to talk with A&M friends and former students, identify their interests and then match them with academic needs.
The Foundation doesn’t intend to replace Matson — and it probably couldn’t, Palincsar said, noting that Matson’s background and resume were unrivaled.
“His reputation and his stature within the A&M family allowed us to get to talk to a wider audience about supporting the institution,” Palincsar said, describing Matson’s departure as bittersweet. “He’s going to be missed, but he’s still here in town, still part of the A&M legend. He’s assured me that if we ever need additional help from him, he’s only an e-mail or a phone call away.”
Matson admitted Thursday that he thought the Foundation was crazy when he first learned of its plan to launch a $1 billion, seven-year capital campaign. The foundation was coming off a $500 million Capturing the Spirit drive that concluded in 1996.
Though the group had exceeded its goal by $137 million, it had been a difficult campaign, Matson said. Four years later, the group was preparing to launch another offensive and it was during a year when the stock market was doing poorly, he said.
“I thought they had lost their minds,” he said with a laugh. “I told myself, ‘I’m glad I don’t have to be a part of that.'”
On Thursday, the humble man expressed gratitude over being able to work on the campaign while repeatedly downplaying his role in its success. Matson said he is eager to spend more time with his family, but he will miss regularly seeing some of the former students with whom he has worked.
“I just think it was a great time to be involved at Texas A&M for an Aggie,” Matson said. “To come back here and get to work at a time of tremendous growth. There’s a lot of exciting things happening.”
• Holly Huffman’s e-mail address is holly.huffman@theeagle.com.