About 15 years ago, University of Houston-Victoria alumnus Chad Hall’s health had reached rock bottom, and his doctor said Hall was the source of the problem.
Fast forward to the present, and Hall recently competed in the Ironman World Championship, a journey that he will share with attendees at the second UHV Alumni Networking Luncheon on Feb. 26 in the UHV University Commons Multi-Purpose Room, 3006 N. Ben Wilson St.
The luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. with networking, and lunch will be served at noon. Hall will speak to attendees about his experiences preparing to qualify for what is considered one of the most difficult sporting events in the world. There also will be a question-and-answer portion with Hall.
All UHV alumni and community members are invited to the luncheon. Registration is $10 plus tax and includes a catered lunch provided by Mike Pozzi Catering.
Hall, general manager of Regional Steel Products Inc., said the idea to compete in the Ironman competitions popped into this head after a 2006 visit to the doctor. The Ironman World Championship is a 140.6-mile race that includes a 2.4-mile swim, a bike portion of 112 miles and a 26.2-mile run.
“I did not know how to swim. I didn’t have a bike, and I could not run the length of a football field,” Hall said. “I thought, ‘That’s impossible. I think I’ll try.’”
Hall has competed in more than a dozen Ironman competitions, and overcame face and hand injuries months before he competed in the championship in October.
Hall graduated from UHV in 2004 with his Strategic Master of Business Administration in management. He said he was humbled when he was asked to speak at the alumni luncheon. He compares his Ironman preparation and health journey to what it means to be a UHV jaguar.
“It truly is about the way we make our mark after we leave school,” he said. “Making our mark means taking on a challenge and seeing it all the way through and believing in ourselves.”
This is the second UHV alumni luncheon. David and Tammy Murphy, owners and operators of Victoria’s Chick-fil-A restaurants, spoke at the inaugural luncheon in October.
Kira Mudd, UHV director of alumni relations and annual giving, said she would like to host a luncheon each semester for alumni and guests to attend and connect. In addition to networking, lunch and a speaker presentation, there also will be tours of the new University Commons student center and library, which opened in the fall.
“We have more than 5,000 alumni in the Crossroads, and we encourage them to come back and meet their fellow alumni and catch up,” Mudd said. “This is a great way to make more connections in our community.”
Alumni and their guests may register by logging on to www.UHVconnect.org and clicking on the luncheon under the Event Calendar. For more information, contact Mudd at 361-570-4869 or muddke@uhv.edu.