Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar will be the next chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, overseeing 11 universities that educate more than 157,000 students and eight state agencies, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

The Board of Regents selected Hegar on Friday to succeed Chancellor John Sharp, who has held the job since 2011 and is slated to retire in June. The vote was unanimous.

Hegar is inheriting the system’s reins at an inflection point as Republican leaders scrutinize what they see as progressive policies and curriculum in higher education. He’ll have to contend with continued accusations that public universities are violating the state’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and navigate intensifying threats to academic freedom.

“The board is confident that Glenn Hegar is ready to usher in the next era of excellence at The Texas A&M University System,” Bill Mahomes, chair of the board of regents, wrote in a statement after the vote. “Hegar grasps the unique breadth and depth of the System’s impact on every corner of Texas through its eight state agencies and 11 universities. We, as members of the Board of Regents, are eager to see what he will accomplish.”

In a statement of his own, Hegar thanked the regents for their confidence.

"Texas A&M will remain focused on our core values, increasing and improving student experiences, and expanding economic opportunities and services across our system and our state," he said,."Gig 'em!"

The board's selection of Hegar as sole finalist triggers a 21-day mandatory waiting period before a final appointment can be made.

Hegar, a Republican from Katy, was first elected comptroller in 2014. He previously served as a state representative and then as a state senator, from 2003 to 2014.

The comptroller serves as the state’s chief financial officer, accountant, revenue estimator and treasurer.

As comptroller, Hegar has brought attention to problems that have plagued other states like infrastructure maintenance and state employee pensions. He worked with the Texas Legislature to pay down pension debt. He also helped create the first state-administered precious metals depository and the Texas Bullion Depository.

The Texas Broadband Development Office and the settlement funds from a lawsuit stemming from the opioid crisis are under the comptroller’s purview. If a school voucher proposal to let families use public funds for their children’s private schooling passes this session, the office could also be responsible for overseeing how the program works.

Hegar infused some conservative politicking into the role when he ran for reelection in 2022 as “a true conservative defending the values of faith, family and freedom.” At the time, his office released a list of financial companies that Hegar said were anti-oil and gas. He also threatened to sanction Harris County for cutting its budget for law enforcement.

In the Legislature, Hegar chaired the Sunset Advisory Commission and has said he eliminated inefficiencies in government and abolished six state agencies, saving taxpayers more than $160 million.

During his last session in the Senate, he chaired the finance subcommittee on state and local revenue matters and has said he helped cut $1 billion worth of taxes.

That year he also sponsored a bill in 2013 that placed additional restrictions on abortion before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. (That bill was the one that launched Democrat Wendy Davis into fame for her 11-hour filibuster). He also authored a bill that allowed students with concealed handgun licenses to store firearms in their vehicles on campus. Now, Texans don’t have to have a concealed handgun license to carry.

Hegar is himself an Aggie, graduating from Texas A&M University in 1993. He later got his master’s and law degrees from St. Mary’s University, a private school in San Antonio, and a master of laws degree from the University of Arkansas.

He has three children with his wife, Dara.