Texas A&M Former Dean, Survivor TV Series Contender 'Retired' at Traditions Club to Build High-End Homes; Three Careers Didn't Quench Blatchley's Thirst for Adventure, Entrepreneurship

    HOUSTON, TX, August 01, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Traditions Club home builder and golf club member Ron Blatchley was sequestered like a juror for 10 days in Santa Monica, CA. He truly thought he had a chance to get on the Survivor TV series. "Then they found out about my six bypasses," said Blatchley. "I told them my heart doctor had given me a clean bill of health and anyway, wouldn't a heart attack on the show be exciting?"

It's easy to understand why the robust Aggie, now 68, applied to be a Survivor candidate. He power walks six-eight miles and he bikes 30 miles. Not many years ago, Ron rolled cars at the Baha500 on a high school graduation trip for his grandson John Thornton. He still loves hot cars and drives a sleek new black Corvette Z06.

Blatchley golfs regularly with his Aggie pals at Traditions Club, a golfing community with a Jack and Jackie Nicklaus-designed course in Bryan, Texas, home of Texas A&M University. It is just down the road from the George Bush Library, a popular tourist attraction.

Blatchley particularly enjoys bragging rights that Traditions is home to the Texas A&M golf teams including the men's team that recently captured the 2009 NCAA Division I championship. Texas A&M men's golf

"Traditions is popular with Texas A&M Former Students from Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. Some have second homes; others have retired here," said Blatchley.

Don't say the R word around him, but shhhhh... in 2004 at an age when many of his friends were retiring, Ron started building high-end homes in Traditions and other subdivisions of the Brazos Valley in Central Texas. He is a partner in BMB Homes with Kent Moore and Kenny Bolline and the Blatchley's daughter Kimberly is the decorator for home exteriors and interiors.

BMB Homes attract doctors and other professionals who will work at the new 200-acre Texas A&M Health Science Center adjacent to Traditions Community. "We are enjoying growth at Traditions since five Aggies have moved into the management of the more than 1,000 acres," said Blatchley.

Previously, the self-proclaimed adventurer and entrepreneur had a long career at Texas A&M University where he retired as Director of Student Affairs; he tossed burgers in a pinch as franchisee of a dozen McDonald's from 1985 to 2005, and they call him "mayor" at the Traditions Club community because he has served as city councilman and mayor of Bryan.

Ron saw some dramatic changes at Texas A&M during his years on staff. When he joined the system in 1972 (just a few years out of graduate school himself) there were about 16,500 mostly male Aggies. By 1985 he had seen enrollment double to 31,000 with co-ed students exceeding male.

"Those were exciting times but I had always wanted to get into private business, and McDonald's was my way in," Blatchley said. "I grew up in a large, poor family with few success stories. As a result of crawling up the ladder from the bottom, I've always had a thirst for commerce and entrepreneurship."

Blatchley said the biggest challenge with the McDonald's stores was maintaining excellent customer service and that depended on recruiting, hiring and training abilities. "It was hard but gratifying work," said Ruth, who was his partner in the franchise development and operations.

Ron's wife has tried to get him to take it easy, no kidding. "We loved McDonald's but I ask him to retire after we sold the Houston and Bryan franchises. And he did...for one year!" said the vivacious Ruth, 66, who keeps busy, too. In addition to cooking for three men every day (her father and brother live with the couple in Traditions), she is an active member of the Women's Club in Bryan and helped to raise their grandchildren John and Tiffany Thornton.

Never too far away from academia, Blatchley is now chairman of the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System. It is the governing body of the state schools including the four Lamar schools of higher learning, Texas State University (formerly Southwest Texas State in San Marcos), Sul Ross, and his undergraduate alma mater Sam Houston State.

Also, he and Ruth are following closely the lively career of their granddaughter actress Tiffany Thornton in California who is the co-star of the Disney television series "Sonny with a Chance."
If you haven't heard of it, Ron said just ask any 10 to 14-year-old about Tawnie, the role played by the vivacious blonde Tiffany. She also starred in the movie Hatching Pete and is currently working on an album.

"Oh, sure, she is a singer, too," said Ron. "Many people in the community will remember Tiffany singing the national anthem at Aggie sporting events starting when she was just 13 years old."
Sounds like she is a chip off the old Blatchley block of success.

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