Former Texas Tech Regent and Lubbock CPA James Michael Weiss passed away on Monday, July 22nd, at the age of 75 after a brief illness.

Weiss was born in Lubbock in 1944, and was on the Texas Tech Board of Regents from 1997 through 2004. He also served on boards of multiple organizations, including the Employees Retirement System of Texas, St. Mary of the Plains Hospital, Carillon Life Care Community and several banks. Weiss was appointed as the Texas Governor's Budget Director in 1994.

He opened Weiss and Associates, an accounting firm, back in 1974.

Former Lubbock mayor and brother-in-law David Miller had this to say about Weiss:

Mike was truly one of the most brilliant minds I have ever encountered. [...] On top of that, his wit was disarming and left me smiling and shaking my head. As a husband and father, he didn’t speak very much about love; instead he simply demonstrated it with his life.

According to a press release from Weiss and Associates, he graduated from the Texas Tech School of Law in 1983 while operating a business and raising two children.

Kelly Weiss, Mike's son, said this:

He was great fun when it was time to have fun. But he was the most focused worker I have ever seen. He was not a dad that would coach the soccer team, but he was doing the work that provided my sister Jamie and me with every opportunity. We always had a great relationship, but as adults we have become best friends.


More From Awesome 98