Conque Named 2024 Edinburg Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics learned on Tuesday that UTRGV Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque is the 2024 Edinburg Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year.

This prestigious award honors individuals whose remarkable achievements and significant contributions have made a lasting impact on the Edinburg community. Each year, nominations are submitted by citizens and business leaders, culminating in the final decision by the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce Selection Committee.

“We are incredibly proud of Chasse for earning this well-deserved recognition,” UTRGV President Guy Bailey said. “His vision has not only transformed UTRGV Athletics but also deepened our connection with the community. As we continue to build new programs and strengthen our partnerships, his work stands as a shining example of how leadership can inspire lasting change throughout the Valley.”

Conque will be honored on Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Memorial Event Center. Tickets and sponsorships are available at Edinburg.com/Awards.

“While I am incredibly grateful and honored, this is truly a team effort,” Conque said. “This is a testament to the hard work of our staff, coaches, student-athletes and colleagues at UTRGV in addition to the dedication of our supporters. We are truly building something special right now at UTRGV and we are blessed to have an incredible village supporting our efforts. This athletics program is one that our community will be able to rally around for many years to come.”

During his first five years at UTRGV, Conque has led UTRGV Athletics through a period of exponential growth. Among his accomplishments are increasing attendance across all sports by about 60% and overall external generated revenue to an unprecedented $24.5 million in 2024.

Conque is currently presiding over $160 million in facilities enhancements across 13 capital projects taking place from 2022-26 touching all 18 athletic programs at UTRGV.

The remarkable support during Conque’s tenure allowed UTRGV to move forward with starting football and women’s swimming & diving programs and make a move to the Southland Conference as full-time members.

During his introductory press conference in August 2019, Conque stated his intention to “Rally the Valley” behind UTRGV Athletics. Rally the Valley has become both a rallying cry and a hashtag for not only athletics, but the university, as its meaning has grown to mean both rallying the Valley behind UTRGV and UTRGV rallying in support of the Rio Grande Valley.

Part of rallying the Valley is making community service a priority, and UTRGV ranked sixth in the nation in community service hours in 2023-24.

Academically, UTRGV student-athletes have thrived, currently sporting a department record 3.35 cumulative grade point average.

UTRGV athletic programs have experienced significant competitive success during Conque’s first five years, most recently including the volleyball team winning the 2022 Western Athletic Conference Championship and the department earning the 2022-23 South Texas Showdown, presented by Rally Credit Union, Championship.

Thanks to Conque’s efforts, the UTRGV Vaqueros can now be found in stores, banks and restaurants across the Valley, as UTRGV Athletics has partnered with 5×5 Brewing Co. in Mission to create the first branded beer in the UT System – Los Vaqueros, Tio Pelon’s, whose founders are from McAllen, to create Vaqueros Especial Salsita, Texas Regional Bank to launch the UTRGV debit card, The Jank, whose founder lives in Weslaco, to create Vaqueros Gourmet Barbecue Sauce, and Reserva Coffee Roasters, whose founders are alumni, to produce Vaqueros Roast.