Honoring
Ted & Diane Connell

Long recognized as an accomplished businessman and dedicated civic leader, Ted Connell served as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) National Commander-in-Chief (1960–1961) and Mayor of Killeen (1962–1966). A close personal aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson, Ted was widely respected throughout Central Texas for his extensive business endeavors across real estate, banking, the automotive industry, and regional airlines.

A military child herself, Diane Connell grew up immersed in the global military community, living with her U.S. Air Force family in Tokyo, Honolulu, Paris, and Washington, D.C. Throughout a vibrant career marked by outstanding professional and personal achievements, Diane successfully operated Connell Chevrolet in Killeen for more than a decade. Deeply passionate about enriching her local community, she has long been a champion of the arts and civic leadership in Central Texas, serving as the Founding Chairman of the Vive Les Arts Societé.

In profound recognition of their lifelong service to the military community and their extraordinary generosity, Texas A&M University-Central Texas proudly established the Ted and Diane Connell Military and Veteran Services Center in 2012. Backed by their transformative endowment, generations of Warrior student veterans, service members, and their families will forever benefit from the legacy, loyalty, and selfless service of Ted and Diane Connell.