Housley Tower completed at Angelo State with electronic bell system
Angelo State University held a ribbon cutting ceremony dedicating the new Housley Tower to the center of campus on Monday.
The tower was named in honor of late entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert "Bob" Housley, according to a news release.
"Bob Housley believed in the same commitment to excellence and the community that we strive to uphold at Angelo State, and the Housley Tower stands as our joint symbol of those values," said ASU President Ronnie Hawkins Jr.
The Housley Tower is located between the Stephens Chapel and S. Johnson Street, standing 65-feet tall, encompassing 215 square feet. The exterior and roof of the tower match the brick-and-stone construction and metal roof of the Stephens Chapel that opened in October 2020.
"ASU Ram horns are visible in the stucco finish at the belfry, and all four sides have arched entries to allow pedestrians to pass through the tower as they walk along the university mall," the release stated.
The tower has an electronic Verdin Carillon Bell System programmed with 7,800 available songs in multiple bell voices, including the ASU Fight Song, as well as 25 customizable tolling bells and eight clock chimes.
The tower will sound chimes daily at 8 a.m., 11:48 a.m. and 5 p.m.
"The 11:48 a.m. chimes signify the exact time the legislation was signed that created Angelo State College as a four-year, state-supported institution on May 17, 1963," according to the release.
Color-changing LED lights were also installed under the roof, inside the belfry and at the ceiling of the first level, as well as ground-mounted at the base.
The first lighting of the tower will take place during spring commencement ceremonies on May 10-11.
"The Housley Tower is the new iconic structure of the campus," Hawkins said. "The groundbreaking for the tower was my first as president of Angelo State, and it's exciting to see and hear the concept become reality. This is definitely a proud day for the entire Ram Family."
The tower was constructed by Mid-Tex of Midland Inc. The engineering phases were completed by Austin-based Leap! Structures and Lubbock-based Chambers Engineering, and the tower was designed by KFW Architects Inc. of San Angelo.
"The tower project was funded by a generous gift from Mona Housley in memory of her late husband, Bob Housley, founder of Housley Communications, who had a long-standing dream of putting a bell tower on the ASU campus," the release stated.
A native of Carlisle, Arkansas, Bob Housley earned his pilot's license at 17 years old and then served in the National Guard. He married Mona Saunders in 1958 and later took a job with Texas International Aviation that eventually led to his family moving to San Angelo in 1976.
On Oct. 1, 1980, Housley launched Housley Communications.
"His innovative nature, passion for customer satisfaction, and personal relationships with his employees were instrumental in establishing Housley Communications as an industry leader in providing construction and technical services to many of the major telecommunications companies in the U.S. and beyond, including Mexico and Africa," according to the release.
Housley was an active supporter of various organizations in his community, including the Lighthouse for the Blind and West Texas Rehabilitation Center. He also served on the Board of Trustees for the ASU Foundation and First Financial Bank.
Housley's son, Kevin, executive vice president of Housley Communications, developed the Housley Principled Leadership Program that has been adapted into the management curriculum in ASU's Norris-Vincent College of Business.
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Housley Tower completed at Angelo State with electronic bell system
