NEWS FROM TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE
MEDIA RELATIONS
COMMERCE, TEXAS 75429
903-886-5128

For Immediate Release/06-02-09/Mary Lou Hazal

AINSWORTH HONORED BY A&M-COMMERCE

COMMERCE, Texas -- Delta County native Jim Ainsworth is a 2009 Distinguished Alumnus of Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Ainsworth of Commerce, Mary Spencer of Dallas, and Dr. James Turman of Austin were honored at a recognition dinner recently where they won the highest awards given by A&M-Commerce for their career achievements.

A 1962 graduate of Cooper High School, Ainsworth graduated from A&M-Commerce with a B.B.A. in 1965 and practiced public accounting in this area for over 20 years. He is a Certified Public accountant, Certified Financial planner, and Chartered Life Underwriter. Ainsworth founded Jim Ainsworth, CPA, and co-founded Ainsworth & Lambert, CPA's.

He later formed Ainsworth Money Management, Inc. and became a licensed securities principal. He also co-founded 1st Global Partners, a full service financial services firm with headquarters in Dallas. He authored four books in the financial services field.

In 1997, he sold his business interests and made a journey across Texas by covered wagon and horseback. He wrote about this in a memoir, "Biscuits Across the Brazos."

Two books in his "Follow the Rivers" series, "In the Rivers Flow" and "Rivers Crossing" take place in Northeast Texas.

The third novel, "Rivers Ebb," was a finalist for best mainstream novel of 2008 and the Writers League of Texas Violet Crown Award. It was also selected as a finalist for the best mainstream/literary novel in the Writers Digest international book contest.

On being named a Distinguished Alumnus, Ainsworth said, "I am honored, grateful, and humbled to be named a Distinguished Alumnus of Texas A&M University-Commerce. This university, its people, and the campus have been part of my life since I attended basketball games here as a boy."

"Thousands of students, myself among them, would have missed the opportunity for higher education had it not been for this university. It is a privilege to have one more connection to such a rich heritage."