Distinguished Alumni
Robert Sterling Steele
Awarded 2014
For Robert Sterling Steele, golf isn’t just a passion; it is part of a legacy handed down from his grandfather, who was the head golf professional at courses in Arkansas and Beaumont, Texas. At the age of seven, his father gave him his first set of clubs and he’s never stopped playing since. Now “retired,” Robert does a lot more than play golf—he and his wife, Erin, have turned a passion into a very successful business enterprise.
Together, they own and operate Sterling Country Club and two, 18-hole golf courses at Houston National; Sterling Golf, a management company that operates four additional golf courses including the Texas A&M campus course, Red Wolf Course in Houston, Golfcrest Country Club and Country Place, both in Pearland, Texas; and Turf Technologies, a local distributer of Floratine—a line of products designed to maintain the “finest turf grass surfaces in the world.”
Robert earned a degree in physics at Sam Houston State University in 1980 while simultaneously earning an engineering degree from Texas A&M. His education helped prepare him for a role in a family business, Texas Honing, Inc., which produced precision tools for work in the oil and gas industry. By 1995, Robert had become sole owner of the company.
In 1998, the couple started the Steele Charitable Foundation, offering scholarships to the children of Texas Honing employees. Even after selling the company in 2008, they continue to provide financial aid to the families of the employees.
Robert and his wife have a long history with the university—they met in 1977 while studying at Sam Houston State and married upon graduating. While Robert’s family paid for his education, he watched his wife-to-be work hard to help pay for her expenses. They knew early on, if they were ever in a position to “give back,” they would. In 2010, the Steeles pledged $1 million to SHSU through two endowments—one aiding science or engineering majors and the other supporting students in educator preparation programs.
Robert is on the board of directors for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and serves on the committee for the Junior Poultry Auction. The couple also contributes annually to scholarships provided by the HLSR.
Erin is a past president and active member of Keep Pearland Beautiful, as well as Women in Leadership Society, which offers scholarships to single moms attending college, among other things. In 2010, she was named a recipient of SHSU’s Alumni Service Award.
Together, the Steeles were named “Citizens of the Year” for 2008 by the Pearland Chamber of Commerce.