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With deep family ties to the University of Central Arkansas, Kyle Reynolds ’08 carried on a tradition when he chose to become a Bear.

“Both of my maternal grandparents went to school here, then both of my parents went, and then my older brother also attended UCA,” Reynolds said. “I applied to other schools and got in, but I had some family backing and had spent some time around campus, so I was familiar with it. I came to BT����and then just had a really great time.”

Once on campus, Reynolds joined Sigma Phi Epsilon, the Student Government Association, BT����Ambassadors, the Student Orientation Staff (SOS) and the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College.

“I’ve got to be involved and stay in a lane where I can feel like I can make an impact,” he said.

It was through SOS that Reynolds met his wife. “For like two weeks, you’re with your team from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.,” he said. “You’re going to spend way more time with this group of people in a short amount of time than you would over several semesters. It was happenstance or divine intervention that we ended up on the same team.”

After graduating with a degree in creative writing, Reynolds went to law school at the University of Arkansas, where an internship at Chesapeake Energy introduced him to the energy business.

“I really fell in love with the fast-paced nature of the energy business,” he said. “If attorneys ruled the world, nothing would ever happen. But, in energy, you’ve got to figure out how to solve a problem instead of sitting back and just talking about it.”

That led to a career spanning several states and ultimately the launch of RBG Permian, his own oil and gas company. Today, he and his business partner manage operations in Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, while Reynolds also invests in real estate, tech and runs a bison ranch in western Oklahoma.

Now living in Rogers with his wife and three children, Reynolds remains grateful for the foundation BT����provided. He is committed to giving back to the university that shaped his path.

“People poured into my life and impacted me when I was a student and didn’t know anything,” he said. “Being able to pay it forward, whether that’s mentorship, advice or a financial contribution, matters.”