Tom Luce began life as the son of a single mother, living in a University Park duplex. When he died this weekend at 85, he was the founder and chairman emeritus of the nonpartisan think tank Texas 2036 and was leading the biotech efforts for Lyda Hill Philanthropies. His aim with Texas 2036 was to advocate for holistic policy approaches to everything from public education and healthcare to workforce development and natural resources. “I feel a need to pay back the state,” Luce told D CEO in 2023. Last year, Luce was named the recipient of the George W. Bush Institute Trailblazer Citation.