Gus Campos: BC opened doors for career, personal advancements

Gus Campos, Brazosport College’s 2018-19 Distinguished Alumnus, has earned two degrees from BC and has excelled during his 30 years at BASF Corporation.

Wearing his familiar horned hat, Gus Campos cheers on the Houston Texans during a game at NRG Stadium in Houston. (Photo by Trask Smith)

If you’re a fan of the Houston Texans, you probably know of Gustavo Campos.

Many might not know him by name, but he’s regularly seen in Texans commercials and is a fixture at the team’s tailgate parties. In fact, Gus and his familiar horned Texans hat can be seen on television at almost every home game when the camera pans toward the spectators in the end zone.

The camera has even found him many times at baseball games — in a different, yet just as unique, Astros-themed hat — and other Houston events. Although he doesn’t actively seek it out, the camera always seems to pick him out of the crowd.

“I’ve been recognized in all kinds of places,” Gus said with a laugh. “I was walking down the road in Cabo (San Lucas) and a guy said to me, ‘Hey, you’re the guy from the Texans games.’ It’s been a lot of fun.

But there’s much more to Gus than what is seen at sporting events. He’s logged a successful career at BASF Corporation and does a tremendous amount of volunteer work throughout the community.

He’s also a graduate of Brazosport College and was recently named as the College’s 2018-19 Distinguished Alumnus.

Gus has been employed by BASF Corporation for 30 years and has earned two degrees from Brazosport College, an Associate of Applied Science and a Bachelor of Applied Technology.

“BASF offered me the opportunity to go to school, so I had to take advantage of that,” Gus said. “I did it while working full time so it took a good long while, but I’m proud that I did it.”

As a lifelong resident of the Brazosport community, Gus has seen Brazosport College’s growth first hand.

“It’s amazing how much this college has grown during its 50 years in our community,” he said. “With all of the new buildings, it has much more of a university atmosphere than when I first started going to school here years ago. It offers so many opportunities for its students.”

For Gus, Brazosport College was a key toward career advancement and job security.

“I wouldn’t have received my positions without my degrees,” Gus said. “One position needed a two-year degree and another required a four-year degree. Both of my degrees helped me advance.”

While Gus obviously works hard in his career, he also plays just as hard, as evidenced by his biggest passion — cheering on local sports teams, most notably the Texans football team.

“The Houston Texans are a lot of fun. I have two front row seats in the endzone bullpen,” he said of his season tickets, which he purchased before the team’s inaugural season in 2002. “I chose the bullpen over anywhere else in the stadium. My only mistake is that I didn’t choose 10 of those seats.”

As for the recognizable horned hat, Gus credits his friends for helping start that tradition.

“During the first season, a co-worker was going to a game with me, but the guys said I shouldn’t sit on the front row unless I had something that would stand out,” he explained. “So they made the hat. The horns are made with a lot of masking tape. He wore it to that game and then gave it to me. I’ve had it ever since.

“Actually, I’m on my fourth hat now, but I still have the same horns,” Gus added. “The hat gets beat up, so I take the horns off and put them on the new hat.”

As if his job and a love of sports didn’t keep him busy enough, Gus is still able to find time for volunteer work in the local community.

As the Co-Chairman of the BASF Freeport Latin American Employee Group (LAEG), Gus led an effort to assist homeowners affected by Hurricane Harvey and personally assisted on 12 homes. He also served on the BASF Volunteer EMS/Rescue Team for more than 25 years.

Through BASF, he has helped coordinate BASF kids runs, beach and highway clean-ups, assisted at the BASF Brazoria County Fair booth and worked during Responsible Care Week at Brazosport College, just to name a few of his many community involvements. He also takes pride in the fact that he’s donated blood more than 65 times.

Gus is a strong advocate of Brazosport College and the BC Foundation, serving as a member of the Former Students Association, as well as a member of the Gator Classic Planning Committee. In addition, he attends nearly every concert performance at The Clarion at Brazosport College.

For Gus, many of his personal and career achievements go back to his decision to attend Brazosport College.

“Earning my degrees and being part of Brazosport College has allowed me to do so many things,” Gus said. “It’s given me a career. Brazosport College was my ‘College of Choice,’ and it was the best choice I could have ever made.”