Prior to becoming a consultant to Akin Gump, Mr. Villarreal was a longtime partner with the firm. He served as U.S. Commissioner General to the Shanghai 2010 World Expo, a post to which he was named by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Mr. Villarreal currently serves on the board of directors of Union Pacific. From 1998 to 2006 he served on the board of directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Mr. Villarreal has been recognized by numerous publications for his achievements and in 2011 he received a distinguished alumni award from Purdue University. In 2001, Mr. Villarreal was inducted into the prestigious Academy of Law Alumni Fellows by the Indiana University School of Law. J.D., Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington, 1979 B.A., Purdue University, 1975