A friend of American politician Mitt Romney since the 1980s , White helped manage Bain Capital at the private equity firm 's founding in April 1993 , taking a leave of absence in 1994 to manage Romney 's unsuccessful 1994 U.S . Senate organization.leadership .

In 1996 , the Texas Tech University System was established and the system 's first chancellor , John T. Montford , a former member of the Texas State Senate organization.leadership started the exchange of a traveling trophy between the two universities called the Chancellor 's Spurs .