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Professional
Excellence Awards
Luncheon
July 17, 2017
Texas
County Agricultural
Agents Association
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In 2009, Dr. Morgan accepted the position of Associate Professor and State Extension Cotton Agronomist. Since that time, he has focused on numerous outreach and applied research efforts that have been timely and critical to cotton in Texas and across the Cotton Belt. Dr. Morgan worked closely with county agents and IPM agents to get unbiased information to the diverse clientele of the state. He presents at over 65 AgriLife and industry sponsored educational programs across the state annually, and with the total contacts being over 3,200 annually!
Dr. Morgan in collaboration with regional teams have developed nationally recognized large-plot on-farm cotton variety trials, called the RACE (Replicate Agronomic Cotton Evaluation) trials with CEAs across the state. These RACE trials provide high quality and unbiased information to the cotton producers across the state through CEA led field days, winter educational meetings, and the Cotton.tamu.edu webpage. The economic importance of the RACE trials and the cotton webpage to the clientele and ginning industry has been estimated at $58 million annually. He has also worked diligently to get timely information to producers and CEAs through Extension publications, and multi-regional variety trial booklets. Beginning in 2015, Dr. Morgan developed the state-wide, multi-crop, and multi-discipline newsletter called the Texas Row Crops newsletter with subscribers both inside and outside Extension. In many cases, agents use these articles in local media efforts because of the timeliness and value of the content.
Dr. Morgan states that, “it is truly an honor to receive the TCAAA Distinguished State Specialist Award. Working with and interacting with my CEAs colleagues on educational programs, trainings, and applied research trials is a part of my job that I thoroughly enjoy.”
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TCAAA Specialist Award
TCAAA Distinguished State Specialist Award
Gaylon Morgan, PhD.
Professor and State Extension Cotton Specialist
Dr. Gaylon Morgon is a Professor and State Extension Cotton Agronomist based in College Station, TX within the Department of Soil & Crop Sciences. While obtaining his B.S. degree from Texas A&M University, he served as a student worker for the AgriLife Extension Service. It was in these jobs that Dr. Morgan learned about the value of the Land Grant Mission. Dr. Morgan’s M.S. and Ph.D. were obtained from Extension
Specialists, and his projects focused on applied research directed toward answering farmer’s questions on pest and nutrient management. In 2003, Dr. Morgan was hired as an Assistant Professor and Extension Small Grains Specialist at Texas A&M University, where he immediately engaged with fellow CEAs, IPM agents, and Specialists to establish a strong working relationship with clientele across the state. Dr. Morgan successfully led the multi-agency effort for uniform, replicated wheat and oat variety trials for over 30 Texas locations annually. Based on Dr. Morgan’s efforts and the significant contributions from the Small Grains team and Agents, the estimated economic benefit to the clientele of Texas exceeded $30 million annually.
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District Alternate Directors
District 1 Michael Wilkes
District 2 Jason Miller
District 3 Justin Gilliam
District 4 Tommy Phillips
District 5 Jamie Sugg
District 6 David Disselhorst
District 7 Lisa Brown
District 8 Lonnie Jenschke
District 9 Michael Potter
District 10 Rachel Bauer
District 11 Scott Willy
District 12 Martha Ramirez
Early Career Floyd Ingram
Life Members Joe Taylor
2016-2017 Texas County Agricultural Agents Association
Officers
President Shane McLellan
President Elect Tommy Yeater
Vice President Brian Triplett
Secretary Zach T. Davis
Treasurer Brian Yanta
Past President Cary Sims
District Directors
District 1 Leonard Haynes
District 2 John Villalba
District 3 Toby Oliver
District 4 Todd Williams
District 5 Chad Gulley
District 6 Caleb Eaton
District 7 Rocky Vinson
District 8 David Groschke
District 9 Dusty Tittle
District 10 Michael Haynes
District 11 Jason Ott
District 12 Marcelino Valdez
Early Career Cooper Terrill
Life Members Eddie Holland
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Professional Excellence Awards Luncheon 2017
Presiding Shane McLellan
TCAAA President
McLennan County
Invocation
Introductions of Guests Tommy Yeater
TCAAA President—Elect
Howard County
Award Presentations Todd Williams
Awards and Recognition
Committee
Rockwall County
Closing Remarks Shane McLellan
TCAAA President
McLennan County
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Beef Symposium, a joint effort between TAMU and NMSU; Beef 706 classes at Texas Tech, Sul Ross and Angelo State; Total Resource Management; Rebuilding the Beef Herd, a series
of programs set .o address the 2011 drought; and cattle pregnancy determination and artificial insemination clinics. One of the achievements that Dr. Carpenter is most proud of is the Ranch Horse Seminar, Competition and Sale he helped organize in Alpine, Texas in 1996. The goals were to help develop a value-added market for the local horse industry. The program was unique because it was a precursor to other now nationally known programs such as SHOT and AQHA Ranch Horse competitions. The special sale of competition horses included bids on 48 head that exceeded $100,000. Dr. Carpenter has received numerous awards during his tenure, including a Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence, a Superior Service Award and a Publication Award from the Texas Section of the Society for Range Management. Dr. Carpenter attributes the success of his programming efforts to the collaboration he’s had with great County Extension Agents. The Ag Agents of Far West Texas are proud to nominate Dr. Bruce
Carpenter as one of this year’s recognized specialists
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TCAAA Specialist Award
District 6 TCAAA Distinguished Specialist Award
Bruce Carpenter Ph.D. Professor & Extension Livestock Specialist
Dr. Bruce Carpenter is a Professor & Extension Livestock Specialist headquartered at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Center in Fort Stockton, Texas. Born into a New Mexico ranching family, Bruce received his B.S. in Animal Science from New Mexico State University in 1983. Bruce began his career in Extension as an Extension
Assistant for the Dept. of Animal Science in Bryan, while in graduate school. Bruce received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Reproduction Physiology from Texas A&M University in 1990 and 1993. In 1994, Bruce began his current role as the Livestock Specialist in Fort Stockton, covering a 23 county area in Far West Texas where he interacts with County Extension Agents, livestock producers and allied industry to conduct educational programs and applied research targeting beef cattle, sheep, goats, horses and ranch planning. At the regional and state levels, he is active in Integrated Toxic Plant Management, a regional program that began in West Texas and grew to a statewide program; the Southwest
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Distinguished Service Award
District 1 Josh Brooks
Josh Brooks has served Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension Service for 16 years. He served as an
Assistant Agent in Navarro, 4-H Agent in Wise,
and the last 13 years as the Ag/NR Agent in Hall County. His dedication
to agriculture is evident through programming in cotton, range/pasture,
livestock and an extensive 4-H livestock program. Josh has also been
involved in youth programming including Agriculture Literacy to drug
and alcohol awareness programs in the schools in Hall County.
Distinguished Service Award
District 4 Sara Allen
Sara has served as a County Extension Agent
Agriculture/Natural Resources for 26 years,
working in Nacogdoches, Montgomery and
Hunt counties. Her career has encompassed a
wide ranging platform focusing on Small and New Landowner Education,
Ag Literacy, 4-H and Youth Development, Beef and Forage Production
and supporting a vibrant Master Gardener program. Sara recognizes the
value of a dynamic volunteer base and has emphasized training and
utilizing volunteers in all areas of her work.
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Distinguished Service Award
District 5 Chad Gulley
Chad Gulley has served the Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension Service 18 years in Polk, Nacogdoches,
and Smith Counties. He has been responsible for
beef and forage programming, horticulture, wildlife, aquatics,
volunteerism, environmental stewardship, and 4-H Youth
Development. His dedication to agriculture is evident through his
leadership on various local, district, and state committees. He provides
leadership to numerous Agricultural groups in East Texas also serving
as a mentor to a number of Early Career Agents.
Distinguished Service Award
District 8 Shane McLellan
Michael "Shane" McLellan started his
Extension career in 1998 as an Assistant
Agent in Hill County, moved to Freestone
County as the Ag/Nr Agent and is currently serving as the Agriculture
Agent in McLennan County, Waco Texas. McLellan takes great pride in
the fact he has always offered a very good and broad based agriculture
education program for clientele. 4-H, beef and forage, row crop and
horticulture being the major programs offered.
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Outstanding County Agricultural Agents Awards
Partner Organizations
Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
Texas Corn Raisers Board
Texas Grain Sorghum Producers Board
Texas Wheat Producers Board
Texas Association of Dairymen
Willis Grass Soil Fertility Award
Texas Extension Specialists Association Award
TCAAA Poster Awards
TCAAA Scholarship Awards
Youth Scholarships
Clayton Garrett
Caleb Sumrall
James Guyler Sims
Shelby Lepley
Agent Advance Degree Scholarships
Andrew Sprague—Hansford County
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Extension Program Awards
Recognizing TCAAA members who achieve excellence in developing and
implementing innovative methods of teaching principals of production and
marketing management to their clientele. These winners are also honored
at the NACAA meeting.
Search for Excellence in Crop Production
Jason Ott Nueces County
Search for Excellence in Consumer or Commercial
Horticulture
Michael R. Hiller Jackson County
Search for Excellence in Livestock Production
Rogelio Mercado Jim Wells County
Search for Excellence in Sustainable Agriculture
Michael R. Hiller Jackson County
Search for Excellence in 4-H Programming
Roy Walston Kerr County
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Distinguished Service Award
District 11 Corrie Bowen
Corrie Bowen has served as the Agriculture
and Natural Resources Agent in Wharton
County since 2012. Throughout his eighteen
year career he’s demonstrated outstanding leadership in the areas of
beef cattle, row crops, rice, wheat, animal issues/emergency
management, and new landowner education. He received AgriLife’s
Superior Service Award in 2012 and the Vice Chancellor’s Award in
Excellence in 2013. Bowen received his bachelor’s degree from
Tarleton State University and his master’s degree from Texas Tech
University.
Achievement Award
District 1 Michael Wilkes
Michael Wilkes has served Texas A&M
AgriLife Extension Service for 8 years in
Oldham and Roberts counties. Programming
efforts from these counties have covered beef
cattle, wildlife, small grains and native range management. Michael
also has a very active 4-H program providing excellent leadership
opportunities for youth in a wide area of involvement.
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Achievement Award
District 5 Kimberly Benton
Within this small rural county, my
horticulture programming is designed to
reach the Cherokee County constituents
where they live-increasing knowledge,
providing best practices, and helping them grow their own food. My
programs foster garden growth (including a new city garden and
various demo gardens,) and provide trialing opportunities to the local
commercial growers. I am a proud member of the Earth-Kind Rose
team, and honored to have been included in the awards they have
received.
Achievement Award
District 8 Cooper Terrill
Cooper started his career as the Falls County Ag/
NR Agent in 2013 and now serves as the
Agriculture Agent for Williamson County. He received both his BS and
MS degrees from Texas A&M University. Cooper has worked closely
with program area committees to hold numerous field days and
educational programs that will impact local producers. His diverse
subject matter has covered row crops, cattle, forage, feral hogs, ag
literacy, horticulture and 4-H youth development.
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Personal Column
1. Beth McMahon Brazoria County
2. Janet Laminack Denton County
3. Matt Bochat Victoria County
Publication
1.Vikram Baliga Lubbock County
2. Beth McMahon Brazoria County
Published Photo/Caption
1. Vikram Baliga Lubbock County
Program Promotional Piece
1. Paul Winski Harris County
2. Sheryl Long Bell County
3. Beth McMahon Brazoria County
Video Presentation
1. Daphne Richards Travis County
2. Janet Laminack Denton County
3. Paul Winski Harris County
Website
1. Vilkram Baliga Lubbock County
2. Daphne Richards Travis County
The first place winner in each category advances to NACAA Southern Region Competition. The
top three regional finalist in each category go on to compete at the national level. NACAA
recognizes all state winners as well as regional and national finalists at the Annual
Communications Workshop and Awards Ceremony during the Annual NACAA Professional
Improvement Conference.
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Communication Awards
Recognizing TCAAA members who excel in communication with clientele
Audio Recordings
1. Michael Hiller Jackson County
2. Beth McMahon Brazoria County
Bound Book
1. Jason Ott Nueces County
Computer Generated Presentation
1. Janet Laminack Denton County
Fact Sheet
1. Robert Pritz Taylor County
2. Jason Ott Nueces County
Feature Story
1. Vikram Baliaga Lubbock County
2. Matt Garrett Harrison County
Newsletter Individual
1. Tom Guthrie Mills County
2. Xandra Morri Hill County
3. Michael Hiller Jackson County
Newsletter, Team
1. Michael Hiller Jackson County
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Achievement Award
District 9 Paul Winski
I joined Extension in 2013 as the County
Extension Agent for Commercial Horticulture
in Harris County. I have implemented
programs to address issues related to the
green industry such as integrated pest management, Earth-Kind®
landscape management and the Greater Houston Plant Conference. Earth-
Kind plant trials have been initiated with roses, azaleas and landscape
shrubs. I received my Bachelor of Science from Delaware Valley University
and Master of Science Degree from the University of Connecticut.
Achievement Award
District 11 Kara Matheney
Kara Matheney has served as County Extension
Agent for Agriculture/Natural Resources with
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension since January of
2010. Her career began in Colorado County
with programming focused on 4-H, beef cattle, and row crop
production. In June of 2014 she transitioned to Washington County and
provides leadership for beef cattle, pasture management, Master
Gardeners, Master Naturalists, New Landowners, and 4-H youth
development. Kara earned her Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Texas
A&M University.
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Early Career Awards
Sponsored by the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association to
recognize and encourage profession excellence for members with less
than five years of service. Districts with more than nine qualified
agents may present two awards.
Andrew Sprague Hanford County District 1
Cristen Brooks Floyd County District 2
Wade Howard Lynn County District 2
Michael Bowman Foard County District 3
Alford Echols Delta County District 4
Shaniqua Davis Upshur County District 5
Amber Carroll El Paso County District 6
Jessica McCrory Terrell County District 6
Morgan Runyan Coke County District 7
Floyd Ingram Milam County District 8
Bruce Boyd Hamilton County District 8
Jerod Meurer Brazos County District 9
Roy Flora Liberty County District 9
Chris Wiemers Blanco County District 10
Robbin Reininger Bee County District 11
Ashley Gregory Hidalgo County District 12
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Retirement Watches
Recognizing retiring TCAAA member for the dedication, service, and
leadership they have provided during their careers as County Exten-
sion agents.
2016 – 2017 Retirees
Greg Jones
Garza County 32 years 8 months
Jerry Warren
Callahan County 19 years 3 months
2015 – 2016 Retirees
Keith Hansen
Smith County 29 years 7 months
Michael Morrow
Lamar County 26 years 11 months
Retirement Watch Sponsor
FiberMax Cotton, Bayer CropScience