Director Texas AgriLife Extension Service

1. Director Texas AgriLife Extension Service Candidate Pete G. Gibbs Associate Director for State Programs

2. Seminar Outline • Background • Qualifications & Interest • “A Vision for Extension in the Land-Grant University System” • Immediate steps • Summary of vision points

3. Early Background • Born 1955 • Raised on farm in Rolling Plains -horses, hay production, feed mill -parents self-employed • Active in 4-H and FFA -horses, steers, lambs, hogs, broilers, racing homing pigeons -4-H Gold Star Award -worked hard, studied little

4. Slow Start & Stronger Finishes • Misguided tour of universities • Credit Extension for opportunity • Transferred into TAMU 1975 Distinguished Student several semesters • Undergraduate Degree – Dec 1977 • Began M.S. – Jan 1978 – finished 18 months Graduate Teaching Assistant Variety of Extension activities • Completed PhD – 1982

5. Kansas State University • 1 of 4 candidates for Specialist Kansas Cooperative Extension - Nov 1982 - 5 ½ years - earned tenure and promotion - high emphasis on fee-based & new programs • 1 of 3 candidates for Specialist Texas Agricultural Extension Service Returned to TAM System – 1988

6. Family • Married Colette on April Fool’s Day – 1983 -runs day-to-day operations • 1 son Tyler born 1987 -2011 graduate Mays Business School Finance degree & Entrepreneur certificate -Integrated Real Estate Development & Construction Company – Site Manager

7. Extension Work Experience • Program Assistant – 3 summers 1st official work with county program delivery – 1974, 75 & 76 • Specialist – 25.75 years -Graduate Faculty member Associate Department Head – 2.5 years • Associate Director – 45 months -ANR & CRED -FCS & 4-H – added in 2011

8. Experience in Senior Administration • Agriculture & Natural Resources + Wildlife Services • Health & Safety Education • Leadership Education Our State Strategic Goals

9. Responsibility for State Programs • 16 Units -13 departmentalized - 3 stand alone • 3 Institutes -includes Borlaug International work • Sea Grant Extension (in Geosciences) • Wildlife Service Unit • 4 Programmatic Regions -ANR & FCS Regional Program Directors

10. Current Involvement • State Technical Advisory Committee - key agricultural topics & issues • Chief Research Officer – OSRS • Research Compliance Officer – newly formed Office of Compliance • TVMDL Advisory Committee • Texas 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees • TRE Council – V.C & Dean • Southern Region Program Leaders’ Network – ANR & FCS • National FCS Leaders’ Group

11. Qualifications for Director • Understand our successful Model. Support county programming with strong specialist backstop • Science-trained • Value relationships with AgriLife Research & Corporate Relations, Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab, Texas Forest Service • High value on 4-H & Youth Development • Personal record of fee-based programs, contracts/grants • Experience with almost 60% of agency budget • Strong stakeholder relations – know the commodity leadership well and value those relationships • Work well with our External Relations group in Austin

12. Value honesty and genuine attitudes • Seek & respect input • Decisive • Delegate…with expectation & trust • Diplomatic & good natured, can be blunt • Strong work ethic, consistent and truly care • Communicate inside/outside the agency, not just when something is needed • Advocate for the mission and delivery system at all levels • Believe in the land grant system(s) • This job is not a prize to be won

13. Why Interested? • Extension raised • Extension is only career • Our work matters…is rewarding • Our people’s careers combined with our clientele’s needs are vitally important • We are Relevant, it’s worth fighting for • Agency has good opportunities ahead • Enjoy the relationships & can handle the pace

14. Core Values Personally Professionally Agency is Respected because Reputation- science based Relevance – Issues ID Relationships – local Responsive & Objective • Faith • Family • Texas & the U.S. • Friendships • Work hard & play hard

15. Across the Agency • Know our own people • Know our clientele and anticipate what could be our future clientele • Care….simply care • Have intensity with good attitude • Never tear down from within • Start…..and finish anything worth doing with quality performance

16. A Vision for Texas AgriLife Extension Service Must include all the components • Social opportunities • Political considerations • Economic priorities Reality is ---all linked together

17. The Synergies that Exist • Are crucial • Capture opportunities -we need one another • Combine for public value & greater good Most people think we are in 1 room! Agencies are the unique part of the land-grant Prairie View CEP

18. All Things are Local 84% Off-Campus ‘by design’ We have the Network

19. Our Relationships are Everything Each Other Our Clientele Key Associations Elected Officials • Socially • Politically • Economically ….and driven Locally Agricultural Commodity Groups Council of Resident Directors TALL Foundation

20. Texas • 254 (9%) of 3000 counties nationwide • 2 land grants • 2nd most populated state (grows daily) • 3rd most populated county in nation • 1st least populated county in nation • 42% Anglo/White • 38% Hispanic/Latino(a) • 12% Black/African American • 8% Asian, Indian, Pacific Islander, ≥ 2 races We must be driven by the needs of the people

21. Educational Programs and Resources 98,573 Volunteers 26 million direct teaching contacts EXTENSION EDUCATORS Clientele, Stakeholders Specialists(261) County Agents (555) Needs Assessment 12,055 Participants Program Development and Delivery Process Researchers

22. Social Challenge & Opportunities • Expand reach to larger audiences without working longer -Technology utilization & online presence -Increase diversity -Non traditional locations & approaches -Maximize committees and volunteer involvement -Integrated, systems delivery to clientele

23. Technology Utilization • Multiple delivery methods • Cater to people’s schedules and preferences • Use Technology - for stronger programs - for efficiency • Help people see us & learn what we offer Ranch TV Dinner Tonight!

24. Increase Diversity • Understand -Population changes -Approaches, ideas, needs of different audiences • Committees -Diversity of Texas goes hand in hand with our network, if our committees are right. -1st must appear interested in being diverse. • Audience Increase -based on Issues ID -educational topics & delivery approaches • Recruit -Grow our own -Look for good fit across entire agency -Visit universities often -Advertise in diverse venues

25. Non Traditional Locations & Approaches • Go where the people are • Online use to find new audiences - Urban • Expand collaborations for educational delivery from feed stores to grocery stores, from production agriculture to human health care systems

26. Local Committees & Volunteers • Give us focus & direction • Expand our reach At All Levels We Must • Revitalize some committees • Identify new people & diverse makeup • Train our faculty/staff to: -Manage our volunteers with clear boundaries and routine communication -Let committees and volunteers work with and for us

27. Integrated Approaches Example: Large scale producers • Demonstrations & applied work - exists • Individual contacts - exist Increase interdisciplinary approaches: • Advanced Programs – focused at high level on state-of-the science/technology & held multi-county -for producers, managers, consultants

28. Integrated Solutions Example: Feeding Texas Requires a system approach to address the food needs of people • At least 8 of our discipline units need to be in sync & working together • All of our counties are affected Who better to tie it all together than this agency?

29. 4-H & Youth Very Important • Parents were volunteer leaders • Active in 4-H at county, district, state & regional levels • 1st trip to College Station was in a County Agent pickup • Son Tyler was active • As Specialist, ~50% work was 4-H/Youth

30. Keep as High Priority – 4-H & Youth • The responsibility is all of ours • Job titles should never be a limitation • Grow enrollment with quality offerings [A cotton grower will appreciate our help with a crop…..and will love us forever…..for what we offer the family and children]  State is full of 4-H Alumni

31. Political Considerations Local, State, Federal • Communications & relations built around our model & network • Tell our story via accountability & interpretation • We must all learn to value the outcomes and impacts Economic Impact Briefs Public Value Statements Local, District, Regional & Statewide Interpretations

32. County • Judges • Commissioners • City officials • Local businesses • Local leaders • Stay relevant with Needs Assessment • Functional & current committees • Volunteer support • Local interpretation This drives our entire process

33. State of Texas • 31 Senate • 150 House • 140 days • Best case scenario -11 of 31 (33%) with rural emphasis due to district size -38 of 150 (25%) rural or rural priorities • Representation follows population • We must expand our reach -Urban -Suburban

34. Regional & National More Involvement/Presence • Coastal states alliances • Regional development teams • National associations/groups • Federal review teams • NIFA committees Will have to spend some money to increase our people’s involvement

35. Remain Focused on our Role • Educational • Never Regulatory We don’t set or promote policy, laws, regulations

36. The Best PoliticsCommunicate – Work - Interpret • Do our jobs very well every day • Invite elected officials to educational programs • Interpret the value of our education at all levels • Let our audience and the industries advocate for us • Stay out of trouble – every comment we make matters

37. Regarding the Budget Now vs. 2009 • County constant • Federal constant -could decrease • State – balanced budget state -hope is for level ________________ • Contracts & Grants - increased • Partial cost recovery - significant impact

38. Partial Cost Recovery • The hard part is accomplished • Legislature understands • Key stakeholders mostly understand • Has affected staffing patterns already • Stay hitched and pull together • Be sure our programs are worth it • Deliver what we advertise • Emphasis to include: -Regional and statewide programs that also support county efforts

39. Economic Goals • Maintain consistent appropriated funding • Grow soft sources -for resilience & flexibility • Address salaries It’s not agents vs specialists or state vs county programs….it is us….this is our network, with strong commitment to a local presence

40. Discuss & Decide • ‘Optimum’ Staffing Patterns to achieve statewide reach and representation (likely always need to evaluate) • Tighten up on Program Priorities & turn loose where appropriate (reluctance exists) • Delegate & Manage - our Volunteers and Extension committees (renewed emphasis) -Best advocates for all levels of funding

41. Administration to Re-evaluate • Salary policy on faculty vacancies on staff vacancies Agency Should: • Maintain decentralized process with strong expectations for middle managers to make the decisions • Be Realistic – Salary adjustments and increased position #’s not likely with appropriated sources alone

42. Address Retention & Equity • Serious discussion and approaches • Get more comparative data for analysis • Contrary to ‘talk’, # of Agents leaving has not increased • Specialist departures are a mix: -‘going home’ with/without salary increase -career change to Research -join industry – often with no move For some, Extension not viewed as ‘safe haven’ any longer

43. Administration to Re-evaluate Cash management procedures • Payment methods -credit/debit -must be fast and user friendly • Deposits, transfers -efficient and accountable - compliant with state law

44. Senior Administrative Leadership Team • Currently very efficient • Keep it lean • Consider realignment of the 3 current positions: - County Programs - State Programs - Executive Associate Director regarding titles and responsibilities

45. State of Texas Budget Process • Advocate for the agency -no singular asks • Documentation of -wise use of funds -LBB contacts accurate -level 3-4 Outcomes • Exceptional Items developed carefully

46. Federal Budget Process • States ought to combine advocacy for Smith-Lever • Regional (13 states) - organized voice - emphasis on key impacts • Know what resonates….. kids, water, health & nutrition, gardening, etc. • Federal Integrated Report cannot be our best/only Texas story • Many states discuss logic models….. AgriLife Extension has the follow-through with tangible outcomes Nationwide – Extension matches Smith-Lever 9:1.

47. Federal Priorities Continue to: • Keep elected officials aware of our impacts • Interpret our work between 1862’s & 1890’s • Promote federal formula funding • Support Ag & Food Policy Center work with Congress & Farm Bill • Meet with our federal relations people (D.C.) so we all know one another well • Competitive - Lead more AFRI proposals

48. Regarding Contracts & Grants • Never be consultants with bias -objectivity makes companies want our evaluation & applied work -preserve position of trust • Always go after funding with ‘good fit’

49. Organize for System Approaches • Multiple departments • Region wide • Multi- agency • Other state agencies • Internal grant writing workshop Our best shot at big $

50. ‘Scoot our Silos Closer’ Initiative Teams – examples • Water Team – index & CEA support -integrate to achieve larger funding -#1 Issue statewide • Small Acreage Management Team -index developed -good county programs & limited funding • Produce Safety Team -successful with a multi-unit grant