Biographical Sketch
Position
Recently named interim president from his positions as vice president of the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station; executive director of Extension and Outreach; and professor of agronomy.Responsibilities
Provide leadership to the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine and serve as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, and as Executive Director of the Mississippi State University Extension and Outreach. The Division consists of six major units. They are the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES), Mississippi State University Extension Service (MSU-ES), Forest and Wildlife Research Center (FWRC), College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), College of Forest Resources (CFR) and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). Units making up the Division have approximately 1800 employees, over 2100 students and a budget of approximately $171 million. During the last seven years, the Division has had a capital improvements program approaching $75 million in new construction and renovations. Programs of the Division are delivered through campus departments, four research and extension centers, 14 branch stations and offices in each of 82 counties. The Division is ranked 8th nationally by the National Science Foundation in agriculture research investment.
Specific duties as vice president, dean, and director include identifying a vision and setting strategic directions for agricultural and forestry teaching, research and outreach, establishing policy, helping to secure financial resources, managing budgets, and regular interaction with stakeholders and policy makers at local, state, and national levels.
Education
| B.S. | Southeast Missouri State University; 1964 |
| M.S. | University of Missouri; 1966 |
| Ph.D. | Mississippi State University, 1969 |
Points of Interest
- More than 40 years of professional experience in research, teaching, and administrative activities.
- Selected Fellow of American Society of Agronomy.
- Selected Fellow of Crop Science Society of America.
- Traveled in over 50 countries on various agricultural missions.
- Author of over 300 publications including 6 chapters in textbooks.
- Served as Executive Vice President of AOSCA, an international organization for genetic standards and certification of 350 varieties of crops produced by 25,000 growers in 9 countries, 1992-1997.
- Member of official United States delegation for setting world policy on seed certification, 1993-1997.
- Served as team leader for review of Peace Corps agricultural programs in Thailand.
- Selected Professor of the Year twice by two different student organizations.
- Received MSU Alumni Award for Excellence in Research.
- Received First Mississippi Corporation Award for outstanding experiment station scientist.
- Received the MSU Library Outstanding MSU Faculty Award, 2004.
- Received the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Distinguished Service Award, December 2006.
- Received the Kenneth Cook Award, Mississippi 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association.
- Received the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors 2007 Excellence in Leadership Award.
- Received numerous other awards and honors.
- Eagle Scout.
- Hobbies are hunting, carpentry.
- Married to Jo Ann with three children and seven grandchildren.
Chronology of Experience
| 2007-present | Vice President, Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine/Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences/Director, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station /Executive Director, Mississippi State University Extension and Outreach/Professor of Agronomy |
| 2005-2007 | Vice President, Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine/Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences/Director, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station/Professor of Agronomy/Interim Executive Director, Mississippi State University Extension and Outreach |
| 2003-2005 | Vice President, Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine/ Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences/Director, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station/Professor of Agronomy |
| 2002-2003 | Interim Vice President, Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine/Interim Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences |
| 1996-present | Director, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station |
| 1995-1996 | Assistant Director for Research Support and Professor of Agronomy, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station |
| 1992-1996 | Head, Research Support Units and Professor of Agronomy, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station |
| 1990-1992 | Head, Main Station and Professor of Agronomy, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station |
| 1987-1990 | Head, MAFES Auxiliary Units (Foundation Seed Stocks and Variety Evaluations), Coordinator of Forage Programs and Professor of Agronomy, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station |
| 1982-1987 | Assistant to the Director as Coordinator of Forage Programs and Professor of Agronomy, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station |
| 1977-1982 | Professor of Agronomy and Agronomist, Mississippi State University |
| 1971-1977 | Associate Professor of Agronomy, Mississippi State University |
| 1969-1971 | Assistant Professor of Agronomy, Mississippi State University |
| 1966-1969 | Assistant Agronomist, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station |
| 1964-1966 | Research Assistant, Department of Agronomy, University of Missouri |
| 1963-1966 | Student Trainee, USDA Soil Conservation Service |