Director Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Candidate Pete G. Gibbs

Associate Director for State Programs

Seminar Outline

• Background • Qualifications & Interest• “A Vision for Extension in the

Land-Grant University System” • Immediate steps• Summary of vision points

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

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

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

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

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

Experience in Senior Administration• Agriculture & Natural

Resources + Wildlife Services

• Health & Safety Education• Leadership Education

Our State Strategic Goals

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

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

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

• 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

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

Core Values

Personally

• Faith• Family• Texas & the U.S.• Friendships• Work hard & play hard

Professionally

• Agency is Respected because

Reputation- science based Relevance – Issues ID Relationships – local Responsive & Objective

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

A Vision for Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Must include all the components• Social opportunities• Political considerations• Economic priorities Reality is ---all linked together

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

All Things are Local

84% Off-Campus ‘by design’We have the Network

Our Relationships are Everything

• Socially• Politically• Economically….and driven Locally

Agricultural Commodity Groups

TALL Foundation

Each OtherOur ClienteleKey AssociationsElected Officials

Council of Resident Directors

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

racesWe must be driven by the needs of the people

Needs Assessment

12,055 Participants

98,573 Volunteers

Educational Programs and Resources

EXTENSION EDUCATORSCounty Agents (555) Specialists (261)

Researchers

Clientele, Stakeholders

26 million direct teaching contacts

Program Development and Delivery

Process

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

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 TVDinner Tonight!

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

• 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

Non Traditional Locations & Approaches

Local Committees & Volunteers• Give us focus & direction• Expand our reachAt 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

Integrated Approaches

Example: Large scale producers• Demonstrations & applied work -

exists• Individual contacts - existIncrease interdisciplinary approaches:• Advanced Programs – focused at

high level on state-of-the science/technology & held multi-county

-for producers, managers, consultants

Integrated Solutions

Example: Feeding TexasRequires 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 affectedWho better to tie it all together than this agency?

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

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

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

EconomicImpact Briefs

Public Value StatementsLocal, District, Regional &Statewide Interpretations

County

• Judges• Commissioners• City officials• Local

businesses• Local leaders

• Stay relevant with Needs Assessment• Functional &

current committees

• Volunteer support• Local

interpretationThis drives our entire process

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

Regional & National

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

Remain Focused on our Role

• Educational• Never

Regulatory We don’t set or promote policy, laws, regulations

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

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

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

Economic Goals

• Maintain consistent appropriated funding

• Grow soft sources -for resilience & flexibility• Address salariesIt’s not agents vs specialists or state vs county programs….it is us….this is our network, with strong commitment to a local presence

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

Administration to Re-evaluate• Salary policy on faculty

vacancies on staff vacanciesAgency 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

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 moveFor some, Extension not viewed as ‘safe haven’ any longer

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

Senior Administrative Leadership Team• Currently very efficient• Keep it lean• Consider realignment of the 3

current positions: - County Programs - State Programs - Executive Associate Directorregarding titles and responsibilities

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

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.

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

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’

Organize for System Approaches

• Multiple departments• Region wide• Multi- agency• Other state agencies• Internal grant writing workshopOur best shot at big $

‘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

Donor Support & Contracts• Strategic Funding Needs documents - prepare, update routinely, high quality (just formalized for 4-H) - get completely organized - know what we need, why and how much - be positioned for small to large levels of support on all fronts• Development Officer – maximize

efforts Corporate Relations – consider opportunity 3 % of our C&G are corporate

Think Bigger on Funding & Collaboration

• Habit of doing things cheaply as possible

• Don’t under-promote our capability & network….it has value.

Examples• Health Care

systems• Home

Improvement Centers

• Grocery store chains

• Professional sports• Industry groups &

corporations (animal health, crops)

Immediate Steps - Communication

• Director’s Office Newsletter

Communications are vital. Can be our biggest strength or our biggest issue.

• Listening Sessions

-In all 4 Regions

Perspective and suggestions, or issues with solutions have value.

Immediate - Agency to Address

• Career Ladder System advancement

- Cumulative Faculty Achievement Reports - Preparation of packets - Committees & review process

Communicate Support for Balance

• of Professional Career and Personal Life

Our approaches should never suggest 24/7

Care about yourself….to care about others

Future of Texas AgriLife Extension

Hinges on being• Timely• Accurate• Adjustable to changing needs• Excellent at delivery with

objectivity and reliability what people cannot get anywhere else

• Able to interpret value• Willing to adjust to the

budgets

Summary – Vision Points• Grow relationships• Collaborate bigger• More technology• Multiple delivery

methods/approaches

• Refresh committees• Serious on diversity• Nurture volunteers• Grow 4-H & Youth• Focused on

education

• Smith-Lever – multi-states advocacy

• Fiscal realists• Evaluate cash

management process• Grant writing

workshops• Fee-based culture• Contracts & Grants –

seek good fit not just dollars• Communication –

always high priority

Summary – Vision Points

• Maintain strong network• Make tough decisions

as necessary• Re-evaluate procedures to be current & efficient• Prioritize what we can &

should do best • Emphasis on ‘optimum’ to get the job done

Director Search• These are my thoughts socially, politically, economically• Task is serious• Process is inclusive• Choice and a VoiceThis agency is ‘Making a Difference’ by improving lives through quality, relevant education.