The Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr. Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program, TALL, celebrated the graduation of 24 professionals as part of Cohort XIX during a commencement ceremony held at the College Station Hilton Hotel and Conference Center.

The competitive two-year leadership development program led by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service provides an intensive study of agriculture worldwide, helping equip industry professionals to become leaders in their fields.

Graduates take seminars with experts, attend on-site visits, meet with business and government leaders, and undertake international study and courses on personal improvement skills.

Ceremony celebrates accomplishment comparable to graduate studies

Participants complete roughly 470 hours of training spread across seminars, guest speakers, and trips across Texas and abroad.

A large group of individuals in a ballroom, posing and holding certificates
Members of the Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr. Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program, TALL, Cohort XIX gather for a group photo during the program’s commencement ceremony at the College Station Hilton Hotel and Conference Center. The 24 graduates completed the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s competitive two-year leadership development program. (Jennifer S. Martinez/Texas A&M AgriLife)

The course workload is comparable to earning a master’s degree in agriculture, said Jim Mazurkiewicz, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications and leadership program director.

Graduates from all over Texas are represented from a cross-section of professional interests, including traditional crop producers, ranchers, bankers and attorneys, as well as those who work in supply chain-related sectors, agribusiness, financial services and agricultural advocacy.

Rick Avery, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension director, provided the ceremony’s welcome remarks.

Jody Hall, vice president of the TALL Foundation and retired vice president of sourcing at H-E-B, introduced the evening’s commencement speaker, State Rep. Daniel Alders, Tyler, who is a TALL XVIII graduate.

Class members Michael Cochran, chief investment officer at Bent Oak Capital; Scotta Faulkenberry, director of supply chain at Nolan Ryan Brands; Thomas Hicklen, owner of Hicklen Farms; and Darci Luensmann, executive director of the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association, shared testimonials reflecting on their two years in the program.

Mazurkiewicz, Avery and Hall recognized the program’s signature sponsors before presenting the class with its graduation honors.

The evening’s program also paid tribute to two members of the TALL family who passed away this year: Dan Gattis, TALL Foundation honorary vice president emeritus and longtime president and CEO of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and Don Renchie, Ph.D., TALL II graduate and longtime educator and pesticide safety program coordinator with AgriLife Extension.

TALL XIX graduates for 2024-2026 are:

Tony Adkins, Teague

Tim Akers, Iola

Mike Atkinson, Harlingen

Lindsay Baerwald, Austin

Rex Brandon, Amarillo

Briscoe Cain, Deer Park

Michael J. Cochran, Fort Worth

David Cortez, Edinburg

Kody Cox, Sulphur Springs

David Derry, Medina

Scotta Faulkenberry, Hutto

Chase Hampton, China Spring

Rachel Hargrove, College Station

Thomas Hicklen, Ropesville

Darci Luensmann, San Angelo

McCrae McCormick, Floydad

Gage Morris, Purdon

Cassidy Nemec, Hewitt

Liz Cowan Phillips, Rio Hondo

Hunter Potts, Point

Nicholas Slough, Gruver

Ross Vinson, Tuscola

Jaylen Wallace, Wolfe City

Ethan Westfall, Dawson

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