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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Dr. Jeff Ripley is retiring as associate director |
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for county operations at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service |
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on August 31, 2023, concluding an exemplary tenure with the agency |
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that has spanned nearly three and a half decades; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Ripley began his career with the Texas A&M |
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AgriLife Extension Service in 1989, when he accepted a position as |
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assistant county extension agent for agriculture in Seguin; over |
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the following years, he served as a county extension agent for |
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Williamson, Palo Pinto, and Tom Green Counties, and in 2000, he |
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became the Travis County extension director; he subsequently served |
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a brief tenure as the district extension administrator for Coastal |
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Bend District 11 before becoming an assistant professor and |
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extension specialist for organizational development; and |
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WHEREAS, On December 1, 2014, Dr. Ripley took on his current |
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role as the associate director for county operations; his many |
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responsibilities have included leading all 12 district extension |
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administrators across the state, overseeing the recruitment, |
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hiring, and supervision of county staff, and serving as the |
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administrative liaison for commissioners courts; along the way, he |
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has given hundreds of speeches, training presentations, and |
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lectures, and he has authored numerous publications; in addition, |
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he has been involved in many professional and civic initiatives, |
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organizations, and committees; and |
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WHEREAS, Among his many achievements, Dr. Ripley received |
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the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Superior Service Awards |
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for the specialist and evaluation team categories in 2014, and he |
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has been named an honorary lifetime director by the Texas Junior |
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Livestock Association; he holds a bachelor's degree in agribusiness |
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from Tarleton State University, a master's degree in agricultural |
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education from Southwest Texas State University, and a doctoral |
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degree in agricultural education from Texas A&M University; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his dedication, expertise, and commitment |
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to excellence, Jeff Ripley has greatly benefited his fellow Texans |
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and earned the lasting respect and admiration of his colleagues, |
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and he may indeed reflect with pride on a career well spent as he |
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embarks on the next exciting chapter of his life; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby congratulate Dr. Jeff P. Ripley on his retirement as |
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associate director for county operations at the Texas A&M AgriLife |
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Extension Service and extend to him sincere best wishes for the |
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future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Ripley as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives and Senate. |