AgriLife Extension honors Kay White with Superior Service Award
Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dale Dunlap, 940-552-9941, mddunlap@ag.tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service presented its Superior Service – Office Support award to Kay White, who retired recently from her position as administrative associate at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Vernon.
The Superior Service awards are the highest award presented by the agency. The recipients were honored Jan. 8 with a noon luncheon.
“Kay personifies excellence in fulfilling her job responsibilities and serves as a positive role model for all AgriLife Extension professionals,” said Dale Dunlap, AgriLife Extension district administrator in her nomination.
White served AgriLife Extension for the past 21 years in a variety of support roles.
“Unofficially, she was a one-woman community relations department for not only Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service but also for the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center of Vernon,” Dunlap said.
“She demonstrated loyalty to the mission by her personal commitment to excellence. She had a vast knowledge of AgriLife Extension procedures and policies, which serve many of us well. Additionally, she maintained confidentiality with sensitive volunteer information, gave full support to supervisory staff and efficiently completed the daily tasks necessary to operate the District 3 4-H program.”
Her “people skills” were her famous trademark, the nomination stated. She set and maintained high personal goals, while exhibiting a pleasant demeanor and positive attitude. This positive role model and “caring touch” fostered a cooperative attitude throughout the Vernon Center.
With extensive structural, staffing and operational changes implemented, White’s job responsibilities became significantly more complex and demanding, particularly in both the financial accountability and the utilization of advanced technology arenas such as 4-H Connect, Online 4-H Enrollment and district website management.
Additionally, she served as chairperson on several committees including Research and Extension Coordinating Committee, Christmas Committee, Summer Social Committee, and Lobby Committee, plus organized the annual Flu Shot Program.
“Kay met each new challenge with confidence and dedication,” Dunlap said. “She demonstrated loyalty to the mission and objectives of AgriLife Extension by not only readily adopting changes, but also by her personal commitment to excellence in carrying out those new assignments.”
