Texas A&M AgriLife announces CARET delegates for 2024-25
Four delegates, including two new representatives, to champion the needs of Texas agriculture
As part of an ongoing commitment to its land-grant mission, Texas A&M AgriLife serves the state, nation and world at large through education, research and extension efforts. In support of this initiative, Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D., vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences, recently appointed four delegates to represent Texas A&M AgriLife on the national Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching, CARET.
CARET is a volunteer organization created by the Association of Land-grant and Public Universities Board on Agricultural Assembly in 1982. The purpose of the council is to enhance national support and understanding of the vital role played by agricultural extension and research in sustaining the U.S. food supply and agricultural systems.
Volunteers are appointed by the deans of the colleges of agriculture at their respective land-grant universities, and they communicate throughout the year with their organization’s leadership teams to discuss local, regional and statewide concerns. Additionally, regional and national CARET meetings offer opportunities for the delegates to represent their institutions and encourage support for agricultural extension, research and education.
Texas A&M AgriLife’s delegates for 2024-25 include:
- Kody Bessent of Lubbock.
- Stephen Cooper of El Campo.
- Kelley Sullivan Georgiades of Navasota.
- Neal Wilkins, Ph.D., of San Antonio.
“These four representatives are deeply committed to promoting the land-grant mission that Texas A&M University was built upon. They exemplify our Aggie core values, particularly leadership, excellence and selfless service,” Savell said. “Each member brings unique regional and topical familiarities, and together, they will work to advance our cooperative goal to ensure our state’s economic competitiveness and excellence in agriculture.”
Kody Bessent
Bessent first connected with the Texas A&M University System at a very young age through Texas 4-H and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service outreach. He earned an undergraduate degree in agricultural education and a master’s degree in agriculture with an emphasis on business and economics from West Texas A&M University at Canyon.
After completing his undergraduate degree, he worked on Capitol Hill, where he learned more about key policy topics in agriculture, labor and energy — along with the value of advocacy.
Bessent returned to the Lubbock area and his family farming operation and now serves as the chief executive officer for Plains Cotton Growers Inc. In this position, he oversees the organization’s legislative portfolio on state and federal matters while also supervising the staff in their collective mission to proactively represent the region’s cotton producers on policy initiatives, regulatory issues, cotton research and market development.
In addition to his other advocacy work, Bessent has served as a CARET delegate for Texas A&M AgriLife for three years.
“Being a volunteer for CARET and Texas A&M is something I have really enjoyed diving into,” Bessent said. “For me, it’s an opportunity to give back to my alma mater and The Texas A&M University System as a whole. It’s very meaningful work, and it’s something that I choose to do because I believe in the mission and value of CARET and advocacy at all levels.”
Stephen Cooper
Cooper, a graduate of Texas A&M University’s agricultural economics program, has been an ardent supporter of students at the University for years. In addition to providing donations to support students financially, he has mentored young entrepreneurs and aided AgriLife Extension efforts. In 2015, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a former student of Texas A&M.
Cooper is the owner of Emerald Ag Investments and managing partner of TeSodCo Ltd. His passions include water management, rural health care, real estate and farming, and he puts these passions into practice through collaborations with specializing organizations.
A few of his other leadership positions include serving as vice chair of the MidCoast Health System’s board of directors, which provides health care to rural communities in Texas; vice chair of the Lower Colorado River Authority board of directors; and member of the Texas Water Development Board. He formerly chaired the AgriLife Extension Leadership Advisory Board in Wharton County for 10 years.
“As an Aggie, I think it’s very important to promote our university,” Cooper said. “I hope that my voice has made a difference.”
Kelley Sullivan Georgiades
Georgiades, a fifth-generation rancher, grew up in Galveston. She earned her undergraduate degree in communications from Texas A&M, then graduated from Texas Christian University’s Ranch Management Program.
For years, Georgiades was the owner and operator of Santa Rosa Ranch, the largest breeder of Brangus and ultrablack cattle in the U.S., until the operation was sold in 2021. She continues to oversee operations on Santa Clara Ranch in Navasota, as well as GKG Land and Cattle, a commercial cow/calf and equine operation she owns with her husband.
Georgiades is a board member of the Texas Beef Council and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. She was also a participant in the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership, TALL, program. Along with AgriLife Extension, Georgiades worked to establish educational seminars on improved production techniques for cattle producers as well as the nutrition benefits of beef in a healthy diet.
Through her industry involvement, Georgiades became particularly interested in international trade and has traveled to South America, Japan, South Korea and China to study and visit the largest importers of U.S. beef. Though she is in her first year as a CARET delegate, she has ample experience engaging with policymakers on trade agreements in agriculture and has previously spoken before the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means, International Trade Commission and U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.
“As a producer, I believe it is critical to engage with policymakers on what we do — produce the food, fiber and fuel for the world,” Georgiades said. “We must be responsible for sharing our message, and there is no better university to have as an example of our good work than Texas A&M. I am so proud to serve as a CARET delegate.”
Neal Wilkins
After earning his undergraduate degree in forestry from Stephen F. Austin State University, Wilkins came to Texas A&M as a graduate student in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management. He continued his education at the University of Florida, where he earned a doctorate in wildlife ecology.
Wilkins then spent time living in Tennessee, Oregon and Washington, as well as New Zealand, before coming back to join the faculty in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management and take up a role as an AgriLife Extension specialist. From 2005 to 2012, he directed the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute.
For the past 12 years, Wilkins has served as president and chief executive officer of the East Foundation, a nonprofit agricultural research organization headquartered in San Antonio with a mission to promote land stewardship through ranching, science and education. In this position, he continues to collaborate with scientists from Texas A&M AgriLife Research and AgriLife Extension. Wilkins brings these decades of experience promoting wildlife conservation and the management of natural resources to his new role as CARET delegate.
“I’m fascinated by the policy process, and I’m happy to represent Texas A&M AgriLife in this way,” Wilkins said. “As both a former student and employee, I’ve been able to see the benefits of AgriLife Research and Extension closely. Texas is a growing state, and we have a lot of development opportunities before us. I’m hopeful that we can help the College and the agencies better accomplish their mission and make Texas more productive.”
