| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Jeff Ripley is retiring as associate director |
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| 6 | 7 | | for county operations at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service |
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| 7 | 8 | | on August 31, 2023, concluding an exemplary tenure with the agency |
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| 8 | 9 | | that has spanned nearly three and a half decades; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Ripley began his career with the Texas A&M |
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| 10 | 11 | | AgriLife Extension Service in 1989, when he accepted a position as |
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| 11 | 12 | | assistant county extension agent for agriculture in Seguin; over |
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| 12 | 13 | | the following years, he served as a county extension agent for |
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| 13 | 14 | | Williamson, Palo Pinto, and Tom Green Counties, and in 2000, he |
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| 14 | 15 | | became the Travis County extension director; he subsequently served |
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| 15 | 16 | | a brief tenure as the district extension administrator for Coastal |
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| 16 | 17 | | Bend District 11 before becoming an assistant professor and |
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| 17 | 18 | | extension specialist for organizational development; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, On December 1, 2014, Dr. Ripley took on his current |
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| 19 | 20 | | role as the associate director for county operations; his many |
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| 20 | 21 | | responsibilities have included leading all 12 district extension |
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| 21 | 22 | | administrators across the state, overseeing the recruitment, |
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| 22 | 23 | | hiring, and supervision of county staff, and serving as the |
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| 23 | 24 | | administrative liaison for commissioners courts; along the way, he |
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| 24 | 25 | | has given hundreds of speeches, training presentations, and |
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| 25 | 26 | | lectures, and he has authored numerous publications; in addition, |
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| 26 | 27 | | he has been involved in many professional and civic initiatives, |
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| 27 | 28 | | organizations, and committees; and |
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| 28 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Among his many achievements, Dr. Ripley received |
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| 29 | 30 | | the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Superior Service Awards |
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| 30 | 31 | | for the specialist and evaluation team categories in 2014, and he |
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| 31 | 32 | | has been named an honorary lifetime director by the Texas Junior |
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| 32 | 33 | | Livestock Association; he holds a bachelor's degree in agribusiness |
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| 33 | 34 | | from Tarleton State University, a master's degree in agricultural |
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| 34 | 35 | | education from Southwest Texas State University, and a doctoral |
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| 35 | 36 | | degree in agricultural education from Texas A&M University; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Through his dedication, expertise, and commitment |
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| 37 | 38 | | to excellence, Jeff Ripley has greatly benefited his fellow Texans |
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| 38 | 39 | | and earned the lasting respect and admiration of his colleagues, |
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| 39 | 40 | | and he may indeed reflect with pride on a career well spent as he |
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| 40 | 41 | | embarks on the next exciting chapter of his life; now, therefore, be |
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| 41 | 42 | | it |
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| 42 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 43 | 44 | | hereby congratulate Dr. Jeff P. Ripley on his retirement as |
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| 44 | 45 | | associate director for county operations at the Texas A&M AgriLife |
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| 45 | 46 | | Extension Service and extend to him sincere best wishes for the |
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| 46 | 47 | | future; and, be it further |
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| 47 | 48 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 48 | 49 | | prepared for Dr. Ripley as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 49 | 50 | | House of Representatives and Senate. |
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