Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service : Dunlap named new AgriLife Extension district administrator for Rolling Plains

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, [e-mail]
Contact: Dale Dunlap, 806-746-6101, [e-mail]

VERNON - Dale Dunlap, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agriculture and natural resources agent in Wheeler County, has been selected to fill the role of district administrator in the Rolling Plains.

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Dale Dunlap has been named the new Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service District 3 administrator in Vernon. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo)

He will replace Miles Dabovich upon his retirement Jan. 31.

'We are extremely pleased to have an agent of Dale's caliber to fill the position,' said Dr. Jeff Ripley, AgriLife Extension associate director of county programs in College Station. 'He brings a tremendous amount of experience and a leadership style that will be readily accepted in District 3.

'Dale has an uncanny ability to communicate with anyone he encounters, and will immediately have credibility with the agents, volunteers and elected officials in the district,' Ripley said.

Dunlap will be headquartered at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Vernon. He will be responsible for all administrative duties in the 25-county district.

'I look forward to working in the Rolling Plains,' Dunlap said. 'Much of my career has been spent practically next door in Collingsworth and Wheeler counties, so I'm familiar with many of the programs and some of the personnel.

'I look forward to learning more about them and serving as the district administrator. Now I'm going to be able to give back and provide leadership to agents as has been done for me over my 24-year AgriLife Extension career.'

A native of Sayre, Oklahoma, Dunlap earned his bachelor's degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University and a master's in animal science from Angelo State University in San Angelo.

He started his AgriLife Extension county agent career in 1989 in Tom Green County and served in Collingsworth and Eastland counties before moving to Wheeler County near the end of 2012.

During his time in each county, Dunlap said his goal was to diversify agriculture and help keep production agriculture viable, as well as to work with the 4-H and youth programs.

He has provided programming on everything from bull selection to swine health, landscaping to water conservation, and raising tomatoes to scouting for sugarcane aphids. In addition, he has conducted many result demonstrations on cotton, peanuts, corn, wheat, haygrazer, weeping lovegrass and mesquite.

Dunlap is a member of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents and Texas County Agricultural Agents Association.

He has been the recipient of AgriLife Extension's Superior Service Award twice, as well as the Visionary Leadership Award for Leading Extension in New Directions and Outstanding Beef Nutrition In-Depth Program for Ag/Natural Resources, both from District I.

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