COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Robert E. Whitson has been inducted into the Tyrus R. Timm Honor Registry in the Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Economics.
Whitson, a Spearman native, was honored at a reception and dinner held at the Best Western Atrea in Bryan.
Dr. Robert "Bob" E. Whitson
The registry recognizes outstanding former students for meritorious accomplishments in their field. It is the highest department-level honor and is named after Tyrus R. Timm, who led the agricultural economics department from 1953 until 1973 during its rise to national prominence in teaching, research and Extension. Timm was known for his knowledge of finance and agricultural banking.
Whitson is vice president of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University and Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. He also is director of both the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Recently, he was appointed to Oklahoma Gov.Henry’s Science and Technology Council.
Previously, Whitson served as deputy director of Texas AgriLife Research and associate vice chancellor and associate dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M. He also served as interim department head of animal science at Texas A&M during his time in administration.
“Bob is truly deserving of this honor,” said Dr. John Nichols, head of the department of agricultural economics. “His leadership in Extension, research and teaching are at levels of high standards of excellence beneficial to all stakeholders. He always places the interests of people first.”
Whitson worked for Frost National Bank in San Antonio for 12 years, moving from assistant vice president in 1981 to senior vice president in 1984-1993. His responsibilities included managing portfolios of real estate, farm and ranch assets. In 1994, he returned to Texas A&M as professor and head of the department of rangeland ecology and management to lead a department of 34 teaching, research and Extension faculty, both on-campus and at six research and Extension centers across the state. That later led to his administrative roles with the A&M System.
Whitson earned his doctorate in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University in 1974. He received his bachelor’s in range management and master’s in agricultural economics from Texas Tech University.
More information about the Tyrus R. Timm Honor Registry is available at http://agecon2.tamu.edu/ty%20timm/tytimm.html.
-30-
