Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Chris Sansone, 325-653-4576, c-sansone@tamu.edu
SAN ANGELO – Dr. Chris Sansone, Texas AgriLife Extension Service entomologist and associate department head for entomology, San Angelo, will retire from the agency effective July 31, but he’s far from retiring from the workforce.
Dr. Chris Sansone to retire July 31. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo)
“My original plan was to retire in December, but I don’t think either me or my wife were ready for the life of leisure, so I kept my eyes open for other opportunities,” Sansone said. “As such I have taken a job with Bayer CropScience as a global regulatory affairs manager in Raleigh, N.C. I start the new job Aug. 1.”
Sansone has 30 years of service with AgriLife Extension and is one of only a handful of associate department heads not headquartered at Texas A&M University at College Station.
He served as an AgriLife Extension agent-integrated pest management in Williamson and Milam counties before transferring to San Angelo as the West Central district’s entomology specialist. He has been in his current role as the entomology associate department head since 2003 where he has divided his time between supervising 30 AgriLife Extension entomologists located across the state and conducting applied research to answer clientele questions.
Sansone has long been closely involved with the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication effort, which started in the San Angelo area in 1995. He has adapted integrated pest management techniques which use the cheapest, safest, most effective means to control pests, into many of his programs through the years, he said. His work has involved pest management in cotton, grain sorghum, corn, wheat, other crops and livestock.
Sansone holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, all in entomology from Texas A&M. He has held numerous leadership posts and been honored with special recognitions many times throughout his career, both from within the agency and externally. His most recent honor came in April when he received the Superior Service award, AgriLife Extension’s highest honor.
Sansone said he plans to continue his AgriLife Extension duties through the middle of July, then complete his move to North Carolina and enjoy some downtime before starting his new job.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and especially the past 16 years in San Angelo,” Sansone recently wrote to his coworkers here. “I have traveled to all the AgriLife Research and Extension centers in the state and can honestly say there is not a better place to be and a better group of people to work around.”
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