Contact: Dr. Peter McGuill, 979-845-4572, pjmcguill@ag.tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – Eighteen county judges and commissioners graduated Aug. 16 from the Commissioners Court Leadership Academy sponsored by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s V.G. Young Institute of County Government.
Dr. Peter McGuill, director of the V.G. Young Institute, recognized the graduates for their commitment to advancing their leadership skills.
The ceremony concluded a two-day session for the academy members in College Station. During their stay, the class members met with leadership specialists and toured the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service’s Brayton Fire Training Field and Disaster City. They also received a briefing at the Texas A&M Forest Service’s State Emergency Operations Center.
Graduates are:
– Commissioner Clara Beckett, Bastrop County.
– Judge Kevin Brendle, Dickens County.
– Judge Pat Calhoun, Goliad County.
– Commissioner Jaime Canales, Webb County.
– Commissioner Sammy Catalena, Brazos County.
– Commissioner David Dobyanski, Grimes County.
– Commissioner Lee Gilbert, Rockwall County.
– Commissioner Rashad Mims, Anderson County.
– Commissioner Kent Pollard, Matagorda County.
– Judge Rowdy Rhoades, Moore County;
– Commissioner Bill Schumann, Bell County;
– Judge Tully Shahan, Kinney County;
– Commissioner Eddy Shelton, Ector County;
– Judge David Sweet, Rockwall County;
– Commissioner Zephaniah Timmins, Harrison County;
– Commissioner Tom Whitten, Bowie County;
– Commissioner Larry Woolley, Johnson County;
– Judge Ben Zeller, Victoria County.
Graduates from the Commissioners Court Leadership Academy offered by the V.G. Young Institute Leadership Academy, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, are: (from left) Lee Gilbert, Rockwall County Commissioner; Sammy Catalena, Brazos County Commissioner; David Dobyanski, Grimes County Commissioner; Kent Pollard, Matagorda County Commissioner; Clara Beckett, Bastrop County Commissioner; Rashad Mims, Anderson County Commissioner; Rowdy Rhoades, Moore County Judge Zephania Timmins, Harrison County Commissioner; Larry Woolley, Johnson County Commissioner; Eddy Shelton, Ector County Commissioner; Ben Zeller, Victoria County Judge; Pat Calhoun, Goliad County Judge; Tully Shahan, Kinney County Judge; Jaime Canales, Webb County Commissioner; David Sweet, Rockwall County Judge; Bill Schumann, Bell County Commissioner; Tom Whitten, Bowie County Commissioner; Kevin Brendle, Dickens County Judge; and Dr. Peter McGuill, director, V.G. Young Institute of County Government. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)
The Commissioners Court Leadership Academy is a two-year program consisting of four multi-day sessions. These sessions are held in various locations in Texas and in Washington, giving commissioners court members a chance to increase their knowledge of county government, develop communications skills and improve their ability to serve in a leadership position.
The institute is located in College Station and works to meet the educational needs of county officials and the public by anticipating, identifying and addressing the challenges and opportunities faced by Texas county government.
Applications for the next class will be available in the fall of 2018. For more information about the leadership academy, additional institute programs and online educational opportunities, visit http://vgyi.tamu.edu.
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