Texas Tech University

2019 Distinguished Alumni & Outstanding Young Alumni

Texas Tech University's Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources recognized six distinguished alumni in February at the university's McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center. The 2019 Distinguished Alumni & Outstanding Young Alumni Awards honor graduates who've made significant contributions to society, and whose accomplishments and careers have brought distinction to the college and to the professions associated with agriculture and natural resources.

The recipients of Davis College's Distinguished Alumni Awards are:

Kevin Brinkley

Kevin Brinkley of Lubbock. He received his bachelor's (1986) and master's (1989) degrees in agricultural economics from Texas Tech. Since 2015, Brinkley has been the president and chief executive officer of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association in Lubbock. PCCA originates and markets cotton produced by its grower-owners located in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico. After graduation, he joined the staff of the National Cotton Council as a field representative for the Texas High and Rolling Plains. He was promoted to an economist position in NCC's Memphis headquarters in 1990, where he conducted farm policy analysis and provided marketing support for the Cotton Council International's efforts to promote U.S. cotton. He then joined the staff of “The Seam” as marketing manager. The company was created in 2000 to offer an online, neutral exchanges for cotton trading. In 2003, he was promoted to vice president of marketing and business development before moving to senior vice president in 2011. He was named chairman and chief executive officer before transitioning to PCCA.

Bryan Daniel

Bryan Daniel of Georgetown. He received his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary agriculture (1992) and master's degree in agricultural education (1994) from Texas Tech. Since 2015, he has served as the executive director for Economic Development and Tourism for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. In that role, Daniel provides executive leadership for the Business and Community Development team, Texas Tourism, Texas Women's Commission, Texas Music office, the Texas Film Commission, Texas Military Preparedness Commission and the Texas Workforce Investment Council. He also serves as a member of the governor's senior staff and the board of directors of the Texas Economic Development Corporation. In the 106th Congress, Daniel served as professional staff for the U.S. House Agriculture Committee under the leadership of Chairman Larry Combest (R-TX-19). Daniel was a Special Projects Coordinator for the National Council for Agricultural Education where he led a W.K. Kellogg Foundation project to chart a course for the future of U.S. agricultural education. He has served as a member of the Davis College Dean's Advisory Group, and is a life member of the Agricultural Education and Communications Alumni Association, which recognized him with an alumni award (2016).

Britt Conklin

Britt Conklin D.V.M of Amarillo. He received a bachelor's degree in animal science (1997) from Texas Tech. At Tech, he was a member of Block and Bridle, worked at the university horse farm, and was a part of a national champion Livestock Judging Team. Following graduation, Conklin attended the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine where he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (2001). After graduation he worked at the Alpha Equine Hospital and Breeding Center in Weatherford, a premier cutting and quarter horse breeding center. The veterinary practice was one of the first to implement commercial equine embryo transfer, and was a leader in medicine and surgery. Soon after, he became co-owner of the center, which was renamed Reata Equine Hospital. In 2005, he established the Podiatry Center at Reata, one of the first specialty veterinary facilities outside of Kentucky dedicated to focusing on lameness and diseases of the equine digit. He is certified by the American Farriers Association, and has consulted and lectured both nationally and internationally in equine performance medicine and podiatry. In 2012, Conklin began working with Boehringer-Ingelheim Animal Health, where he serves as a Senior Equine Professional Services Veterinarian.

B. Dan Kamp

B. Dan Kamp of Trophy Club. He received his bachelor's degree (1957) and master's degree (1966) in park administration from Texas Tech. His doctorate (1973) is from Texas A&M University. Following graduation he joined the Texas A&M staff as an associate professor of Recreation and Parks, and program manager for the Marine Advisory Service where he taught for four years before being named associate professor in 1978. Kamp became the Director of Parks and Recreation in Lubbock in 1982, managing more than 400 employees with parks that exceeded 4,000 acres. In 1991, he was named Chief of Operating Official, Kansas City, Missouri Park, Recreation and Boulevards, Kansas City, Missouri where he oversaw 720 employees for a decade. He was responsible for all internal functions of the department, including financial management and land responsibilities for more than 10,000 acres. Kamp then worked as the director of Parks and Recreation Management and Planning Strategies at the Butcher Wills & Ratliff Corp. for 10 years before his retirement. Honors for Kamp include the Southwest Park and Recreation Training Institute's Presidents Award (2015, 2018), Texas Recreation and Park Society Honorary Life Member (1997), and Speaker's Podium Award for Texas Recreation and Park Association (1981).

K. Lance Anderson

K. Lance Anderson of Austin. He received a bachelor's degree in entomology (1997) and master's degree (2000) in crop science from Texas Tech. His Doctor of Jurisprudence is from the Texas Tech University School of Law. Currently, Anderson is a member and Deputy CEO for Marketing and IT with the Dickinson Wright law firm in Austin. He has extensive experience preparing and negotiating technology and intellectual property-focused transactions, as well as technology aspects of mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other complex commercial transactions. A registered patent attorney, Anderson conducts patent prosecution, due diligence for licensing, and acquisitions, technology agreements, strategic planning, patent prosecution, trade secrets, employment mobility, and related operational legal issues. Prior to private practice, he served for more than a decade as in-house counsel and lead intellectual property attorney for both a large public research university system and an early-stage venture capital company, overseeing all facets of intellectual property development, management and transactions. His experience and background contribute to skill sets applicable to technology transfer and emerging technology, high-tech, health-IT, agricultural biotechnology, pharmaceuticals/life sciences, consumer products, oil & gas, and renewable energy.

Dan M. Caudle

Dan M. Caudle of Weatherford. He received his bachelor's degree (1970) in range management from Texas Tech. Following graduation Caudle joined the USDA Soil Conservation Service as a range conservationist, where he was responsible for assisting ranchers in developing conservation plans. In 1974, he began working in Bandera as a District Conservationist. Before his retirement in 2006, he served as a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Rangeland Management Specialist, where he provided technical assistance, technology transfer, and training on rangelands and pasturelands to NCRS personnel. He had 13 states of assigned work, some of which included Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Even in retirement, Caudle is active. He has served as superintendent of the Fort Worth Stock Show, as well as private consultant for DMC Natural Resources Management, and a director of the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District. Honors for Caudle include Conservationist of the Year for his commitment to wildlife and the environment in Texas (1995), and Certificate of Merit for leadership as the NRCS representative to a Federal Interagency Team (2006). Along with awards, he has been a part of numerous projects including contributing to conservation planning projects (1971-1989), Ecological Site Information System (1992-2006), and Range Site Identification Numbering System (1991-1996).

Ann-Marie Carruth

The recipient of the 2019 Outstanding Young Alumni Award is Ann-Marie Carruth of Lubbock. She received a bachelor's degree in agricultural communications (2004), and her law degree from the Texas Tech University's School of Law (2006). She is currently a Lubbock County Judge for Precinct 4 and County Court at Law #3. Before taking the bench in 2015, she partnered in a private general law practice, Saleh Law PLLC, where she achieved a life-long dream of practicing law with her father, Judge Sam Saleh. Carruth has twice been named “Judge of the Year” by the West Texas Justices of the Peace and Constables Association, Young Adult Volunteer of the Year by the Lubbock Volunteer Center and a Women of Excellence by the YWCA. In 2018, JPCA named Carruth's Saturday court as the “Best Practice” in the state of Texas. Currently, she serves as an adjunct professor for Texas Tech University, Wayland Baptist University and Texas Tech University School of Law, as well as serving on the faculty for the Texas Justice Court Training Center.