Texas Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources honored three leaders with the Gerald W. Thomas Outstanding Agriculturalist Awards during its 97th Annual Pig Roast at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. The Pig Roast also celebrates scholarship donors, recipients and intercollegiate judging teams.

The annual outstanding agriculturalist awards recognize individuals for their contributions to various areas of agriculture. This year’s recipients are Trevor Caviness for Agricultural Production, Rex Isom for Public Service, and David Waggoner for Agribusiness.

Trevor Caviness | Agricultural Production. He received a bachelor’s degree in finance from Southern Methodist University (1997) and completed the Ranch Management Program at Texas Christian University (1998). He serves as president of Caviness Beef Packers, a family business with processing facilities located in Hereford and Amarillo. Caviness’ primary job functions are overseeing operations, marketing, food safety and business development.  In conjunction with partner JR Simplot Company, Caviness opened a second beef harvest/processing/ground beef, CS Beef Packers, in Kuna, Idaho. Caviness/CS Beef are currently ranked #6 on the U.S. Beef Packer list by volume and employs 2,300 team members. He is a long-time board member of The Meat Institute and is past president of the Amarillo College Foundation. Caviness is a board member of the Amarillo Area Foundation, West Texas A&M University Foundation, and is the current president-elect of the TCU Ranch Management Alumni Association.

Rex Isom | Public Service. He received a bachelor’s degree in animal business from Texas Tech (1979). Isom serves as Executive Director of the Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board. In that position he directs the state’s programs dealing with conservation and use of natural resources. He is responsible for coordinating the programs and activities of the state’s 216 soil and water conservation districts, along with conducting the state’s agricultural and silvicultural nonpoint source pollution abatement program. In 2023, Isom was recognized as a Department of Animal & Food Sciences Distinguished Alumnus. Other activities include serving on the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Council and being named chairman for the National Watershed Coalition. In addition, he sits on the Texas Tech Equine Center’s Therapeutic Riding Board and serves as secretary and is on the executive committee of the Texas FFA Foundation Board of Directors.

David Waggoner | Agribusiness. He received his bachelor’s degree in animal science (1983) and law degree (1998) both from Texas Tech. In addition, Waggoner holds a master’s degree from Virginia Tech University and an MBA from George Washington University. With law offices in Hillsboro and Corsicana, he serves farmers, ranchers, and other stakeholders in legal matters related to agriculture and real estate. A graduate and supporter of the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program, he has co-chaired the annual John Huffaker Agricultural Law Course for the State Bar of Texas for many years. He has also served on the executive boards of the American Agricultural Law Association and the Texas Agricultural Land Trust. Waggoner has served as president of the Hill County Farm Bureau and Texas 4-H Youth Development Foundation, and treasurer of the Texas FFA Foundation.

The outstanding agriculturalist awards, established in 1969, are named for Gerald Thomas, who served as dean of Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources from 1958 to 1970.

CONTACT: Tracee Murph, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and Manager of the Texas Tech Dairy Barn, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2802 or tracee.murph@ttu.edu

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