A farm and agribusiness management expert has been named an assistant professor of farm and agribusiness management and director of farm operations in Texas Tech University's Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, according to officials within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Kelly Lange officially stepped into her new teaching and research post on Sept. 1.

The Lubbock native indicated that she is particularly interested in continuing her research efforts on efforts in the area of farm management with an emphasis on farm financial management and family farm succession planning. "Research in this area will be crucial in the future as a new generation of agricultural professionals prepares to succeed the current generation of farmers and ranchers," she said.

One of her goals here at Tech is to carry out research pertaining to the integration of business and personal financial management in family owned and managed farms, ranches, and agribusinesses.

Prior to joining the Texas Tech faculty, Lange served as an assistant professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness in the Department of Agriculture at Texas State University in San Marcos. She also worked as an instructor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech, and a teaching assistant in Tech's Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

Lange received her bachelor's degree in marketing and management, and her master's degree in management from Texas Tech. Her doctorate in agricultural and applied economics is from Texas Tech. She is a member of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association; Southern Agricultural Economics Association; Western Agricultural Economics Association; and Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture-Texas Tech Chapter.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Phillip Johnson, chairman and director of the university's Thornton Agricultural Finance Institute, Department of Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-0474 or phil.johnson@ttu.edu

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