Six new members are coming onboard Texas Tech University's College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources Advisory Board this summer, officials announced today (Jul. 20). They are David Brimager of New Braunfels; Monty Christian of Lubbock; Sam Cunningham of Amarillo; John Duff of Lubbock; Jarrod Miller of Lubbock; and John Van de Pol of Amherst.

CASNR's Advisory Board is comprised of 24 members who represent the college's departments, along with the college's development and alumni relations office, said CASNR Interim Dean Cindy Akers. 

“While members come from varied backgrounds, all share a desire to serve the college and to further the aims and goals of the departments,” she said. “This, in turn, is expected to improve the resources available to CASNR and its students.”

The new members bring skilled, innovative backgrounds to the table, and have a deep understanding of both the academic enterprise and the workings of industry, Akers added. The next official meeting of the CASNR Advisory Board will be from 1-5 p.m. on Thursday (Aug. 19) in Texas Tech's recently refurbished Dairy Barn Loft.

• David Brimager, 2021-2024 (New Braunfels). Brimager is director of public relations and a certified wildlife biologist with the Texas Wildlife Association. He has been with the organization for more than two decades. The association focuses on private landowners and their ethical relationship to the land, and concentrates on issues relating to private property, hunting and hunter rights, and conservation of our natural resources. He received his bachelor's degree in wildlife management from Texas Tech is 1996.
• Monty Christian, 2021-2024 (Lubbock). Christian recently accepted a half-time appointment with the Texas Tech Office of Research & Innovation. Last year he retired as BASF Vice President of Global Cotton Seeds. Prior to that he was with Bayer CropScience, serving in different roles including Marketing Director for Cotton and U.S. Vice President of Commercial Cotton Seeds & Traits. Christian comes from a farming/ranching background in Kansas, and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from New Mexico State University. 
• Sam Cunningham, 2021-2024 (Amarillo). Cunningham, an Amarillo-based otolaryngologist, is the president of the Texas Bighorn Society, and is active in the conservation of Desert Bighorn Sheep (DBS) and their habitat. He has implemented several research projects with Tech's Department of Natural Resources Management on DBS genetics, disease and habitat preservation. He is also a member of the Boone & Crockett Club, and serves on NRM's Wildlife Committee.
• John Duff, 2021-2024 (Lubbock). Duff serves as executive vice president of the National Sorghum Producers and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, where he provides leadership and analysis on an array of sorghum industry issues from markets to policy. In addition, he works directly with staff executive leadership to assist with day-to-day operations, and is involved in legislative and regulatory advocacy. He received his bachelor's degree in agribusiness from Texas Tech in 2012.
• Jarrod Miller, 2021-2024 (Lubbock). Miller started at Praters, a Lubbock food processing firm, in 2014 as quality assurance manager. Since then, he has been involved in a number of roles at the plant and currently serves as business manager. Miller is a graduate of Texas Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences with a master's degree in in meat science and a master's of business administration. He is married to Amber Brady Miller, a partner with Crenshaw, Dupree & Milam, who has served on CASNR's Advisory Board in the past.
• John Van de Pol, 2021-2024 (Amherst). Van de Pol serves as the owner of Red Rock Dairy in Amherst. He is a member of the Texas Association of Dairymen's Broad of directors. A third-generation dairy farmer, Van de Pol attended California Polytechnic in San Luis Obispo with a major in dairy science and a minor in agriculture business. He moved his family farm from California to West Texas in 2002. Since then, he has grown the milking herd from 400 cows in California to the current 3,000 head in Texas.

Current members of CASNR's Advisory Board include:

• Brent Bean of Lubbock
• Patrick Brewer of Austin
• Kevin Brinkley of Lubbock
• Dwain Bunting of Lubbock
• Chad Dietz of Amarillo
• Carol Faulkenberry of Amarillo
• Tanya Forester of Lubbock
• Ernie Gandy of Olton
• Ben Holland if Canyon
• Norma Johnson of Lubbock
• Jeff Klose of Canyon
• James Ray of Canyon
• Kayla Robinson of Lubbock
• Mike Simpson of Canyon
• Dane Swinburn of Lubbock
• Shawn Wade of Lubbock

CONTACT: Cindy Akers, Acting Dean, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Programs, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or cindy.akers@ttu.edu

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