Agriculture Technology Advisory Committee

Texas State Technical College was created by the Texas Legislature and mandated to carry out technical and vocational training for which there is a demand in the state. In order to carry out this mandate, the College identifies technical and vocational needs and designs and develops educational programs to meet these needs. Only a combined effort by educators and industrial representatives on a continuing basis can ensure that training needs are properly identified, and training is updated in conjunction with changing developments and requirements.

To ensure that these needs are correctly identified, it is imperative that representatives of the industries who employ trained personnel assist in their identification. In order to accomplish this goal, technology Advisory Committees are formed to determine these needs. Committee members serve for two-year terms and meet at least once a year.

The main function of the Agriculture Technology Advisory Committee is to identify the knowledge and skills required for entry-level Agriculture technicians. The input of the Advisory Committee enables the department to identify training requirements, and is mandated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

• Fred Garcia -- Retired TSTC AGT Dept. Chair
• Ben Olivarez -- Ag business 
• Gilbert Galvan -- Realestate/Rancher  
• Pete Flores -- Texas A&M Cooperative Extension Center / Professor Computer Specialist
• Dr. Enrique Perez -- Cameron County Cooperative Extension Agent
• Vidal Saenz -- Texas Agricultural / Extension Agent
• Nelda Barrera-Garza -- Texas Department of Agriculture / Marketing
• Jeannette Garza -- Texas Department of Agriculture
• Brad Cowan -- Texas Extension Center / Extension Agent
• Bill Wentz -- Wentz Cattle Co. Owner
• Freddy Nieto -- Wildlife Manager / HP El Sauz Ranch
• Hunter Wilhelm -- Bayer Representative/Entomologist
• Dr. Bill Kuvlesky -- Professor College of Agriculture Texas A&M University-Kingsville