Studying agronomy brought him in contact with Professor Billy Melton, who became his next source of inspiration. According to Thomas, NMSU produces more outstanding plant breeders in alfalfa than any other
Grad shows appreciation to family, mentor through endowments
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Growing up on his family's farm outside Estancia, N.M., Johnny
Thomas, '63, took inspiration from his parents, Ester and Estal Thomas,
and became the first member of his family to enroll in college. With
agriculture a vital force in his family, attending New Mexico State
University was a natural choice.
Studying agronomy brought him in contact with Professor Billy Melton, who became his next source of inspiration. According to Thomas, NMSU produces more outstanding plant breeders in alfalfa than any other |
Thomas appreciates the opportunity to give back to those who had a hand in the success he has enjoyed. This spring he made a stock gift valued at just under $250,000 to establish four endowed funds that will provide full-tuition scholarships. Two are in the names of his parents and intended for graduating seniors from Estancia and Truth Or Consequences high schools who plan to attend NMSU. Two awards are for students studying agriculture at NMSU, one honoring Melton and one named for Thomas and his wife.
Following graduation from NMSU, Thomas pursued a master's and Ph.D. in agronomy at Oregon State University. He then spent 10 years as a plant breeder and researcher in the forage and turf field before returning to run his Estancia farm for five years. Alfalfa is the principal cash crop on his farm, so his interest has been both as a researcher and grower.
A 12-year side-step into the business of fiber optics between 1982 and 1994 gave Thomas the skills to build AgriBioTech, Inc., based in Las Vegas, Nev. A business plan he drew up in September 1994 outlined goals for building the premier forage and turf seed company in the world. His models were Pioneer Hi-Bred and DeKalb Genetics.
AgriBioTech is growing rapidly through acquisition of many small companies in the forage and turf seed industry. From a total of five employees at the time that first business plan was put in place, the company now employs 850 people through facilities in about 30 states and a sales network operating in 48 states and 51 foreign countries. AgriBioTech is a vertically integrated, full-service seed company with alfalfa and turfgrass seed breeding programs, complete with research and development of proprietary seed varieties and seed processing plants. Thomas set a goal of achieving sales of $500 million by the year 2000. He expects to reach that goal this December, two years ahead of schedule.
"You don't always have the opportunity to give back, but I am fortunate to be in a position to do this," Thomas said of his gift to NMSU. "Others inspired me to strive for excellence. I hope these scholarships will have the same impact on future students. If one out of 10 or 20 is really successful and makes a similar investment in NMSU some time in the future, I will be very pleased. I feel this was a worthwhile thing to do, considering all that NMSU has given to me."
"This is a remarkable example of the impact that private support can have in creating educational opportunities for deserving students," said Ron Jordan, assistant vice president for university advancement. "Charitable gifts make the difference for many of our students."
Ann Palormo
PA board focuses on fund raising, other events
The 1998-99 President's Associates Board of Directors, a 17-member volunteer group under the leadership of Charles Tharp, '62, will focus its efforts and energies in three areas during the coming year: fund raising for the President's Associates scholarships, hosting the annual President's Associates Recognition Ball and co-sponsoring an event for students and donors with the University Honors Program.
Last spring, working with university administrators, the PA board revalued the PA Honors Scholarship for new students. Beginning this fall, the President's Associates Honors scholarship is worth tuition plus $3,500.
Eleven such scholarships were awarded to students graduating from New Mexico high schools. Fifty President's Associates scholars are enrolled at NMSU.
Fund-raising activities to support these scholarships are a major responsibility of board members. The board aims to raise $85,000 annually for scholarships and hopes to return to awarding 15 a year within the next three years.
Board members also host the annual President's Associates Recognition Ball. This gala event provides a venue to recognize donors who have made significant contributions to the university. Due to date conflicts in November, the board has moved the ball to Saturday, April 10, 1999.
"The ball is designed to celebrate the success of the PA board and donors who support New Mexico State University," Tharp said. "A spring date is a better match with the university's calendar." The event will once again be held at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces.
The board and the University Honors Program will co-sponsor an event that gives donors an opportunity to participate in the academic work of honors students. This event is usually in conjunction with the undergraduate honors symposium in April.
Ann Palormo
Haight fund assists students
Lionel D. Haight, a retired NMSU professor and former head of the accounting department, died at his Las Cruces home in May at the age of 94.
Haight had a 45-year career at NMSU from 1927-1972. He was named accounting department head in 1964 in the newly formed College of Business Administration and Economics.
Don Beasley, '72, a certified public accountant in Las Cruces, remembers learning from Haight.
"When I was first in school, we all took his classes. He was the only accounting professor. And even later when there were more professors, he taught the upper division classes."
Haight's students remember him as a professor who demanded the best from them. "He always said that he was demanding because our clients and our employers would be demanding," Beasley said.
Peter Dillaway, head of NMSU's accounting and business computer systems department, said many graduates have told him Haight was a very tough professor. "But our most distinguished alumni mention him with the highest regard for his teaching."
In a 1978 Aggie Panorama story, Tom Cooper, '62, the original chairman of the Lionel D. Haight Fund for Accounting, recalled that "Mr. Haight held the accounting profession in high esteem and passed this feeling on to his students."
The fund, established in 1978, was spearheaded by accounting graduates. The endowment is divided into a scholarship fund for undergraduate students and a fellowship fund for graduate students. The fund has provided about $58,000 in earnings for scholarships and fellowships to more than 100 students. The principal now stands at about $88,000. Anyone who wishes to donate to the fund can call (505) 646-2821.
Jean Renfroe
Family, friends, honor memory of Herbal
The late Carlton H. Herbal spent over 30 years working on the Jornada Experimental Range for the Agriculture Research Service of the USDA and NMSU. His research interests included plant-soil-animal-weather relations, control of noxious shrubs, revegetation, grazing management and production of livestock on arid rangelands. His leadership at the range earned him the nickname "Mr. Jornada."
His research findings were documented in about 200 papers and book chapters on range management. He traveled to all parts of the world to present papers and arrange field trips to study in other climates and cultural environments. He presented scientific papers in Alice Springs, Australia in 1965. One of the highlights of his life was to present his research in Moscow, Russia, in 1974. He also presented papers in Kuwait in 1984.
Although he retired Sept. 30, 1990, he continued to work on his research interests.
When he died in November 1997, his family established the Carlton H. Herbal Endowed Memorial Scholarship fund in the College of Agriculture and Home Economics. The fund will provide scholarships for graduate students in the range management program. Preference will be given to students who have had an internship or worked at the Jornada Experimental Range.
Gifts may be made to the scholarship endowment through the NMSU development office.