Charla Anthony is a seasoned horticulturist who has devoted a lifetime to cultivating and tending plants. As a generational gardener, she learned how to garden with her family and then followed her passion to Texas A&M, earning a degree in horticulture. She has run a construction business, raised cattle, and managed a retail store. In her previous role as a county horticulturist, she trained Master Gardeners and guided individuals to sustainable, successful gardening practices via community programs, television, radio, and newspaper. As a landscape consultant and educator, she now continues to help others cultivate thriving gardens. Currently, she’s turning her attention to the future, empowering new generations of gardeners through her blog Gardening with Charla and on Substack with Ms. Charla’s Garden Club.
Manuel Martinez is a Field Representative with the Texas Department of Agriculture and works within the Trade and Business Development Division of the agency. He represents 23 counties throughout the East Texas region, conducting outreach programs to support regional agriculture and rural economic development. He has worked for 22 years with TDA in various roles such as Marketing, Agriculture Consumer Protection, Economic Development, and Pesticide Inspection. Manuel is a 3rd generation Texan from Shiner, Texas and is a graduate of Texas A&M University. He and his wife reside in Montgomery County with their two boys and enjoy traveling and spending time with family.
Professor, and Director, Dianne and M. Edward ’74 Rister Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program, Research and Teaching, Tenure Track. B.Sc. (’74) and M.Sc. (’76) from Texas A&M University and Ph.D. (’81) from Michigan State University. Native originally of Round Rock in Williamson County, Texas, but grew up in the Placedo-Bloomington area of Victoria County, Texas. Began his faculty career at Texas A&M University in 1981. Teaching responsibilities in recent years include a two-course capstone sequence in economic analysis and financial analysis of agribusiness entrepreneurship-oriented businesses; a junior-level agribusiness entrepreneurship budgeting course; two introductory seminar-type courses in agribusiness entrepreneurship; and one-half of a senior-level agribusiness finance course. In addition, oversight occurs for a minor in agribusiness entrepreneurship accessible to all university students. Research responsibilities include applied research designed to identify and assess economic and financial consequences of decision situations extending from firm-level farm and/or ranch situations to agribusiness situations, with an emphasis on rural and metropolitan start-up businesses.
Capital Farm Credit is the largest agricultural lending cooperative in Texas. We have served farmers, ranchers, and rural communities for more than 100 years. Our mission to provide reliable credit and financial services that enable our members to achieve success in agriculture and rural communities drives us to support rural Texas and agriculture every day.
Capital Farm Credit has 67 locations and is chartered in 192 counties across Texas. We offer lending services for agriculture and land loans, operating loans, home loans, and equipment loans, as well as crop insurance to our borrowers. With more than 600 employees, we are proud to serve our nearly 30,000 shareholders across Texas.
DeepRoots Vineyards is the most unique live music venue in the Houston area. A winery with a laid back attitude and the best wines in the state of Texas. Conveniently located north of Houston just off the new 249 Tollway in Plantersville, Texas. We’ve converted our vintage dairy farm, owned for generations by the Fuchs family, to a vineyard, winery, brewery, & rockin’ live music venue. The old hay barn has received a full makeover!!
