Board of Directors

Bobby Hobson is a resident of Nacogdoches County. He is the owner/operator of a 17-house broiler farm with a 350,000-bird capacity. He also runs a cow-calf operation on 1,000 acres of owned and leased land as well as operates a custom hay bailing business with his brother, Larry Hobson.  Mr. Hobson is President of the Douglass ISD School board and serves as chairman of the Nacogdoches County Soil and Water Conservation Board, which manages the quality of water and soil in Nacogdoches County.

Jerry Chappell resides in Lyford, Texas, and is a Partner in Chappell Farms, a family partnership. They primarily farm cotton and grain. Mr. Chappell serves on the Willacy County Farm Bureau, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, and representing the interests of US farmers. He also serves on the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Lower Rio Grande Valley Steering Committee, which is a liaison between cotton producers of the Lower Rio Grande Valley and the Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, is a member of the Rio Grande Valley IPM Steering Committee, which promotes the integrated pest management to farmers of the Rio Grande Valley, and is a Director for the Appraisal Review Board, which is a decision making body that issues determinations of statutorily-authorized protests and challenges brought by property owners and taxing units.

Thomas Barker resides in Winona, Texas, and has been the manager of 7P Ranch, a 1,750-acre registered Simmental operation located near Tyler, Texas for the past thirteen years. Tom, and his wife Laurie, own Star B Brahmans where they raise registered Brahman cattle using A.I. and embryo transfer. Tom also owns TMB3 Ranch Consulting providing consulting services to other ranchers and landowners. Mr. Barker is a member of the Smith County Livestock & Forage Committee which assists Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service with educational programs for the county.

David Cannon is the president and owner of Cannon Steel, a family-owned business, in Tyler, Texas for the past 43 years. In addition, he and his wife, Noemi, own and operate East Texas Cattle, a Brangus and coastal hay operation. They also raise pure-bred poultry. He is a member of the Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Association and a board member of Cannon Steel. Cannon has served on the Heritage Land Bank board since 2024.

Roger Claxton, vice-chair, owns and operates Claxton Farms, which consists primarily of a stocker cattle operation. Mr. Claxton is a retired agricultural science teacher. He serves on the board of the Hunt County Farm Bureau, Hunt County Junior Livestock Association, and Northeast Texas Farmers Co-op, is a member of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and is a lifetime member of the Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association of Texas. An elder of the Church of Christ, Mr. Claxton is a graduate of East Texas State University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics. He and his wife, Kathryn, have been married for 45 years and have three grown children. Mr. Claxton has served on the board of Heritage Land Bank since 2010.

James Dawley a resident of the Mexia, Texas area, was born and raised on a farm/ranch in Honest Ridge, Texas, in Limestone County. He currently runs a cow/calf operation in Limestone and Freestone County and owns and operates Sheffield Farm and Ranch Supply in Mexia, Texas. Mr. Dawley is an officer for the Limestone County Farm Bureau, a support organization for agriculture, a Director for the Farm Service Agency for Limestone and Freestone Counties, a government agency that serves farmers, ranchers, and agricultural partners with agricultural programs, as well as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Limestone County Young Farmers, which promotes agriculture in the area. Additionally, Mr. Dawley is a life member of both the Houston Livestock Show and the Houston Livestock Show Area Go-Texan Committee that promotes the show and support area youth through programs and scholarships.

Marion Vines Durand is a resident of Austin, Texas, and serves as an officer and director of Lufkin Business Park II, Inc.  Mrs. Durand is a retired certified public accountant and is active in several other agricultural sectors, including timber and land management. Mrs. Durand also serves as a manager of the Dan M Vines Limited Partnership and DMV Interest, LLC.

Roxann Garvin is a passionate fourth generation farmer.  She, alongside her husband Mike, and son Chance, operate Garvin Farms in Winnsboro, Texas, located in Hopkins and Wood Counties.  Farm ownership became a reality in 1980 when she purchased the family farm from her retiring parents.  Dairy farming spanned for 36 years and in 2016 the milk cow herd transitioned to a Brangus cow/calf operation.  Today, the farm operation includes the cow herd, 800 acres for grazing and hay production, and four breeder farms, housing over 100,000 hens and roosters with JBS Pilgrims.  She is a member of Wood County Farm Bureau and serves on the grower advisory committee with JBS Pilgrims.  Formerly, Mrs. Garvin was the President Young Cooperator for Associated Milk Producers, Inc of the southern region of North America, whose officers are trained to mentor, foster, and promote other young aspiring couples in agriculture. She was recognized as Hopkins County Top Conservationist of the Year, as well as Winnsboro Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Business of the Year.  Roxann and her husband, Mike have raised four beautiful children on their family farm.  She has served on the Texas Farm Credit Board since 2019.

David Henneke is a retired Investment Advisor with more than 20 years of banking experience from Alice, Texas. Mr. Henneke has served on the board of directors since 2005.

John Holloway is the Live Operations Complex manager for Tyson Foods in Center, Texas. He has 27 years of poultry industry experience with Tyson Foods and Pilgrim’s Pride. Mr. Holloway owns and operates six broiler houses for Tyson Foods. He also owns and manages a cow-calf operation and timber land. Mr. Holloway earned a bachelor’s degree in poultry science from Texas A&M University. He serves as chairman of the board of the Shelby Soil and Water Conservation District. Mr. Holloway also previously served on the boards of the Attoyac Bayou Steering Committee and the Nacogdoches/Angelina Ground Water District. He and his wife, Chelsea, have two sons and are members of the First Baptist Church of Center, Texas. Mr. Holloway has served on the board of Heritage Land Bank since 2019.

John Prukop lives in Nueces County and has been farming since 1974 in Jim Wells, Kleberg, and Nueces counties and farms vegetables and melons in Hidalgo County, TX. Mr. Prukop serves as Chairman of the Kleberg-Kenedy Soil and Water Conservation District, which manages the quality of water and soil in Kleberg and Kenedy Counties and is a Director on the National Watermelon Promotion Board, whose purpose is to maintain and expand existing markets and develop new markets for fresh watermelon. He is an advisor to the South Texas Property Rights Association, which protects the rights of property owners in South Texas.

Gregory T. Richbourg is an equal shareholder in the public accounting firm of Gollob Morgan Peddy PC in Tyler, Texas. Mr. Richbourg is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. He currently serves on the boards of directors for several local non-profit organizations, including the Tyler Catholic School Foundation (Treasurer), as well as Tyler Friends of the Poor (President), and the East Texas Area Council-Boy Scouts of America (Treasurer).

Kevin Sampson, chair, is chief engineer for M.P. Industries, Inc. in Tyler, Texas, where he has been employed for more than 25 years. He runs a cow-calf operation in Smith County. Additionally, Mr. Sampson produces hay, forage, Tifton 85 sprigs, and timber. Mr. Sampson serves on the Smith County Appraisal District Agriculture Advisory Committee. He has served as a member of the Smith County Farm Bureau, as well as a resolutions committee member for the Texas Farm Bureau. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Mr. Sampson has served on the board of Heritage Land Bank since 2006.

Jeff Striplin is assistant water system manager – treatment for the North Texas Municipal Water District in Wylie, Texas, where he has worked for 28 years. He is also a first-generation rancher with a cow-calf operation on 115 acres and raises stocker calves, dairy heifer replacements, club lambs, and replacement ewes. Mr. Striplin serves on the Hunt County Farm Bureau board, Hunt County Fair and Junior Livestock Association board, is secretary of the Bland ISD School Board, and is past president of the Bland Youth Sports Association. He is also president of the Cotton Belt District of the Texas Water Utilities Association. Mr. Striplin is a former member of Texas Association of School Boards 2020 – 2021 Legislative Advisory Council, former assistant Area 45 director for District 50 of Toastmasters International, and also served on the Texas Farm Bureau resolutions committee. He is a member of Texas Farm Bureau, Northeast Texas Farmers Co-op, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, American Water Works Association, Texas Water Utilities Association, Water Environment Association of Texas, Water Environment Federation, Hunt County Junior Livestock Association, Texas Farm Bureau Natural Resources Advisory Committee, and Toastmasters International. He and his wife, Samantha, have two children. Previously, Mr. Striplin served on Heritage Land Bank’s advisory and nominating committees. He has served on the board of Heritage Land Bank since 2020.

James Tarrant, Jr. has owned and operated Consolidated Wood Products in Bullard, Texas, for over 35 years. He is a former loan officer and credit analyst for North Texas PCA and AgriLand Farm Credit Services. Mr. Tarrant has served as a director for the Cherokee County Electric Co-op, North Cherokee Water Corp., Texas National Bank and Cherokee County Appraisal District, and served 12 years on the Jacksonville ISD School Board, including two years as president. He has also been a member of the Bullard Rotary Club. Among his other honors and distinctions, Mr. Tarrant is a 1989 graduate of the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program, served on the 2002 Texas A&M College of Agriculture Development Council, was a delegate to the State Republican Convention, and was an adult Sunday school teacher for over 20 years. Mr. Tarrant graduated from Texas A&M University in 1979 with a degree in range science and agricultural economics. He and his wife, Meredith, have five grown children and eight grandchildren. Mr. Tarrant has served on the board of Heritage Land Bank since 2009.

Jon Whatley is the fourth generation of his family to farm in South Texas, dating back to 1905. Jon and his wife, Kelly, grow cotton, grain sorghum, and corn as well as running a cow/calf operation. They have two grown sons, one of whom has joined them back on the farm.  Jon graduated from both Odem High School and Texas A&M University, where he received his Bachelor of Science.  Active in numerous agricultural organizations, Jon is currently the Vice-Chairman of Planter’s Co-op, the Vice-Chairman of American Cotton Producers, and an Executive Member of the National Cotton Council as well as serving as a board member of both Coastal Agriculture Co-op and Calcot. He has also served as the Chairman of South Texas Cotton & Grain (2011-2012), the Chairman of Texas Cotton Producers (2010-2011) as well as serving twelve years on the San Patricio Soil and Water Conservation District. He has also been a Chairman of the Cotton Foundation.  In addition to working in the agriculture industry, Jon has been involved in his local community. He was a trustee for the Odem-Edroy ISD for nineteen years. He formerly served on the Coastal Bend Community Foundation. While raising his family, Jon was actively involved in the Odem Little League and the San Patrico & Aransas Counties A&H Show. Currently, Jon is member of the Grace United Methodist Church Council and is a member of Evergreen Cemetery’s governing committee.