Board of Directors

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.

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.

Scott Binder has more than thirty-five years of executive leadership experience, including extensive service within the Farm Credit System. He most recently served as Executive Vice President, Chief Alliance and Administrative Officer, and Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer at Farm Credit Services of America, where he worked closely with the Board and executive leadership on strategic alliances, operations, compensation, and leadership development. Previously, Mr. Binder served as President and Chief Executive Officer of FCC Services, supporting Farm Credit associations nationwide. Outside of Farm Credit, he spent more than twenty years in senior leadership roles with Comcast and Time Warner. Mr. Binder began his career as a Certified Public Accountant with Arthur Andersen and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Roger Claxton owns and operates Claxton Farms, which consists primarily of a stocker cattle operation. Claxton is a retired agricultural science teacher. He serves on the board of the Hunt County Farm Bureau, Northeast Texas Farmers Co-op board, and is a lifetime member of the Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association of Texas. He is a former board member of the Hunt County Junior Livestock Association. An elder of the Church of Christ, 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 46 years and have three grown children.

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.

Bobby Hobson is a resident of Nacogdoches County. He owns and operates a 12-house broiler farm as well as a cow-calf operation with his son. Mr. Hobson has served on the Douglass ISD School board for 28 years and is currently the President. He is also the chairman of the Nacogdoches County Soil and Water Conservation Board.  Mr. Hobson has been married to his wife for 46 years and they have three children and eight grandchildren.

John Holloway is currently manager of LOLA Farms, LLC. He has 29 years of poultry industry experience with Tyson Foods and Pilgrim’s Pride. Holloway owns and operates six broiler houses for Tyson Foods. He also owns and manages a cow-calf operation and timber land. 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. He and his wife, Chelsea, have two sons and are members of the First Baptist Church of Center, Texas. Mr. Holloway is currently employed by Pitman Family Farms.

Gregory T. Richbourg is a partner in the accounting and advisory firms of Gollob Morgan Peddy, Inc and GMP Assurance, PLLC 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), the Bishop TK Gorman School Board (Treasurer), as well as Tyler Friends of the Poor (President), and the East Texas Area Council-Boy Scouts of America (Treasurer).

Kevin Sampson 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, Sampson produces hay, forage, Tifton 85 sprigs and timber.  Sampson serves on the Smith County Appraisal District Agriculture Advisory Committee. He has served as a member of the Smith County Farm Bureau, and on the resolutions committee of Texas Farm Bureau.  He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Jeff Striplin is Assistant Water System Manager – Treatment for the North Texas Municipal Water District in Wylie, Texas, where he has worked for 30 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. Striplin serves on the Hunt County Farm Bureau board, Hunt County Fair and Junior Livestock Association board, is vice-president 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. Striplin is a former member of the Texas Association of School Boards 2020 – 2021 Legislative Advisory Council, former assistant Area 45 director for District 50 of Toastmasters International and served on the Texas Farm Bureau resolutions committee. Striplin 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.

James Tarrant Jr. has owned and operated Consolidated Wood Products in Bullard, Texas, for over 40 years. He is a former loan officer and credit analyst for North Texas PCA and AgriLand Farm Credit Services. Tarrant has served as a director for 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’s also been a member of the Bullard Rotary Club. Among his other honors and distinctions, 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. 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 nine grandchildren.

Jon Whatley is the fourth generation of his family farming 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 Coastal Agriculture Co-op. 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.