Director of Agriculture
Northeast Texas Community College
2886 FM 1735
Mount Pleasant, TX 75455
United States
Mount Pleasant, TX 75455
United States
(w) (903) 434-8267
About
Mrs. Rene’ McCracken
Director of Agriculture
Northeast Texas Community College
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
McCracken has served as director of agriculture at Northeast since accepting her current position in July 2012. Northeast retained her to manage, build and maintain their 250 acre farm, LEED certified platinum green agriculture facility and develop and promote their new Sustainable Agriculture Associates Program. Her unique combinations of experiences in project management, recruiting and retention of agriculture students from rural communities as well as her knowledge of sustainable practices and service learning as curriculum enrichment will support the guidance of students to a more direct path in the sustainable agriculture industry.
EDUCATION
Small Farmer’s Leadership Institute Graduate, March 09, Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA
M.S. Poultry Science (Business Option) Dec 95 - University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
B.S. Animal Science May 93 - Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX
PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
July 12-Present Director of Agriculture-Northeast Texas Community College Mt Pleasant,TX
Mar 06 – July 12 Extension Agent CEP-AgNR Cherokee County
Oct 05 – Mar 06 Cavender's Brangus Ranch, Data Entry Clerk Troup, TX
Aug 04 - Dec 05 Woodmen of the World, Sales Agent Jacksonville, TX
Oct 01 - Nov 03 Tonganoxie ISD, School Bus Driver Tonganoxie, KS
Aug 97 - Aug 00 General Mills Flour Mill, Packing Team Leader II Kansas City, MO
Apr 96 - Aug 97 ConAgra Foods, Production Supervisor Marshall, MO
Oct 93 - Apr 96 Campbell Soup Company, Production Supervisor Fayetteville, AR
July 93 - Sept 93 Sexton Realty, Administrative Assistant Springdale, AR
Sept 91 - May 93 Stephen F Austin, Research & Administrative Assistant Nacogdoches, TX
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Educational – 10+ years providing research based programs for college students at Northeast and limited resource agriculture producers of Cherokee County.
Entrepreneurship – 4 years co-owner of retail feed store in Rusk County. Explored financial business planning, applications and purchased retail feed store and goat farm in March ’06.
Management - 7 years food manufacturing, front-line production supervisor for up to 300 union employees.
Purchasing - 1 year, maintenance buyer in food manufacturing plant.
Sales - 1+ year fraternal insurance agent, life and health direct to individuals.
Computer - 22 years, windows based programs, including Lotus, Excel, Word, Quicken, Presentation etc.
Communicator - Excellent written and oral skills including presentations to individual and groups.
Office Skills - 9 years, phone, filling, customer service, accounts payable, payroll, and correspondence.
Fund Raising - school, church, sports related fund raising from candle sales to raffles.
Pesticide Applicator License - attained ‘08
Leadership Training – graduate of Small Farmer Financial Leadership Training from Southern University ‘09
AWARDS
SEED Genome Grant $10,000 for Sustainable Agriculture Program Planning and Design. ‘2016.
Rural Community College of Agriculture Sustainable Community Grant $25,000 for Feasibility of Mobile Farmer’s Market. ’15, ‘16
Risk Management Association Grant Award $40,000 for Annie’s Project, Farm Financial Training Women. Sub- Award: $5,800, listed as collaborator/educator.
Honorary Chapter FFA Degree from Carlisle FFA, 2010--2011
Appreciation for Service Award – Rusk Rotary Club: ’12,’11, ’10, ’09, ’08, ‘07
Innovative Program Award ~ Newsletter Cooperative Extension Program ’07
General Mill's Presidential List of Excellence
ConAgra #1 plant 96, 2 million man hours NLT
Sloan Foundation Grant 93
Agri-ambassador (SFA Recruiter)
President-- Delta Tau Alpha
Most Outstanding Student in Animal Science - SFA 93
Alumni Scholarship, Houston Livestock and Rodeo Scholarship, Pilgrim's Pride Scholarship, Dean's List.
Director of Agriculture
Northeast Texas Community College
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
McCracken has served as director of agriculture at Northeast since accepting her current position in July 2012. Northeast retained her to manage, build and maintain their 250 acre farm, LEED certified platinum green agriculture facility and develop and promote their new Sustainable Agriculture Associates Program. Her unique combinations of experiences in project management, recruiting and retention of agriculture students from rural communities as well as her knowledge of sustainable practices and service learning as curriculum enrichment will support the guidance of students to a more direct path in the sustainable agriculture industry.
EDUCATION
Small Farmer’s Leadership Institute Graduate, March 09, Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA
M.S. Poultry Science (Business Option) Dec 95 - University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
B.S. Animal Science May 93 - Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX
PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
July 12-Present Director of Agriculture-Northeast Texas Community College Mt Pleasant,TX
Mar 06 – July 12 Extension Agent CEP-AgNR Cherokee County
Oct 05 – Mar 06 Cavender's Brangus Ranch, Data Entry Clerk Troup, TX
Aug 04 - Dec 05 Woodmen of the World, Sales Agent Jacksonville, TX
Oct 01 - Nov 03 Tonganoxie ISD, School Bus Driver Tonganoxie, KS
Aug 97 - Aug 00 General Mills Flour Mill, Packing Team Leader II Kansas City, MO
Apr 96 - Aug 97 ConAgra Foods, Production Supervisor Marshall, MO
Oct 93 - Apr 96 Campbell Soup Company, Production Supervisor Fayetteville, AR
July 93 - Sept 93 Sexton Realty, Administrative Assistant Springdale, AR
Sept 91 - May 93 Stephen F Austin, Research & Administrative Assistant Nacogdoches, TX
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Educational – 10+ years providing research based programs for college students at Northeast and limited resource agriculture producers of Cherokee County.
Entrepreneurship – 4 years co-owner of retail feed store in Rusk County. Explored financial business planning, applications and purchased retail feed store and goat farm in March ’06.
Management - 7 years food manufacturing, front-line production supervisor for up to 300 union employees.
Purchasing - 1 year, maintenance buyer in food manufacturing plant.
Sales - 1+ year fraternal insurance agent, life and health direct to individuals.
Computer - 22 years, windows based programs, including Lotus, Excel, Word, Quicken, Presentation etc.
Communicator - Excellent written and oral skills including presentations to individual and groups.
Office Skills - 9 years, phone, filling, customer service, accounts payable, payroll, and correspondence.
Fund Raising - school, church, sports related fund raising from candle sales to raffles.
Pesticide Applicator License - attained ‘08
Leadership Training – graduate of Small Farmer Financial Leadership Training from Southern University ‘09
AWARDS
SEED Genome Grant $10,000 for Sustainable Agriculture Program Planning and Design. ‘2016.
Rural Community College of Agriculture Sustainable Community Grant $25,000 for Feasibility of Mobile Farmer’s Market. ’15, ‘16
Risk Management Association Grant Award $40,000 for Annie’s Project, Farm Financial Training Women. Sub- Award: $5,800, listed as collaborator/educator.
Honorary Chapter FFA Degree from Carlisle FFA, 2010--2011
Appreciation for Service Award – Rusk Rotary Club: ’12,’11, ’10, ’09, ’08, ‘07
Innovative Program Award ~ Newsletter Cooperative Extension Program ’07
General Mill's Presidential List of Excellence
ConAgra #1 plant 96, 2 million man hours NLT
Sloan Foundation Grant 93
Agri-ambassador (SFA Recruiter)
President-- Delta Tau Alpha
Most Outstanding Student in Animal Science - SFA 93
Alumni Scholarship, Houston Livestock and Rodeo Scholarship, Pilgrim's Pride Scholarship, Dean's List.
Projects
EDS22-38 | Development and Implementation of the Agriculture Community Education (ACE) On-line Learning Modules for Northeast Texas Limited Resource Producers |