Jordan has a history of the fightin’ Texas Aggie spirit in his family and coming to Texas A&M University was a natural fit. Little did he know that he would be highly involved in departmental activities and serve in various leadership positions around the department.
What degrees have you obtained from Texas A&M University?
B.S Agricultural Systems Management; 2012 and M.S. Agricultural Systems Management; 2014
What drew you to Texas A&M University?
My dad was class of ’76 and graduated with a B.S. in animal science and agricultural education and my brother was class of ’08 with a B.S. in agricultural leadership and development so it was a natural fit to come to TAMU. Beyond that, I was active in FFA during my high school years and participated in agricultural mechanics contests. I also always enjoyed the management and business aspect of the family farm. When I researched programs, the AGSM program appealed to me in a number of ways. Academically, it was on target, but it also felt like an extension of home being that my dad and brother both spent time in Scoates Hall during their time at TAMU. Of course I thought I was going to have a leg up on them being that AGSM wasn’t in the basement of Scoates, unlike our unlucky departmental neighbors at that time. And then came the renovation of Scoates in 2013. The joke was on me!
What was your time like at Texas A&M University and the department?
I came to A&M with 18 credit hours which allowed me jump right into classes like AGSM 301 and 325 after getting a few pre-requisites out of the way. This placed me in classes alongside upperclassmen who put me under their wing and quickly showed me the ropes. I remember one night sitting in the Scoates computer lab trying to figure out exactly what Dr. Parnell expected on the AGSM 301 homework due the next day when a classmate walked up to me. He promptly told me I was going to a club meeting that night and with nothing better to do (other than homework of course), I obliged. Little did I know I would be elected that night as the X-team Captain for Aggie Pullers. So much for a quiet night of homework! Being a member of Aggie Pullers taught me teamwork, leadership, and how to survive with no sleep in the month of May. After graduating with a B.S. in May 2014 I joined the Parnell Crew as I worked on a M.S. in agricultural systems management. The knowledge base, workload, and comradery of the group that stretches decades has left a lasting impact. I look back on my years in AGSM, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with such good memories. I rely on the material I learned and academic experiences I had on a daily basis in my professional career.
What are you doing now?
My wife, Sydney, and I live just outside of Taylor, Texas where I am the General Manager of the Taylor Compress, a producer-owned cotton compress and warehouse that is a division of Texas Cotton Growers Cooperative Association. We have a membership consisting of 250+ cotton producers and have the capacity to receive, store, and ship over 200,000 bales of cotton annually with facilities in Taylor and Bryan.
What are some of your hobbies or activities?
I have always enjoyed woodworking from an early age and would help my grandfather with the different projects he was working on. Since graduating from TAMU I have been somewhat transient so having a workshop hasn’t been a possibility. However, I have somehow managed to collect tools and hope to soon set up a garage workshop and get to making some sawdust.
Article by Whitney Steinmann
For details about this news story and others please contact Stormy Kretzschmar, stormyk@tamu.edu.