UT Institute of Agriculture Presents Top Faculty and Staff Awards for 2024
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrated the accomplishments of some of its top faculty, staff, researchers and Extension experts at UTIA’s annual awards and promotions luncheon. This year’s ceremony was held in the newly-opened Agriculture and Natural Resources Building on the UTIA campus in Knoxville on August 14, 2024. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by faculty, alumni and friends of the Institute.
UT Institute of Agriculture Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Keith Carver hosted the award winners and praised them for their work. “I continue to be amazed by the dedication, enthusiasm and expertise demonstrated by the impressive work of our UTIA faculty and staff,” says Carver. “The awards are well deserved, and the impacts of these accomplishments are seen across the state and will benefit Tennesseans for generations.”
Creig Kimbro, Extension agent III and county director with UT-TSU Extension Grundy County, is a recipient of the Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists – Hicks Award of Excellence. Established by the Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists (TAAA&S) and other endowed funds, this award is presented annually to up to three agricultural Extension faculty who are also members of TAAA&S. Mitchell Mote, Extension agent III with UT-TSU Extension Rutherford County, and Lindsay Stephenson, director of UT-TSU Extension Haywood County, also received the award.
Kimbro has been with UT Extension Grundy County for 25 years as an agriculture and natural resource agent, and for the last 12 years he has served as the county director. His dedicated work ethic has been recognized during his career with many UTIA awards, including this same award in 2013, the 2011 Vernon and Ida Darter Award and the 2015 Charles and Julie Wharton Award for Outstanding Extension Achievements. In 2023, Kimbro was named the TAAA&S Agent of the Year.
Kimbro has also been recognized locally with the Grundy County Ag. Business Council “Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year” Award in 2008. He says chairing the new UT Extension mentoring program from 2014-17 is among his career highlights.
Kimbro is truly honored to have received this award. “The Hicks Award is a special award for me because it is picked by my peers. I appreciate being recognized for work that I love to do,” he says.
Since the beginning of his career, Kimbro has demonstrated a passion for education and the real life solutions that UT Extension brings to Grundy County. He has earned an associate degree in agriculture from Walter State Community College as well as both a B.S. in wildlife and fisheries science and an M.S. in agriculture education and related studies from UT Knoxville.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch, and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.