About Us

In keeping with the long history of leadership and philanthropy of King Ranch—one of the birthplaces of the American ranching industry—the King Ranch family wished to give back to the ranching community in celebration of its 150th Anniversary. The King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management was created and endowed in 2003 by King Ranch family and friends in collaboration with Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Learn more about the program and the dedicated professionals who fulfill KRIRM's mission below.


Our Mission

Sustaining our ranching heritage through education, innovation, and outreach.

What We Do

Our program was created to educate the next generation of ranch managers, and we remain the only Master of Science in Ranch Management program in the world. The King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management teaches graduate students using a multi-disciplinary, systems approach to ranch management. Our alumni are progressive leaders and exceptional managers at some of the most diverse ranches in the country. We accept mature and experienced students with ranch management experience, and teach them the skills necessary to elevate their career and make a positive impact on the ranching industry.

We also provide the highest quality lectureships and symposia to stakeholders in the ranching industry. We serve the ranching industry by empowering graduate students and outreach attendees with skills that will enable them to strategically manage complex ranching operations and successfully lead our industry.

To support our education and outreach efforts, we conduct applied research to generate innovative solutions for the most challenging problems facing our industry.


We believe that, through our efforts at the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management, we will ensure that ranching remains a vital part of our lives.


The outreach component was part of the original KRIRM model with the annual Holt Cat® Symposium on Excellence in Ranch Management as the showcase event of the year. As we worked toward our mission of educating ranching industry stakeholders the first few years of KRIRM, the idea of an endowed lectureship series came to fruition. We now offer 5-8 lectureships per year, each addressing current and dynamic issues facing the industry. Through these rancher learning opportunities, we equip event attendees with resources and skills to be successful ranchers and impactful leaders. A certificate option is also available through the Texas Farm Credit Certificate in Advanced Ranch Management for those who wish to complete multiple events.

53 KRIRM graduates who collectively manage:

9
million acres of ranchland and wildlife habitat

190000
head of breeding cows

1250
Horses

850
ranch employees

Rancher Learning Opportunity Outreach:

139
educational lectureships and symposia

8830
individual event registrations

42
states and 9 countries hosted

248
Texas Farm Credit Certificate in Advanced Ranch Management Recipients

Faculty & Staff

Rick Machen, PhD

Interim Director; Paul C. Genho Endowed Chair in Ranch Management

Onelisa Arizola

Event Coordinator

Dave DeLaney

Practitioner in Ranch Management

April Everett

Administrative Assistant

Niki Kaiser

Senior Administrative Coordinator

Emily Stribling

Communications Specialist

Anne Thurwalker

Associate Director of Development

Ben Turner, PhD

Associate Professor

Instructors of Outreach

Each year our lectureships and symposia provide opportunities for hands-on, applied learning covering a wide-range of topics. To provide the very best, comprehensive education, to attendees and our students, we partner with industry leaders of their respective fields to lead our outreach events.

Benjamin Espy, DVM, DACT

Board Certified Theriogenologist Veterinarian

Jeff Goodwin, PhD

Director - Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management; Texas A&M University

Tiffany Lashmet, J.D.

Agricultural Law Specialist; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Bob Milligan, PhD

Senior Consultant; Dairy Strategies

Matt Spangler, PhD

Professor and Beef Genetics Specialist; University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Bob Weaber, PhD

Professor and Department Head; Eastern Kansas Research and Extension Centers at Kansas State University

 
 

Adjunct Professors

Jason Sawyer, PhD

Chief Science Officer;
East Foundation

Abe Woodard, PhD

Range & Wildlife Scientist;
East Foundation

 
 

Graduate Students

Masters of Science in Ranch Management Graduate Students

Class of 2024

Nathan Clackum

Tio Kleberg
Endowed Fellowship

Chase Crandall

Clement Family
Endowed Fellowship

Sam Newell

Four Sixes Ranch
Endowed Fellowship

 

Class of 2025

Nate Edwards

Lee and Ramona Bass Endowed Fellowship

Seb Killpack

Joe Marlin Hilliard Endowed Fellowship

Paul Quin

East Foundation
Fellowship

 

Doctoral Students

Management Council

John Alexander

Chairman – King Ranch, Inc.

James Clement, III

Managing Director - Beggs Cattle Company

Caroline Forgason

Groves Alexander Group, LLC and Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation

Heath Grigg

VP and General Manager of Ranching and Wildlife – King Ranch, Inc.

Jeff Hildebrand

Executive Chairman and Founder - Hilcorp Energy Company

Rick Machen, PhD

Interim Director; Paul C. Genho Endowed Chair in Ranch Management

Jim McAdams

Manager & Owner - McAdams Cattle Company

Bob McCan

General Manager - McFaddin Enterprises

Shad Nelson, PhD

Dean – Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Clint Richardson

Vice President, Ranches Division – Ag Reserves

Jason Van Tassell

KRIRM Alumni

Neal Wilkins, PhD

President and CEO – East Foundation

Alumni

Since the first class of ranch management students began the program in 2004, KRIRM has graduated 50 students. Collectively, KRIRM alumni manage 9 million acres of ranchland and wildlife habitat; 190,000 breeding cows; 1250 horses; and 850 employees.


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Texas A&M University-Kingsville
700 University Blvd., MSC 137
Kingsville, Texas 78363
krirm@tamuk.edu
Office: 361-593-5401
Fax: 361-593-5404