Glasson recognized with Distinguished Service Award

(SAN ANTONIO, Texas)—A lifetime commitment to agriculture was recognized today as Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) bestowed its Distinguished Service Award upon former TFB Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Vernie R. Glasson III for his four decades of dedicated service. Glasson received the organization’s highest honor at the 83rd TFB Annual Meeting in San Antonio.

“This award is a tribute to a man who has given his life to serving Texas farmers and ranchers and Texas Farm Bureau,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “Vernie Glasson has led Texas Farm Bureau to become the successful organization it is today. If anyone deserves this award, it certainly is Vernie. We appreciate his four decades of leadership to Texas Farm Bureau.”

Glasson retired in July after serving 27 years as the organization’s administrator. His career with TFB and its affiliated companies spanned more than 40 years. He started as a field representative in West Texas in 1973. He spent seven years in Washington, D.C. and became the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) chief lobbyist before returning home to Texas.

He served as AFBF area field representative until returning to Texas Farm Bureau in 1984 to head the newly formed Public Affairs division, where he was instrumental in the formation of Texas Farm Bureau Friends of Agriculture Fund (AGFUND), Inc.

Glasson’s primary focus was to build a strong Farm Bureau organization to be “The Voice of Texas Agriculture.”

He is a native of San Patricio County on the Texas Gulf Coast, where he grew up on a cotton and grain farm. He continues to be involved in what remains of his family’s farm.

He is a graduate of Texas A&I University in Kingsville and is a U.S. Air Force veteran with service in South Vietnam.

Glasson and his wife, Ann, currently reside in the Waco area, where they enjoy spending time with their four grown children, their spouses and grandchildren. They also enjoy spending time on their Chigger Ridge Farm in Coryell County.

The Distinguished Service Award was formerly called the Meritorious Service Award. Past winners include past American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President and past TFB President Bob Stallman, as well as several other past TFB presidents, a Texas governor, congressmen and state senators.