|
|
|
|
|
By Mike Barnett
Editor
The first husband-wife team to be named finalists in the Excellence in Agriculture competition, Charlie and Holly Rand of Smith County, are both in the business of touching lives and shaping futures.
Holly is in her second year of teaching agricultural science to 9th through 12th grade students at Lindale High
School. Charlie is vice president and branch manager of AgriLand Ag Credit, which provides the ag credit needs for producers
in a 15-county area.
Charlie works one-on-one with producers, providing sound financial advice and helping them make decisions for their financial future. Holly stresses the importance of agriculture to her students by providing "hands on" experiences. Both, they say, deal with opportunity.
"While I work to help a producer grow and maintain their business financially, Holly is teaching the next generation of agricultural producers how to develop successful enterprises," Charlie says.
Holly was raised as a city girl until fourth grade, when her family moved to Orange Grove, west of Corpus Christi. It was there she became involved in FFA, and developed a love for agriculture. She hopes to pass that love on to her students, many of whom have no real interest in agriculture until they are "placed" in her classroom.
"The unique thing about agricultural science is that once students realize it does affect them in their daily lives, they do become interested in it," Holly says. "A lot of them don't realize where the clothing they wear and the food they eat comes from. And once they learn that, they begin to want to know more about it."
As a teacher, Holly says her ultimate reward is satisfaction.
"That's where I just love teaching, is watching students achieve and succeed and reach their goals," she says. "And that's where all the rewards come from."
Charlie, who grew up in Kaufman on a small, part-time cow/calf operation, also finds satisfaction in the goals orientation of his customers.
"It's great to work with a customer for a short period of time or a long period of time and see them accomplish their goals," he says. "It makes you feel good when you're able to assist that person to reach their goals financially and professionally."
Charlie and Holly's involvement in agriculture goes far beyond their jobs. They work together with a small purebred and commercial operation in Smith County. They don't consider running cattle work, but as an opportunity to share.
"When we both get off work and go out to the pasture, that's our time together," Holly says. "We're making decisions on our future."
Their passion for agriculture is one they hope to pass eventually to their children.
"We feel it keeps us together as a couple and we know it will keep us together as a family, to have something to share and treasure for a long time," Holly says.
