Name: Wright, Jimmy
Title: President & CEO of Texas AgFinance
Texas A&M Class: 1972
Inducted: 2008
Deceased (Silver Taps)
Jimmy Wright was born in Kingsville and grew up on a farm and ranch operation near Agua Dulce in Nueces County. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1972 with a Bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics.
Upon graduation, Mr. Wright was employed by the former Federal Intermediate Credit Bank (today Farm Credit Bank of Texas). He later worked for several farm credit institutions before settling back in his home county with Texas AgFinance in 1979. He began his career in Robstown as a loan officer and now serves as the President/CEO of Texas AgFinance (since 1986). During his 30+ year career with Texas AgFinance, he has also served as branch manager, senior loan officer, and chief credit officer.
Under Mr. Wright’s leadership, the Texas AgFinance organization has grown from two offices with less than $20 million in total loan volume to seven offices with serviced loan volume approaching half a billion dollars. He attributes much of this success to his ability to draw upon the Texas A&M University System for employees and currently has 17 system graduates out of a total of 36 working for the organization. While drawing on the University for employees, he has also enabled contributions through corporate support of the College of Agriculture Development Council and corporate sponsorship of various events in the Department of Agricultural Economics such as the Fall Kickoff, Spring Banquet, and SKYP Lunches. Mr. Wright understands the value of real-life applications taught in the classroom and, therefore, encourages employees to spend time working with department instructors to assist in that transfer of knowledge. His employees have collaborated with the Rural Entrepreneurship business plan program since the late 1980s.
He has served on committees for the State Bar of Texas, serves on the Nueces County AgriLife Leadership Advisory Board, is a member of both the Independent Cattlemen’s Association and the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and is the finance committee chairman for his church.
Jimmy Wright and his wife, Jana, live in Calallen (northwest Corpus Christi). They have three daughters (Farrah, son-in-law Shawn, and grandchildren Kameron and Presley; Neely, son-in-law Tim, and grandchildren Aubree, Ashtin, Nick, and Caleb; and Tiffany, son-in-law Martin, and grandchildren Kelsey and Madison) and one son (Brady). Mr. Wright has maintained his ranching heritage through a cow/calf operation and also enjoys hunting, fishing and “just messin’ with his horses.”
