Texas A&M University’s department of entomology and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service have named Dr. Charles Allen associate department head for AgriLife Extension entomology programs.
Dr. David Ragsdale, entomology department head, said Allen, who will remain headquartered at San Angelo, will be responsible for overseeing all AgriLife Extension programs within the department.
“Dr. Allen will continue as state integrated pest management coordinator, leading one of the largest Extension IPM programs in the nation with 19 AgriLife Extension integrated pest management agents and specialists and an annual budget of $1.5 million.
“His new promotion brings with it supervision of another 11 AgriLife Extension specialists stationed across the state and an additional $1 million annual budget,” Ragsdale said. “This new role for Dr. Allen carries with it tremendous responsibility, but Charles’ long history with the department has proven he is well up to the challenge.”
Allen began his AgriLife Extension career in 1981 as an area entomologist in Weslaco. He transferred to Fort Stockton in 1983 in a similar role and in 1996 moved to Monticello, Ark., to assume duties as an entomologist for the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
He returned to Texas in 2000 to serve as the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation’s program director, headquartered in Abilene, before returning to AgriLife Extension in 2009 and moving to San Angelo.
During his career, Allen has gained experience working with pests and beneficial insects of cotton, alfalfa, pecans, vegetables, small grains, grain sorghum, commercial tomatoes, corn and soybeans.
Allen earned BS and MS degrees from Texas Tech University and his doctorate from Louisiana State University.
Allen assumed the position recently vacated by Dr. Chris Sansone, who retired Aug. 1 and accepted a position as a global regulatory affairs manager with Bayer CropScience.