Larry W. Wright

Larry W. Wright of Weatherford, Oklahoma, was raised on a farm in west-central Oklahoma and began working with the local conservation district while attending Hinton High School. He began working with the Soil Conservation Service (now NRCS) as a student trainee while attending college at Oklahoma State University (OSU). In 1972 Larry became a member of the OSU Student Chapter of the Soil Conservation Society of America (now SWCS) and, as President, helped it to become a recognized and self-supporting organization on campus. He graduated from OSU in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy. Larry has worked for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in twelve locations throughout Oklahoma during the last 29 years as a Soil Conservationist and District Conservationist. In May 2001, Larry was appointed as Resource Conservation and Development Coordinator for the Great Plains RC&D located in Cordell, Oklahoma.

Larry has served on several SWCS State Committees, chaired and moderated technical conferences sponsored by the All-Oklahoma Chapter of SWCS, and held all positions of leadership in the local chapter. He was part of the local arrangements committee when the National SWCS meeting was in Oklahoma City in 1984. Larry was instrumental in the reorganization of the nine Oklahoma Chapters into the All-Oklahoma Chapter of SWCS. The All-Oklahoma Chapter received the Outstanding Chapter Award and the Chapter Achievement Award during his Presidency in 1990-91. He received the Outstanding Service Award from SWCS in 1993 at the annual meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. Larry served on the National SWCS Awards Committee from 1988 to 1999. He is currently serving on the SWCS International Board as Southwest Region Director representing Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico.

Larry has completed two consecutive five-year terms on the Weatherford Public Schools Board of Education from 1989 to 1999.

Larry lists his primary interests as sustainable agriculture, improving soil quality, and preserving rural America.