Texas Master Gardener ProgramVolunteers Supporting the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service since 1978

Doug Richards – Hood County

Doug Richards

Lake Granbury Master Gardeners (LGMG), Hood County, recently recommended Master Gardener Emeritus status for Doug Richards. We want to summarize his long and laudatory record not only with LGMG but also with Texas Master Gardener Association (TMGA).

Lake Granbury Master Gardeners

  • Doug completed Master Gardener Training and fulfilled his volunteer hours all in 2003 becoming a Certified Master Gardener in 2003.
  • He was elected President of LGMG in 2004 and again in 2005.
  • He built the first website for LGMG in 2003 and served as LGMG Webmaster from 2003 to 2011.
  • Having already served as President, he agreed to be elected Treasurer in 2009. During that time he converted the financial reporting to Quicken which LGMG uses today.
  • From 2004 through 2011 he contributed 6,625 volunteer Master Gardener Hours.
  • During his tenure as President and spurred on by Doug, LGMG became very active in the TMGA Awards program. LGMG won every category entered in the TMGA Awards program during his time as President.
  • Doug was instrumental in bringing the TMGA State Conference to Hood and Somerville Counties in 2011. He served as Co-Chair of that State Conference from 2009 to 2011. It remains one of the most highly attended conferences in State Conference history.
  • The 2011 State Conference generated a profit for those counties where they each secured a $40,000 share of the profit.
  • Doug served as the LGMG Board representative to the TMGA from 2004 through 2014.
  • He received Advanced Master Gardener certification as:
    • Oak Wilt Specialist
    • Rainwater Specialist
    • Master Composter
  • All in all, Doug is one of the pillars upon which LGMG has grown to its prominence in the Hood County community and at the State level of TMGA.

Record serving TMGA at the state level

  • In addition to serving on the Board of Directors from 2004-2014, Doug served as the TMGA Newsletter Editor and Webmaster from 2004-2008.
  • As a volunteer, Doug also served as Webmaster for several County Associations from 2004-2008.
  • He received the TMGA Awards Committee Outstanding Contribution Award 2005/2006 for bringing the Awards program into the electronic age.
  • He served as the Webmaster for the TMGA State Conference 2006-2007.
  • In 2008 Doug received the prestigious Sharie Lanza Award for his work on the TMGA Awards Committee, building the first website and starting the first newsletter for TMGA as well as for his other extensive contributions to the TMGA. At the time he was one of only six master gardeners in Texas history to have received the award (to date there have only been ten recipients).
  • Doug served as the TMGA Audit Committee Chair in 2009 and 2010.
  • He served on the State Nomination Committee in 2009 and 2010.
  • After serving as the Co-chair of the very successful State Conference in 2011, he served as the TMGA Conference Committee from 2011 through 2014. He also served as the Treasurer for the 2011 State Conference from 2009 through 2011.
  • Doug served on the TMGA Executive Board in 2011.

He was elected Treasurer of the TMGA serving from 2013 through 2014.

Because of several serious illnesses in recent years and the loss of his wife in 2012, Doug has been forced to be less active over the last few years but one of the titles he most cherishes is Texas Master Gardener. He is currently recovering from a stroke. We hope you join us in congratulating Doug on his Emeritus Status and wishing him a speedy recovery.