Pete Flores

Submitted by: Robin Ertz

I would like to nominate Pete Flores of Texas A&M University for the National Extension Technology Community’s Hall of Fame.  Pete has been a conference attendee and member since 1998. Over the years, Pete has been a regular contributor to the NETC in the following ways:

• Pete has been an active NETC member since 1998 through his retirement in 2015 (17 years).
• He has presented at 17 conferences, often presenting multiple times at most.
• He has volunteered and served as session moderator at all conferences attended.
• Significant impact: He was one of the people who started an awards program in 2005 in San Antonio. He emcee’d the 404 awards that year, setting a precedent which many of us followed in consecutive years. As you know, the 404 awards have evolved into a more formal process and ceremony since then.
• Served on the Steering Committee for 3 years representing Texas A&M for past, present, and future conferences.
• Integral part of planning, executing, and hosting 2 conferences in Texas; 2000 and again in 2005.

Pete was always ready to lend a hand, help someone in need, and always had fun doing it. He made us laugh with his antics and shenanigans, but he always believed in and supported NETC in the ways that he could. Pete never met a person he didn’t become friends with. The power of professional and personal networking via NETC was demonstrated by the lifelong friends Pete made while involved with NETC. He still connects with those friends regularly during the year, even hosting a few at his home before attending the 2005 conference. (If this doesn’t speak to the power of making connections at NETC, I’m not sure what does.) While not necessarily serving in a formal leadership position, Pete embodies the type of member who is active and engaged, lifting others up along the way. I am honored to nominate Pete Flores for the NETC Hall of Fame.