Neal Wilkins

Professional Summary

Neal Wilkins is president and chief executive officer of the East Foundation. Wilkins is responsible for leading the foundation’s mission of promoting land stewardship through ranching, science and education. With headquarters in San Antonio, the East Foundation owns and operates roughly 217,000 acres of South Texas ranchland where scientists and managers work together to integrate rangeland management, wildlife conservation and livestock production systems.

Wilkins has more than 30 years of experience in research and conservation across the private lands of Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Washington, New Zealand and Oregon. His primary focus has been habitat management and conservation of land, water and wildlife resources on native rangelands and commercial forestland. His work integrates science, management, policy and economics.

Before joining the East Foundation in 2012, Neal was a professor and director of the Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources and the Texas Water Resources Institute. In these roles he led the work of more than 45 scientists and professional staff. Prior to 2006, Wilkins was a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service statewide program leader for wildlife and fisheries. Prior to joining the Texas A&M faculty in 1998, he directed wildlife and fisheries programs for Port Blakely, a 150,000-acre family-owned forestry company headquartered in the Pacific Northwest.

Wilkins is a director and former vice-president of the Texas Wildlife Association. He is on the board of Texan-by-Nature, the management council for the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management and is a professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club. He and his wife, Sandra, have two grown children, Ashley and Matt.