Johanna Hicks is in her twentieth year serving Hopkins County as an Extension Agent. She actually worked here in the mid 1980’s, sharing the Home Economics office with agent Janie Crump. At that time, there were five agents in Hopkins County…two for Home Economics, two Agriculture agents and one 4H Agent. After about five years, Johanna’s husband Jay Hicks was transferred to Stephenville and so they moved there where she taught at Tarleton State University and was Director of a Children’s program at First Baptist Church. In time, her husband was transferred back to Sulphur Springs, and once again, an agent’s position opened up. She was hired at about the time that Janie Crump retired. During the ensuing fifteen years, the numbers of agents serving counties has been reduced and today Johanna is Family and Consumer Sciences Agent sharing the office with Mario Villarino, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent. Both agents work in the 4H program.
One of the five awards Johanna brought home from a recent State conference at Round Rock, Texas was the Mary W. Wells Diversity (National) Award, a recognition of excellent work by an individual agent. She also earned State and National awards for the office. Along with her husband Jay, a loan officer for DFA Financial Services, Johanna has raised their three children in Hopkins County, putting down roots and making it her home.
