Frank E. Gilstrap, ESA Fellow (2011)

Dr. Frank Gilstrap joined Texas A&M University in 1974, working as a teaching and biological control research faculty member in the Department of Entomology, then as associate director of AgriLife Research (1996-2003), and the as director of the Urban Solutions Center in Dallas (2005-2011). He retired from TAMU in late 2010. As an agency administrator, Gilstrap developed agency protocols and processes for protecting and managing intellectual property, managed production on nearly $5 million in state appropriated funds, and was administrative liaison to numerous Texas commodity groups.

As Center Director, Gilstrap developed and implemented the Dallas Model©, a business approach for managing Center research and education in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. He also established more than 60 regional partnerships and collaborations with private and public leaders in the Metroplex and elsewhere, and facilitated significant changes for acquiring grant and contract funds, growing Dallas Center annual revenue from an average of $250,000 in 2000-2004 to average more than $2.1 million in 2007-2011.

Gilstrap has been a continuous ESA member since 1972, and through 2010 attended all but one ESA Annual Meeting. ABoard Certified Entomologist, he has served as an elected officer and 1989 President of the International Organization for Biological Control/Nearctic Regional Section (1979-1989), as a member of the Entomological Foundation Board of Directors (1997-2003), as 2003 President of the Foundation Board, as a project leader within the International Sorghum-Millet Collaborative Research Support Program (1979-1995),and as a member of the Program Board of Directors (1997-2004). Within ESA, Gilstrap served as President (2006), Chair of the Program Committee (1994), Chair of Section C (1993), and Chair of Subsection Ca (1982).

Gilstrap was also a member of the ESA Governing Board (2000-2007), a member of the Entomological Foundation Board of Counselors (1997-2011), Chair of the ESA Annual Meeting Posters Sessions (1995), Chair of the ESA Annual Meeting Student Competition for the President's Prize (1993), a member of the Certified Entomologists Board of Directors (1995-98), a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Economic Entomology (1983-87; Chair in 1987), and from 1979-1989 he held numerous offices within the ESA Southwestern Branch and the Central Texas Chapter of ARPE.

In 2011, the Texas A&M University Board of Regents approved Gilstrap as a Department of Entomology Professor Emeritus. He is presently employed by PI Consulting of McKinney Texas.

(updated July, 2011)