County Manager Jim Barbee to Receive Chico State Distinguished Alumni Award

Jim Barbee, Churchill County manager and former director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture, will be honored as the Distinguished Alumni for the College of Agriculture at California State University, Chico. The award will be presented at the university’s 30th annual Distinguished Alumni Awards event on March 7.

Barbee graduated from Chico State in 1995 with a degree in animal science and later earned a master’s in agriculture science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He served as Nevada’s director of agriculture from 2011 to 2018 under former Gov. Brian Sandoval and has led Churchill County since 2018.

Barbee, who plans to retire in July, has focused on economic development and preserving the county’s agricultural heritage. “You are always one or two people away from knowing somebody, and that’s the connectivity of this community,” he said.

Chico State’s Distinguished Alumni awards recognize exceptional graduates in categories including agriculture, business, and public service.