Curtis Stewart, general manager of Spade Cooperative, Inc. in Spade, Texas, was recently named one of the state’s top cooperative agribusiness leaders when he was presented the “Cooperative Ginner of the Year” award on March 13, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas during the Texas Agriculture Cooperative Council’s annual meeting.
The award is made each year for distinguished ginning service, superior and ethical business practices, significant contributions to the cotton industry, and distinctive community leadership. He has also served as president of the TACC.
He was presented the prestigious award at the annual convention in San Antonio where such speakers as Alex Epstein, the New York Times best-selling author, Bob Phillips of “Texas Country Reporter”, and other notable state regulatory personnel and industry leaders presented speeches.
Additionally, Mr. Stewart was named as the 2022 Horace Hayden National Cotton Ginner of the Year and was recognized at the recent 2023 National Cotton Ginners Association annual meeting in Dallas, Texas. The annual NCGA award is presented to a ginner in recognition of able, efficient, and faithful service to the ginning industry, and continuing those principles exemplified and practiced by Horace Hayden, a former NCGA executive secretary. As General Manager of Spade Cooperative Gin, Curtis Stewart has demonstrated dedication and leadership in the cotton industry throughout his career. He served a two-year term as NCGA president and is the outgoing NCGA Chairman. He is a past president of Southern Cotton Ginners, Planters Cotton Oil Mill, and Dumas Cotton Warehouse among others. Mr. Stewart is a graduate of the National Cotton Councils Leadership Program and has served on multiple NCC committees and as a NCC director. He served as director of NCC’s exports promotion arm, Cotton Council International. He is also a past Chairman of the Joint Cotton Industry Bale Packaging Committee.
Curtis Stewart was raised in Tahoka, Texas. He worked on a family friends farm. Even though he was born in Mount Vernon and briefly lived in Harlingen, he proudly calls Tahoka his hometown where he graduated High School in 1978.
He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1982 with a BS degree in Mechanized Agriculture. He was a proud member of Battl’n B1 of the Corps of Cadets and a member of the Ross Volunteer Company. He met his lovely wife, Susan, while at A&M who he married in 1982.
He worked for several regional cooperatives including Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, Farmers Cooperative Compress, and New Home Coop Gin.
In 1986, he went to work at the USDA South Plains Ginning Lab. He attended Texas Tech where he earned a degree in Agriculture Engineering while working at the USDA South Plains Ginning Laboratory in Lubbock and he continues to assist in various research projects.
1996, he moved to Dumas, Arkansas to become the President of the Dumas Cotton Gin. In 2011, the Dumas Gin closed.
He joined the Spade Cooperative Gin in 2011 as the General Manager.
Stewart has been recognized for his many contributions to the cotton industry throughout his career spanning over four decades. Stewart has always been active in his community and industry.
He has served in leadership roles in many community organizations including the Dumas First United Methodist board of trustees and administrative council, the Delta Area Community Foundation scholarship committee as an EWR board member, President of Southern Cotton Ginners, Planters Cotton Oil Mill, Main Street Dumas, the Dumas Chamber of Commerce, Dumas Cotton Warehouse, Dumas Methodist Men’s Class, the Lubbock A&M Club, and the Lubbock A&M Club scholarship committee.
Curtis and his wife, Susan, live in Shallowater, Texas. They have two sons. Dr. Collin Stewart and his wife Michelle, and Cameron Stewart and his wife Colleen. They have three grandchildren.
Mr. Stewart stated that working on a farm since forever set his work ethic. His family had always been involved in cotton and cotton related work. He, in fact, started out as a Gin Trainee. He commented that he guessed he has cotton in his blood.
He said,”I am truly humbled to be so honored through my forty plus years working in the industry.”