Dwight D. King

2011 Outstanding Alumni

Dr. Dwight D. King, '70

Dr. Dwight D. King has continued to serve the veterinary profession and the state of Texas for over 40 years with the same work ethic he learned as a child living on a dairy farm.

After his graduation from vet school in 1970, Dr. King started practicing with Dr. Austin Weedn in Houston. In 1974, he bought Alamont Veterinary Clinic in Wharton, TX, and later added ranch management to his practice.

From 1986 until 2006, Dr. King served as director and chairman of the board of Community State Bank. Banking exposed Dr. King to prudent financial management and led to the formation of K- Mana LLC, a business management company. Among the company's portfolio of clients are holdings in the ranching, banking, philanthropic fundraising, private foundation, mineral production, and property management industries.

Dr. King has served several local organizations including the Rotary Club, Wharton County Youth Fair, the local Boys and Girls Club, Wharton ISD School Board, and the First United Methodist Church. In addition, his band, The Pot Lickers, has performed at fundraisers for over thirty years. Development of youth activities became his passion, and in l997, he founded and became the President of Team Wharton, Inc., a nonprofit organization. Team Wharton Inc. and affiliates have raised over ten million dollars over the past fifteen years to build and fund operations for the Boys and Girls Club of Wharton. Dr. King was also instrumental in the formation of the Mary Louise Dobson (MLD) Foundation. The MLD Foundation is dedicated to permanently endowing the Boys & Girls Club operations.

Dr. King's service to the veterinary profession started in the early 1970s while practicing in Houston. He was active in the Harris County VMA and served as secretary. In 1990, he became the director of the Gulf Coast District of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA). In 1995, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors, and in 2000, he was elected TVMA President. During his years with TVMA, he was directly involved in the formation of the Southwest Veterinary Symposium and served as president for the first two years.

Since 1970, Dr. King has been a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and has been a Group Health and Life Insurance Trustee (GHLIT) since 2006 and currently serves as its treasurer. His motivation for serving as Trustee is to provide quality, affordable insurance for AVMA members and their families. In 2010, Dr. King led the negotiation team that generated a new PPO provider contract that should save veterinarians over thirty-three million dollars in medical insurance costs over the next three years.

Dr. King married Jamie Farley in 1968. They have two daughters and three granddaughters. Whether it is in regards to his passion for his family, his profession, or his community involvement, Dr. King endeavors to follow his personal motto: "Make It Better!"