Rusty Smith, graduate of Texas A&M and Texas Tech universities, has been named the first program director of Texas Produced Water Consortium. The consortium was created in the 2021 session of the Texas legislature to consider new methods for beneficial reuse of produced water. Smith previously was director of the committee on agriculture, water and rural affairs of the Texas Senate, and he also worked for Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association and Lubbock Economic Development Alliance.