Gary Esslinger

Gary L. Esslinger has been the Treasurer-Manager of the Elephant Butte Irrigation District since 1987.  Gary is a third generation member of a pioneer farming family living in the Mesilla Valley.  His grandfather, J. L. Esslinger, Sr., settled in La Mesa in 1913 prior to the completion of the Elephant Butte Dam.  Gary's father, J. L. Esslinger, Jr., also farmed for over fifty years.  Gary kept his roots in farming as well as other agricultural based industry and lives on the family farm with his wife, Tina. Gary and Tina have three daughters. They have been foster parents since 2001 and legal guardians of three other children.   Gary earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University in 1973. He returned to the Mesilla Valley and began working for EBID in 1978, where he has been for more than 30 years. Gary was also appointed to the Office of the Dona Ana County Flood Commission,  as Flood Commissioner, a position he held from 2002 until 2006. Gary is actively involved with the Family Farm Alliance and the National Water Resource Association.