Carruthers, Garrey E. (Garrey Edward), 1939-

Garrey E. Carruthers was born in Durango, Colorado in 1939, and raised in Aztec, New Mexico. He earned his bachelor and master degrees at New Mexico State University in 1964 and 1965, and received his Ph.D. in economics at Iowa State University in 1968. He joined the New Mexico State University faculty in 1968 as a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business. He started as an Assistant Professor from 1968-1972, then was promoted to an Associate Professor position, which he served until 1974. It was that year that Carruthers was appointed as a White House Fellow for 1974-1975. In this capacity, he was a Special Assistant to Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz during the early days of the presidency of Gerald Ford. Carruthers went on to resume his position as an Associate Professor at New Mexico State University, in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Business in 1975, for another year. The following summer, Carruthers was named acting director of the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute. He remained in his faculty position, eventually being named a full Professor in 1979. Carruthers remained at the university until 1985, with interruptions for governmental appointments. The first of these was as assistant U.S. secretary of the interior from 1981 to 1984. He served as a consultant in this capacity, and later worked within the divisions of Land and Water Resources and the Land and Minerals Management. These divisions were responsible for the activities of the Bureau of Land Management, Minerals Management Service, and the Office of Surface Mining within the Department of the Interior. Always interested in statewide politics, Dr. Carruthers left his position as Professor of Agricultural Economics and Business in 1985 to campaign for Governor of New Mexico. This gubernatorial election was to be held the following year. With New Mexicans overwhelmingly disapproving of the job performance of then-Governor Toney Anaya, Carruthers emerged as the Republican Partys front-runner in the state. He later faced Democrat Ray Powell, the State Land Commissioner, in the general election in November. Carruthers was elected handily. He was the first Republican Governor of New Mexico since Bruce King succeeded David Cargo left office in 1971. He served as governor of New Mexico from 1987 to 1990. Unable to succeed himself under the terms of the New Mexico Constitution, Carruthers left office in 1991, and joined Health Care Horizons, based in Albuquerque. He served as a member of the board until 1993. At that time, Carruthers was named President and CEO of the Cimarron Health Plan, a health-maintenance organization (HMO). Carruthers served in this capacity until 2003, when he sold his interests in Cimarron to Molina Healthcare, Inc., an HMO based in California. In July 2003, Dr. Carruthers became Dean of the College of Business at New Mexico State University, where he began his academic career in 1968. He currently lives in Las Cruces with his wife Kathy; they have three children and five grandchildren.

Garrey E. Carruthers was born in Durango, Colorado in 1939, and raised in Aztec, New Mexico.

He earned his bachelor and master degrees at New Mexico State University in 1964 and 1965, and received his Ph.D. in economics at Iowa State University in 1968.

Carruthers joined the New Mexico State University faculty in 1968 as a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business. He began as an Assistant Professor from 1968-1972, then was promoted to an Associate Professor position, which he served until 1974. It was that year that Carruthers was appointed as a White House Fellow for 1974-1975. In this capacity, he was a Special Assistant to Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz during the early days of the presidency of Gerald Ford.

In 1975, Carruthers resumed his position as an Associate Professor at New Mexico State University, in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Business. The following summer, Carruthers was named acting director of the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute. He remained in his faculty position, eventually being named a full Professor in 1979.

Carruthers remained at the university until 1985, with interruptions for governmental appointments. The first of these was as assistant U.S. secretary of the interior from 1981 to 1984. He served as a consultant in this capacity, and later worked within the divisions of Land and Water Resources and the Land and Minerals Management. These divisions were responsible for the activities of the Bureau of Land Management, Minerals Management Service, and the Office of Surface Mining within the Department of the Interior.

Always interested in statewide politics, Dr. Carruthers left his position as Professor of Agricultural Economics and Business in 1985 to campaign for the Governor of New Mexico election of 1986. With New Mexicans overwhelmingly disapproving of the job performance of then-Governor Toney Anaya, Carruthers emerged as the Republican Party?s front-runner in the state. He later faced Democrat Ray Powell, the State Land Commissioner, in the general election in November 1986. Carruthers was elected handily. He was the first Republican Governor of New Mexico since Bruce King succeeded David Cargo left office in 1971.

He served as governor of New Mexico from 1987 to 1990. Unable to succeed himself under the terms of the New Mexico Constitution, Carruthers left office in 1991, and joined Health Care Horizons, based in Albuquerque. He served as a member of the board until 1993. At that time, Carruthers was named President and CEO of the Cimarron Health Plan, a health-maintenance organization (HMO). Carruthers served in this capacity until 2003, when he sold his interests in Cimarron to Molina Healthcare, Inc., an HMO based in California.

In July 2003, Dr. Carruthers became Dean of the College of Business at New Mexico State University, where he began his academic career in 1968. He currently lives in Las Cruces with his wife Kathy; they have three children and five grandchildren.