Their Story

Jim Herbert began his career at UT Knoxville living in a ten-by-twelve room in the center of a greenhouse. He earned room and board through sweat equity for watering plants.

Jim met his wife at UT Knoxville, the former Judith Anderson. He earned a bachelor’s degree in animal husbandry in 1962, and she earned a bachelor’s in English the following year.

The Herberts’ impacts at the university are many. Jim was a member of the UT Foundation Board of Directors. Judi serves on the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board. Together, they were presented the 2016 UT Philanthropists of the Year Award. Their passions as students have transitioned into their philanthropic efforts today, with each of their respective colleges receiving generous endowments.

With agriculture in his roots, Jim came to UT Knoxville as a Memphis-area farm boy and went on to become the cofounder and executive chairman of Neogen Corporation. The publicly held company is a pioneer in rapid diagnostic testing and focuses on the development, manufacturing, and marketing of products for food and animal safety.

Jim Herbert’s business acumen at Neogen and other corporations on which he has served as a board member has won praise from NASDAQ and USA Today, which named him a Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year. He was awarded honorary doctorates from Michigan State University and Queen’s University of Belfast, Ireland. In 2016, he picked up another when UT Knoxville recognized his service to industry and his alma mater with an honorary doctorate of agriculture.

In 2018, the Herberts contributed a large, generous gift to the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, renaming it the Herbert College of Agriculture.

Jim Herbert passed in March 2024. The impacts of his legacy and generosity to support our students will be felt for generations to come.