Since college and two years in the Army, “Tio” Kleberg has spent his entire career at the world-famous King Ranch of South Texas. From 1971 to 1978 he managed the King Ranch cattle, wildlife, farm and horse operations. He served as Secretary – Treasurer of King Ranch, Inc. from 1974 to 1980. Mr. Kleberg served on the King Ranch Board of Directors from 1974 to 1988. From 1979 to 1988 he managed the South Texas Agricultural operations. The Board was reorganized in 1988, and Kleberg became Vice President of Agri-Business with operations in Texas, Arizona, Florida and Brazil. In 1998 he became a member of the King Ranch Board of Directors and continues to serve in that position today.
Mr. Kleberg is very active in business and civic affairs. He serves on the board and is a director of the American Quarter Horse Association and is chairman of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Foundation. He is on the advisory board for the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Institute of Texas A&M University and is the managing partner of Kleberg, L. L. C.
Mr. Kleberg is on the board of the South Texas Celebrity Weekend that benefits the Spohn Kleberg Memorial Hospital. He was a founding member and is on the board of the South Texas Heritage Rodeo. He is vice chairman of the Texas A&M University – Kingsville Foundation.
Kleberg has served on the boards of Alice National Bank; the Boy Scouts of America; Kleberg First National Bank and Texas Commerce Bank. He has also served as a director of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, as president of the American Quarter Horse Association, and as a director and member of the executive committee of the National Cutting Horse Association.
Mr. Kleberg became a Trustee of the Phi Delta Theta Foundation in 2000.
In 1999, the Texas State Legislature honored Mr. Kleberg for a lifetime of business and civic service to the state of Texas. The same year he was honored by the South Texas Ranch Heritage Association – Cowboy & Ranching Tradition. The Texas State Board of Education honored Kleberg as a Hero for Kids during 1999.
Mr. Kleberg was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Association Hall of Fame in 1997. He was named 1997’s South Texan of the Year. During 1994 he received Phi Delta Theta Fraternity’s Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2012, he received the Fraternity’s Legion of Honor Award at the General Convention. Twice he has received Distinguished Alumni Awards from Texas Tech University. Texas A&M University – Kingsville presented Mr. Kleberg its Presidential Award in 1984. Tio is a Phi from the Fraternity’s Texas Epsilon Chapter at Texas Tech University.
