Gordon W. Davis, Ph.D.

Gordon W. Davis, Ph.D., founder of iCEV and chairman of the company’s board, has devoted his career to elevating career and technical education through rigorous content, industry alignment, and an unwavering focus on student success. He earned two B.S. degrees from Washington State University in the 1960s and began teaching in 1968 as an intern high school teacher in Washington. Dr. Davis soon transitioned to higher education, serving as an instructor at Texas A&M University for five years while completing both his M.S. and Ph.D. He spent the next 13 years as a faculty member at the University of Tennessee and Texas Tech University, where his teaching and coaching shaped a generation of students and professionals.

In 1984, after recognizing that traditional agricultural science textbooks failed to meet the practical needs of teachers and students, Dr. Davis founded Creative Educational Video. The organization later became CEV Multimedia, and today it is iCEV. The company’s evolution reflects his belief that education should be both academically robust and industry relevant, delivered in formats that engage learners and empower educators.

Across a 53-year career, Dr. Davis has received 49 university, business, and industry awards. Among them are:

• National Agricultural Alumni Association Ruby C. McSwaim Outstanding Philanthropist Award
• Sigma Chi International Fraternity Significant Sig Award
• Honorary American FFA Degree
• American Meat Science Association: Intercollegiate Meat Judging Meritorious Service, Signal Service, and Industry & Organizational Leadership Awards
• University of Tennessee College of Agriculture Outstanding Teacher Award
• Texas FFA Foundation Passion for Excellence Award
• Texas Tech University College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources Outstanding Agriculturalist Award – Agribusiness
• Association of Fundraising Professionals (Texas Plains Chapter) Outstanding Philanthropist Award
• Washington State University Alumni Association Alumni Achievement Award

He also coached two national championship meat judging teams, first at Texas A&M University (1973) and again at Texas Tech University (1989), which cemented his reputation for high standards, focus, and the pursuit of excellence. Texas Tech University recognized his impact by establishing the Gordon W. Davis Chair in Meat Science and Muscle Biology in 2006 and by naming the Gordon W. Davis Meat Laboratory in his honor.

Under his leadership, iCEV has been recognized for business excellence and educational impact, including the Governor’s State of Texas Small Business Award and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Small Business Award in 2012, as well as the Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE) Business Leader of the Year in 2014.

A defining moment in Dr. Davis’s life came early. His family was named the 1964 “Washington State Dairy Family of the Year.” He credits the work ethic learned on the family farm, and the example set by his parents, as foundational to his approach in the classroom and in business. Though others point to his ability to focus and his uncompromising standards, Dr. Davis is quick to credit the many “players” he has worked alongside throughout his career.

Guided by the mantra “It’s all about the kids,” Dr. Davis remains committed to advancing knowledge and opportunity for himself, his students, his family, and the teachers and learners served by iCEV. Reflecting that commitment, the Gordon & Joyce Davis Foundation was established in 2020 to award scholarships to students pursuing community colleges, universities, or trade schools.