About Us
Formerly known as Texarkana Tractor Company, River Valley Tractor was founded in May 1992 by James “Judge” Carlow, David Meadows, and Brad Carlow and officially changed to River Valley Tractor in 2019.
James will always be known as “The Judge'' to anyone living at or near the county. Aside from being a local business owner, Judge is a lifetime resident of Bowie County, having a very successful political career serving as County Judge for a total of 29 years. From 1966-1986, James was involved in the dairy business and commercial cattle ranching, which is now carried on by both of his sons, Blake and Brad Carlow. Judge married his wife, Nancy, in 1965. Today, their family continues to grow, now counting two daughter-in-laws, and six grandchildren.
The family legacy continues as both of Judge’s sons, Brad Carlow: CFO, and Blake Carlow: Kubota Division Manager, follow in their father’s footsteps in the business as part of our Senior Management team. Brad graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Accounting. Brad and his wife, Ashley, have 4 children, 2 of which work alongside him within our company, 2 daughter-in-laws and 1 son-in-law, and 1 grandchild. Blake and his wife, Melinda, have 2 children and are extremely active in the FFA and agricultural industry.
David Meadows is a long time family friend and colleague of the Carlow family. David attended the University of North Texas where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Marketing. His wife, Patricia, has been married for 50 years as of 2023. Together, they have 2 children, 1 son-in-law, and 3 grandchildren.
