Wallace Beef Memorial Fund established

PLAIN CITY, Ohio — Select Sires, Inc., the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) and the Ohio Cattlemen’s Assoc. have established the Roy A. Wallace BIF Memorial Fund to honor Wallace, who devoted his life to beef cattle improvement. Wallace worked for Select Sires for 40 years, serving as vice president of beef programs. He passed away in January at the age of 63.

Wallace became involved with BIF in its infancy and was the only person to attend each of the first 40 BIF conventions. He loved what BIF stands for – an organization that brings together purebred and commercial cattle breeders, academia and breed associations, all committed to improving beef cattle. Wallace was honored with both the BIF Pioneer Award and BIF Continuing Service Award and co-authored the BIF 25-year history, Ideas into Action.

“Roy was one of those people that everyone could rally around,” said Twig Marston, executive secretary for BIF.

Brian House, beef program manager for Select Sires, added, “Let us rally around Roy – our friend who dedicated his life to improving beef cattle and the lives of the people who raise them. He truly made a difference.”

Contributions may be sent to: Roy A. Wallace Memorial Fund, c/o Union Co. Federation, 126 N. Main St., P.O. Box 608, Marysville, OH 43040. Checks should be made payable to Union Co. Foundation with “Roy Wallace BIF Memorial” written in the memo line.

AgriInstitute elects board leadership

DANVILLE, Ind. —  AgriInstitute, Indiana’s premiere  leadership development and people-capacity building organization that facilitates the robust network of agricultural and rural leaders, has elected its 2008-09 leadership team.

Newly elected Chairman Dr. Roger Tormoehlen of Purdue University is joined by Vice Chairman Kenda Resler Friend, Dow AgroSciences; Secretary Brian Buchanan, Indiana FFA Foundation, and Treasurer Dan Arnholt, Bartholomew County REMC, to make up the executive team of the organization formerly known as the Indiana Agricultural Leadership Institute.

Seeded in 1983 by the Lilly Endowment, AgriInstitute provides a fertile environment for cultivating leaders to serve agriculture and rural communities. Learn more at www.agriinstitute.com

VeraSun names ethanol plant managers

BROOKINGS, S.D. — VeraSun Energy Corp. announced Shannon Robinson has been promoted from his position as operations manager for the company’s ethanol production facility in Charles City, Iowa, to the role of plant manager.

Robinson replaces Todd Church, who was recently promoted to the position of vice president, plant operations and production support at VeraSun. He joined VeraSun in April 2007 as the engineering manager for VeraSun Hartley.

He transitioned the following month into the role of operations manager at Charles City and has been the biorefinery’s acting plant manager since December. In addition, Robinson helped lead startup operations for VeraSun’s biorefineries at Linden, Ind., and Albion, Neb.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in chemical engineering from Louisiana Tech University. Prior to VeraSun, Robinson worked for Abengoa Bioenergy, where he served as the engineering manager for its ethanol facility in Ravenna, Neb., for two years.

College of ACES honors award winners

URBANA, Ill. — Faculty and staff of the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) were honored at the annual Funk Awards banquet.

The Paul A. Funk Recognition Award, the College’s top faculty honor, went to James K. Drackley of the Department of Animal Sciences, Scott H. Irwin of the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics and Emerson D. Nafziger of the Department of Crop Sciences.

Receiving the College of ACES Alumni Assoc. Award of Merit were Molly N. Cline, Guy H. Johnson, Lyle E. Orwig, Jon H. Scholl and Duane W. Strunk.

The Spitze Land-Grant Professorial Career Excellence Award was given to Hans P. Blaschek of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. Torbert R. Rocheford of the Department of Crop Sciences received the Faculty Award for Global Impact.

The Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching went to, at the senior level, M. Susan Brewer, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, and, at the college level, Jennifer L. Hardesty, Department of Human and Community Development.

Receiving the Faculty Award for Excellence in Research were Mark B. David, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, at the senior level and Dean E. Riechers, Department of Crop Sciences, at the college level.

Kevin H. Kline of the Department of Animal Sciences received the Faculty Award for Excellence in Extension at the senior level. Angela C. Lyons of the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics received the award at the college level.

The Karl E. Gardner Outstanding Undergraduate Adviser Award went to Frederic L. Kolb of the Department of Crop Sciences. The John Clyde and Henrietta Downey Spitler Teaching Award was given to John B. Masiunas of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences.

 Earning the Team Award for Excellence was the Corn and Soybean Classics Team, whose members include: Suzanne M. Bissonnette, UoI extension; Todd E. Gleason, Information Technology and Communication Services; Michael E. Gray, Aaron G. Hager, Robert G. Hoeft, Emerson D. Nafziger, Terry L. Niblack and Kevin L. Steffey, all of the Department of Crop Sciences; and Darrel L. Good and Gary D. Schnitkey, both of the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics.

Four Professional Staff Awards for Excellence were presented. Carol A. Schlitt of extension was honored for sustained excellence in teaching and outreach. Juliann R. Seebauer of the Department of Crop Sciences was recognized for sustained excellence in research, and the award for sustained excellence in administrative/management or technical contributions went to Patricia A. Bingaman of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. Darlene S. Knipe of extension received the award for innovation and creativity.

The Staff Award for Excellence went to Toni L. McMullen, ACES Administration-Offices of Advancement and Research, and Anna M. Tammen, Department of Crop Sciences. The Marcella M. Nance Staff Award was given to Susan K. Overmeyer, ACES Administration-Center for Advanced Bioenergy Research.

Glen L. Hartman of the Department of Crop Sciences received the Service Recognition Award.

Graduate Student Research Awards were presented to Chonggang Xu, a Ph.D. student, and Curtis P. Wagner, a master’s degree student, both in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences.

The Louis V. Logeman Graduate Student Teaching Award went to Abram J. Bicksler in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences and Tory L. Parker in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition/Division of Nutritional Sciences.