People
Clark Receives
Distinguished Alumni Award
Gene
Trotter Receives International Ag Leadership Award
University of California - Davis Building Named after Thompson
Pritchard takes over
as State Representative
New RVP Selected for Pacific
Region
Kimmerling
Named Block and Bridle Honoree of the Year
Austin Peay Alumnus’ Golf Course Earns Prestigious Certification
Esbenshade, of N.C State University,wins award for distinguished teaching
On the Move
Clark
Clark Receives
Distinguished Alumni Award
STILLWATER - Six Oklahoma State University alumni
have been selected to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from the OSU
Alumni Association. The award is presented to alumni for professional
achievement and community service.
Brother Gary C. Clark, (Oklahoma State) was honored as one of the recipients
for this year. Brother Clark holds both B.S. and M.S. degrees from Oklahoma
State in agricultural education, 1969 and 1972 respectively. He earned a
Doctor of Jurisprudence with honors from the University Of Texas School of
Law in 1975. He is currently a shareholder/director with the Crowe and
Dunlevy law firm's Tulsa office.
Professionally, Clark has been very active in the Tulsa and Oklahoma Bar
Associations having served as President of each, as well as on the Board of
Governors and as a Trustee of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation.
In the Tulsa community, Clark has been active in many voluntary agencies,
such as Legal Aid for the Elderly, Habitat for Humanity and Legal Services
of Eastern Oklahoma. He serves as the chairman of the board for Tulsa
Lawyers for Children and Legal Counsel for the Tulsa Metro Chamber.
Education is a priority for Clark. He served on the Board of Regents OSU/A&M
Colleges during 1993-2001, acting as chairman in 1997-98. He has also served
on the OSU-Tulsa Board of Trustees, as well as President of the Parent
Advisory Council for Carver Middle School in Tulsa. He has been involved at
a high level with the Boy Scouts of America, served as a Board member for
the Oklahoma FFA Foundation, and is a past president of Alpha Gamma Rho
Alumni Association. In his spare time he enjoys camping, hiking and fishing
in Colorado. He and his wife Jane live in Tulsa.
Gene
Trotter Receives International Ag Leadership Award
Eugene Trotter, Southern Illinois, a
professor and director of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture
and Natural Resources at the University of Florida, received the Outstanding
Leader Award during the recent annual meeting of the International
Association of Programs for Agricultural Leaders in Honolulu.
Trotter received a plaque for “vision and dedicated service spanning a
quarter of a century in two states, and preparing talented young leaders for
the challenging years ahead.”
Before joining the faculty of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences in 1990, Trotter was director of the Agricultural Leadership
Program at Michigan State University for 11 years. Because of his success in
building a strong program in Michigan, Trotter was invited to start the
Florida Leadership Program for Agriculture and Natural Resources at UF.
Born and raised in Kansas, IL, Trotter received his bachelor’s degree in
agricultural education from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, his
master’s degree in horticulture from the same institution, and his doctoral
degree in agricultural education and agricultural economics from the
University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.
University of California - Davis Building Named after Thompson
Orville
Thompson (center) is surrounded by AGR members after the ceremony.
(Photo, Debbie Aldridge, UC Davis)
Orville Thompson, California - Davis, was honored during
a round of building namings at the new student housing at UC-Davis. A new
student housing complex will be named after him. Thompson, a professor
emeritus, was one of the founding faculty of the Department of Human and
Community Development. From 1954 to his retirement in 1988, he was extremely
active in undergraduate education, particularly with regard to actions that
backed up his strong beliefs in multi-disciplinary education and in helping
students to develop their own specialization within their majors.
Thompson remains dedicated to interdisciplinary, hands-on educational
experiences for UC Davis undergraduates and has played a vital role in the
development of the Work-Learn Career Planning and Placement Center. The
center provides internship experiences for students. Since his retirement,
he has remained active in Human and Community Development and has served on
the International House Board of Directors for several years.
Pritchard takes over as State Representative
Robert Pritchard, Illinois has been appointed to fill the
unexpired term of Rep. David Wirsing, who died of a heart attack on November
16 as Illinois state representative.
Pritchard said, “I am honored and humbled to be chosen by the appointment
committee. I am committed to helping solve the needs of the 70th Legislative
District.
For much of his professional career Pritchard worked in advertising, public
relations and marketing positions for DEKALB Genetics, and later was
director of industry affairs and manager of public and governmental affairs
for Monsanto Company, which purchased DEKALB Genetics.
Pritchard has been very involved in fund raising
projects. Nationally, he was a board member and president for the
professional public relations association from 1986 to 1990. He also was a
member of the Future Farmers of America board and helped raise more than $5
million for youth programs.
Statewide, he was a member of the Illinois department of Agriculture
Assembly in 2000 and 2002, and has served as president of the Illinois 4-H
Foundation, where he helped raise nearly $1 million for youth programs from
1988-1994.
Pritchard has served as a board member for the Alpha Gamma Rho chapter in
Illinois and led a $2.4 million residential facility renovation, from
1996-2002.
He is a member and finance chair of the Hinckley United Methodist Church, as
well as a member of the Hinckley Lions Club since 1974.
New RVP Selected for Pacific Region
Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity is proud to announce that
Brian Markwell, Vermont, has been selected as the new Regional Vice
President for the Pacific Region. He will be replacing Mike Borel, who has
served in this position for the last six years. The purpose of a Regional
Vice President is to further advance the principles of the Alpha Gamma Rho
Brotherhood by serving as a responsive liaison and counselor to the National
Board of Directors and Staff, collegiate chapters and local alumni
organizations, within designated regions.
Brother Markwell was born and raised on a dairy farm in Vermont. He
graduated from the University of Vermont in 1978 with a BS in Animal Science
and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery. After
graduating from the Officer Basic course, he served from 1979 to 1982 in
then West Germany. After graduating from the FA Officer Advance Course, LTC
Markwell served as a Gunnery Instructor for the Officer Basic Course at Fort
Sill from 1983 to 1984.
After requesting release from active duty in 1984, LTC Markwell joined the
1/86 FA in the Vermont Army National Guard. In 1994, LTC Markwell
transferred to the US Army Reserve joining the 98th Division (IT) in
Rochester, New York. From 1994 to 2001, LTC Markwell served as the Division
Finance Officer, 7th Bde S-2/3, and Division Initial Entry Training Officer.
From 2001 to 2003, LTC Markwell served as a Senior Observer Trainer and
Battle Captain. In January 2003, LTC Markwell was mobilized and served as
the 5th Army Liaison Officer to USARC at Ft. McPherson in Atlanta, GA until
August 2003.
He now resides in San Francisco, California where he serves as a US Postal
Inspector. n
Alpha Gamma Rho is the National Agricultural Fraternity with 72 Chapters.
Membership exceeds 54,000 men in 50 states and 54 countries. The
Fraternity's goal is to make better men and to promote the increasingly
important and versatile field of agriculture.
Kimmerling
Named Block and Bridle Honoree of the Year
Max
Kimmerling, Nebraska, a dairyman from Beatrice, Nebraska was the 2003 Block
and Bridle honoree. Max was involved in the activation of the Nebraska Dairy
Industry Development Board which was started in 1998 and Max served as
Chairman from its inception until 2001. In 1998, Max, who was a Corporate
Board Member of Mid America Dairymen, Inc., was involved in the decision to
merge Mid America with three other cooperatives to form Dairy Farmers of
America. He helped in the reorganization of DFA and served as a corporate
board member from 1998 to 2001.
Max graduated from the University of Nebraska with a B.S. degree in
Agriculture. He served as a member of Block and Bridle Club, Varsity Dairy
Club, Alpha Gamma Rho and Alpha Zeta.
Max and his wife Viola live in Beatrice, Nebraska where they have their
dairy farm which consists of 60 to 100 Holstein and Milking Shorthorn cows.
Austin Peay Alumnus’ Golf Course Earns Prestigious Certification
Under the
direction of Superintendent John Martin, Austin Peay State, Eagle Ranch Golf
Course became a Certified Audubon Cooperation Sanctuary. Only 2.2 percent of
the golf courses in the United States have achieved this certification.
In order to achieve certification, Eagle Ranch Golf Course had to
demonstrate that it had significantly enhanced habitats for wildlife and
preserved natural resources for the benefit of the local community, and
fulfill strict requirements.
According to Martin, who was was hired by Eagle Ranch due to his record in
building environmentally-responsible golf courses, “we have drastically
reduced water usage from where it was when we first started development. In
just three years, we have reduced the number of irrigated acres on the golf
course by 30, and have decreased water usage by 50 percent.”
Martin was initiated into AGR in 1991 at Austin Peay State and graduated in
1993.
Esbenshade, of N.C State University,wins award for distinguished teaching
Dr. Kenneth
Esbenshade, the Associate Dean and Director of Academic Programs at
North Carolina State University, was recently awarded for his service as a
teacher and administrator. Dr. Esbenshade was initiated into the Nu Chapter
this spring at Founders Day as an honorary member. His vigilance and
leadership has helped to continue the fine traditions of North Carolina
State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and to bring this College
to the third largest College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in the nation.
He is now further showing his leadership to the brothers of Alpha Gamma Rho
as a role model and mentor. The undergraduate brothers congratulate Dr.
Esbenshade on his outstanding achievement.
Mike Neruda, Nebraska, who is a senior advisor to
Secretary of Agriculture Ann
Veneman,
represented President George Bush and Ann Veneman at the January swearing in
ceremonies and special inaugural events for Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns.
Mike is a Senior Advisor for Homeland Security and Strategic Initiatives at
the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Zane J. Vaughn,
Texas Tech, recently graduated from the Texas Tech University School of Law
and passed the Texas bar Examination. He was hired as an associate attorney
at the SandersBaker P.C. Law Firm in Amarillo, Texas.
Cliff Miller, Missouri opened a new Veterinary
Clinic on September 6 in Moberly, Missouri.
Steven L. Berk, Ohio State, has been promoted to District Director
for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for South Florida. He has also been
appointed to the South Florida Fair Board and is active in the Farm Bureau.
Brian Markwell, Vermont, has been promoted in the National Guard to
Lieutenant Coronal and is Commander of a National Guard Battalion.
David Schafer, Minnesota, is retiring from his meats extension
position at Kansas State. In his retirement, Dave is keeping busy with
church work and a tree trimming business.
Glen Waters, Missouri, married the former Kyla Owns of Marshall, MO
on July 19, 2003. They reside on their farm near Norborne, MO. Kyla is
employed as a 3rd grade teacher in the Carrellton, MO school district.
Richard Heck, Missouri, daughter, Alyssa, was married on Saturday,
October 18, 2003 to Jeff Flynn in Kansas City, Missouri.
Roger E. McClellan, Kansas State, and his wife Lindsay McClellan
announced the birth of their twins, daughter and son, Samantha Riley and
Stratton Robert, September 5, 2003.
John Charles Remsberg, Maryland, recently completed the Alfalfa
Intensive Training Seminar held by the National Alfalfa Alliance in
Harrisburg, PA. Brother Remsberg is employed by Dairyland Seed Company of
West Bend, Wisconsin, where he is the Regional Sales Manager for the Eastern
United States. He currently resides in Harrisonburg, VA.
Benjamin Moye, Southern Illinois recently took a new promotion with
QTI and moved to Champaign, Illinois.
Brett Gorman, Texas A&M, recently moved to Lubbock, Texas and is
selling agricultural and industrial lubricants. He has also developed and
began marketing wildland fire fighting vehicle with outstanding off-road and
payload capabilities.
Dale Bathurst, Kansas State, taught high school for three years in
Saffordville and three years in Valley Center before returning to the family
farm near Talmage. He and his wife, Juanita, raised four daughters and three
sons. The sons now farm 3,500 acres of wheat, alfalfa, soybeans and grain
sorghum. Dale and Juanita retired in their 60’s and then spent many years as
missionaries in the United State and Zambia. Three daughters, one son and
eight of their 19 grandchildren graduated from K-State. They also have 20
great-grandchildren. Juanita died in 2002. Dale lives in Talmage near his
family.
Nelson Galle, Kansas State, was elected to the board of directors of
the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development and appointed to the
Board of Regents.
Allen Hurley, Kansas State, was elected vice chairman of the Kansas
Agricultural and Rural Leadership program board of directors.
Larry Reichenberger, Kansas State, received the 2003 Alumni
Association Service Award for his efforts in fund-raising and planning of
the new alumni center at K-State. The 52,000 square-foot Alumni Center
opened last fall and has already hosted hundreds of events.
Dick Oliver, Arkansas, is the coach for the UA Weed Team, which won
first place in the Southern Regional Weed Contest held August 4 and 5 in
Knoxville.
Russell Black, Arkansas, was honored as Outstanding Friend for 2003
for the Horticulture Department at the University of Arkansas.
David Van
Wert, Iowa State, of Sun City West, AZ was recently elected to the Board
of Directors of the Iowa State University Foundation. Eta Brother, Marvin
Walter, is also a member of the same board. Both have served as Governors of
the Foundation for a number of years.
Michael Patrick Hamilton, Tennessee - Knoxville, is currently working
on his M.S. in Agricultural & Extension Education. He is an employee of the
UT Agricultural Extension Service, 4-H Youth Development where he oversees
the 4-H volunteer program and youth leadership programs.
Charles D. Lambert, Kansas State, is a deputy undersecretary for the
USDA.
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