The National Agri-Marketing Association has honors alumna Stephanie Liska, '87 public service and administration, with its Marketer of the Year award, the organization’s most prestigious honor.

May 20, 2010 News Vol 4 No 1 2010 Animal Agriculture

Alumni News, Spring 2010

By: Stories

Cals Alumni Among ISU Alumni Association Honorees

Several College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni received awards at the ISU Alumni Association Honors and Awards Ceremony at Homecoming 2009.

Alumni Medal – Donald Jordahl (’58 agricultural education)
Floyd Andre Award – Dwight Hughes Jr. (’70 horticulture)
Henry A. Wallace Award – David Wright (’82 agronomy, ’86 MS)
George Washington Carver Distinguished Service Award – Charles Sukup (’76 ag engineering, ’82 MS)
George Washington Carver Distinguished Service Award – Jerry DeWitt

Alumna To Receive Marketer Of The Year Award

The National Agri-Marketing Association has honored alumna Stephanie Liska with its Marketer of the Year award, the organization’s most prestigious honor. The award was presented during the 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference in April. Liska is the CEO of Beck Ag Inc. She earned a bachelor’s degree in public service and administration in agriculture in 1987. She is pictured (second from left) receiving the award with Amy Bradford, GROWMARK, National NAMA Professional Recognition Chair (left); Lynn Henderson, Agri Marketing Magazine, sponsor of the NAMA Marketer of the Year award (second from right); and Susie Decker, Farm Progress Companies, 2010 National NAMA President (right).

Ag Business Alum Elected Adm Vice President

Joseph Taets was elected vice president of Archer Daniels Midland Co., effective Sept. 15. He relocated from Europe to the company’s headquarters in Decatur, Ill. to be responsible for the ADM Grain Co. within the Agricultural Services business unit. Since joining the company in 1988, Taets has held various trading and management positions in both North America and Europe. He most recently served as managing director, European Oilseeds. Taets received a bachelor’s degree agricultural business in 1988.

Alum Named Dean At Virginia Tech

Forestry alum Paul Winistorfer was named the dean of the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech. He previously served as head of the college’s Department of Wood Science and Forest Products. Winistorfer earned his bachelor’s degree at Iowa State through the university honors program with emphasis in education and forest products, and his doctorate in forestry in 1985. He replaced Mike Kelly, who previously served as chair of Iowa State’s Department of Forestry and later the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management. He retired after serving as dean for the past five years.

Forestry Alum Appointed To Soil And Water Conservation Society

Jim Gulliford, who earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry in 1973 and 1975, became executive director of the Soil and Water Conservation Society in November. Gulliford has extensive experience in soil and water conservation, agriculture and environmental protection. Most recently he served as EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.

Latham Elected Chair Of National Organization To Support Ag Research, Teaching, Extension

Donald Latham has been elected chairman of the national Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) for a two-year term that began Jan. 1. CARET is a national grassroots organization to enhance support and understanding of the land-grant university system’s food and agricultural research, extension and teaching programs. Delegates are chosen by land-grant universities to be representatives of their state’s programs. Latham earned a bachelors’ degree in agronomy in 1969.

Alums’ Lectures Are Available For Listening

The presentations of alumni Will Martin (’82 PhD economics), lead economist with the World Bank’s Trade and Development Research Group, and Charles Manatt (’58 rural sociology), former ambassador to the Dominican Republic, are available as podcasts on the Lectures Program website. Martin spoke on campus Oct. 14, presenting “Trade and Food Policy Alternatives for Developing Countries.” Manatt presented the 2009 William K. Deal Endowed Leadership Lecture Oct. 27, titled “Preparing Leaders to Meet Future Global Challenges.”

Cals Alumni Among Young ISU Statement Makers

The 2010 Iowa STATEment Makers, inaugural honorees of the new recognition program pioneered by the Young Alumni Council. James Johnson (’01 ag education) and Jeff Goodenbour (’04 genetics) were selected for the honor because of their early personal and professional accomplishments and contributions to society. Johnson is a farmer, teacher and coach and previously served as mayor of Avoca, Iowa. Goodenbour is a brain development and neurological researcher at UCLA whose research has been published in Nature. View all the STATEment Makers or nominate someone for the 2011 honor.

New Alum Urges Fellow Graduates To Seek Perfection

“I had the great privilege of being able to work with the Norman Borlaug Heritage Foundation and live at Dr. Borlaug’s birthplace farm near Cresco, Iowa. Dr. Borlaug is considered to be a founder what is known as the Green Revolution. He saved over a billion lives from starvation and malnutrition and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970. But the most incredible thing about Dr. Borlaug — he was a farm kid, from small town Iowa. He succeeded because he had big dreams and lofty expectations of himself. He believed that through hard work and determination, he could make a difference and could impact this world for the better… The challenges of tomorrow need our attention today. It is up to us to provide a better future for our children and to leave our planet better than we found it. Ladies and gentlemen, to do all this we should expect of ourselves nothing short of perfection.”
–Nathan Upah, speaking to fellow graduates at the College’s graduation convocation in December