Purdue Extension director to retire this summer
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Petritz became director of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service in 1999 and also is the university's associate vice provost for engagement. A national search for his replacement will soon be under way.
"Purdue has one of the leading Extension organizations in the nation due in large part to the quality of his leadership," said Randy Woodson, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. "There is no one who cares more deeply about the university, Purdue Agriculture and Purdue Extension than Dave."
Among his career accomplishments, Petritz worked on several programs to help farm families deal with difficult financial times, including the FARM project, which focused on financial decision-making tools for farmers. He also coordinated the 1988 drought response effort that included a toll-free hotline and extensive news media coverage.
"Part of what we do in Purdue Extension is look ahead to the challenges that are coming and prepare people to deal with those things," Petritz said.
Purdue Extension provides research-based information to Indiana citizens and others on the topics of agriculture and natural resources, economic development and leadership, consumer and family sciences, and 4-H and youth development. Purdue Extension has campus experts and educators located in all 92 counties of the state.
While director, Petritz was assigned the role of helping the entire university become more engaged in trying to find solutions to the problems facing Indiana.
"Through the university's engagement efforts, Purdue and Extension have partnered with many organizations in areas such as economic development and homeland security. These relationships need to grow and continue in order to improve the quality of life in Indiana," he said.
Petritz joined the Department of Agricultural Economics as an assistant professor in 1972. His areas of research and Extension work were in the economics of beef and sheep, forage production and marketing, and in agricultural market analysis and outlook.
In 1982 he became the assistant head for Extension education in agricultural economics. He was named the assistant director of Purdue Extension and the agricultural and natural resources program leader in 1989, serving in that post until he became director.
"Dave often says that it is the people that make Purdue Extension special. His commitment to our people has been outstanding, and he will be missed," Woodson said.
Petritz is a native of Rockford, Ill., where his family still retains a farm. He earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in agricultural economics from the University of Illinois.
Writer: Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722, forbes@purdue.edu
Sources: David Petritz, (765) 494-8489
Randy Woodson, (765) 494-8391
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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