September 24, 2004
Purdue Board of Trustees reorganizes, welcomes new member
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue University Board of Trustees elected John D. Hardin Jr., Danville, Ind., as its new vice chairman today (Friday, Sept. 24).
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Hardin, a Purdue Alumni Association representative on the board since 1992, fills the vacancy left by the retirement of W. Wayne Townsend, Hartford City, Ind. Hardin owns and manages Hardin Farms. He is past president or past chairman of the National Pork Producers Council, U.S. Meat Export Federation and the Chicago Board of Trade's Agricultural Advisory Committee. He also has served on the Agricultural Advisory Committee for Trade to the United States' trade representative and the U.S. secretary of agriculture. He most recently has served on the Purdue trustees' finance and executive committees.
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"I am most grateful that John has agreed to serve as vice chairman," said Chairman J. Timothy McGinley. "He has served the board well for more than 12 years, and that experience is invaluable. He also brings to the group a range of business leadership experiences and background on the board's Finance Committee that will serve him well in this new role."
Morgan R. Olsen, who has been named Purdue's executive vice president and treasurer, was elected treasurer of the Board of Trustees. Olsen most recently was vice president for business and finance at Southern Methodist University.
McGinley also announced he has reorganized the board's committee leadership due to Townsend's departure.
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Board member Michael J. Birck, Hinsdale, Ill., will chair the Finance Committee, filling the position vacated by Hardin, who is prohibited from chairing this committee while vice chairman of the board. Birck also will serve on the Executive Committee and is the leader of the Campaign for Purdue, which has raised almost $1 billion toward Purdue's $1.3 billion goal.
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Mamon M. Powers Jr., Gary, Ind., a member of the Physical Facilities Committee, will move up to chairman of that group. He also serves on the Audit and Insurance Committee.
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Mark W. Townsend, Hartford City, Ind., who in the 1970s served as student representative to the board, today took part in his first meeting as a trustee. Indiana Gov. Joseph Kernan appointed him to the board in July to succeed his father, W. Wayne Townsend. Mark Townsend also will serve on the board's physical facilities and audit and insurance committees.
Mark Townsend is manager and part owner of Townsend Farms, which is a 2,400-sow livestock operation and 2,200-acre crop farm in Grant and Blackford counties. He is a member of the Indiana Commission for Agriculture and Rural Development; past chairman of the State Committee, USDA/Indiana Farm Service Agency; past president of Grant/Blackford Mental Health Center board of directors; and current president of Blackford County United Way board of directors.
He is a member of the Indiana Pork Advocacy Coalition board of directors and the Indiana Institute for Agriculture, Food and Nutrition.
He earned his bachelor's degree from Purdue in agricultural economics in 1977 and took graduate courses in agricultural economics at the University of Illinois.
In other action, the board elected directors for several foundation boards.
Birck was re-elected to the board of the Purdue Research Foundation, and Barbara H. Edmondson was elected to the PRF board. Powers was re-elected to the board of the Indiana-Purdue Foundation at Fort Wayne.
Hardin was re-elected to the board of the Ross-Ade Foundation, and Robert Peterson was elected to complete Wayne Townsend's unexpired term with that board.
Writer: Jeanne Norberg, (765) 494-2084; jnorberg@purdue.edu
Source: Roseanna Behringer, secretary to the Board of Trustees, (765) 494-9710, roseanna-behringer@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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