March 27, 2008
Distinguished Agricultural Alumni honored
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Eleven Purdue University alumni were honored with the title of Distinguished Agricultural Alumnus during a ceremony that took place on March 21 at the Purdue Memorial Union.“I’m always pleased to hear of the successes of our graduates,” said Randy Woodson, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. “We have a strong history and tradition of preparing students to be leaders in their fields, and these distinguished alums are great representatives of Purdue Agriculture.”
One hundred fifty-two alumni from the College of Agriculture have received this distinction since the award program started in 1992.
This year’s distinguished alumni are:
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Akinwumi A. Adesina of New York, is vice president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). He is responsible for developing and implementing strategies for solving Africa’s soil fertility problems and creates programs to address market, trade and policy issues in African countries. He received his Purdue master’s degree in 1985 and doctorate in 1988 in agricultural economics.
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Jeffrey G. Arnold of Temple, Texas, is laboratory director of the Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. His work has played a key role in the USDA conservation policy and the Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental policy. As a Purdue doctoral student, Arnold worked to develop the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), which is a model used to quantify the impact of land management practices in watersheds. He received his Purdue doctoral degree in agricultural and biological engineering in 1992.
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Caula A. Beyl of Knoxville, Tenn., is dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the University of Tennessee. After receiving her doctoral degree from Purdue, she joined Alabama A&M as a post-doctoral researcher. During her 27-year tenure there, she was credited with developing and teaching 16 undergraduate, graduate, professional and community courses. She earned her Purdue master’s degree in 1976 and her doctoral degree in 1979 in horticulture and landscape architecture.
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Yonas Gizaw of Cincinnati, Ohio, is principal scientist for Procter and Gamble, Co.'s Fabric and Home Care Technology Division. Gizaw recently reformulated Downey fabric softener, a breakthrough that saved millions for P&G. Many of the new product formulas he helps to create reduce the amount of petroleum-based polymers used in detergents and softeners and replaces them with biodegradable and renewable sources. He received his Purdue doctoral degree in food science in 1996.
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Roger W. Hadley, II of Woodburn, Ind., is owner and operator of Hadley Farms, where he owns 240 acres and leases another 560. He is also a leader in agriculture, education and the community, and in the past has held board, advisory and officer posts for state and national organizations. These organizations include the American Soybean Association, Purdue Ag Alumni Association, Purdue College of Agriculture Dean’s Advisory Council and the Indiana FFA Foundation. He received his Purdue bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics in 1975.
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David W. Howell of Middletown, Ind., is owner of Howell Farms, which consists of 5,000 acres in four Indiana counties. Besides traditional corn and soybeans, Howell produces watermelons, tomatoes, pumpkins, and apples from a 3,000-tree orchard. He has served on bank, education, Extension and government boards, as well as earned several awards pertaining to Indiana agriculture. He earned his Purdue bachelor’s degree in 1969 and master’s degree in 1971 in agricultural economics.
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Tuajuanda C. Jordan of Chevy Chase, Md., is a senior program officer at Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Jordan is on a team to launch a multi-million dollar, four-year Science Education Alliance Program, which will create and introduce a national research course for freshmen at 12 colleges and universities nationwide. She earned her Purdue doctoral degree in 1989 in biochemistry.
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Michael R. Kanost of Manhattan, Kan., is university distinguished professor and biochemistry department head at Kansas State University. Throughout subsequent decades, Kanost has taken part in many research initiatives, and his laboratories have gained a reputation among the nation’s elite in insect immunity. Kanost has been working to better understand insect immune systems – research that could help control their population and protect human health. He received his Purdue doctoral degree in entomology in 1983.
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Roy D. Riggs of North Salem, Ind., is director of Global Specialty Business for Elanco Animal Health. Riggs has a 28-year career with the company, and his role now involves developing the vision, strategies and teams for innovative products entering the pipeline that are outside Elanco’s core business. He is also active in industry groups such as the Center for Food Integrity and Indiana’s Grow America Project, and at Purdue, serving on the President’s Council and College of Agriculture Dean’s Advisory Council. He earned a Purdue bachelor’s degree in animal sciences in 1979.
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Claire Sawyers of Media, Pa., is director of The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College. She directs a staff of 22, developing and maintaining the 330-acre arboretum that showcases more than 4,000 types of ornamental plants. She is also the author and photographer for a recent publication called The Authentic Garden: Five Principles for Cultivating a Sense of Place. She received her Purdue bachelor’s degree in 1978 and master’s in 1981 in horticulture and landscape architecture.
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Thomas R. Wiltrout of Plainfield, Ind., is the general manager of North America and Europe Seeds for Dow AgroSciences Biotechnology Platform. His team develops, produces, markets and sells agronomic seeds and biotechnology traits through the company’s branded seeds businesses. He has also been on the service boards for organizations that include Indiana Agricultural Leadership Institute and Illinois Foundation Seeds Inc. He received his Purdue bachelor’s degree in 1975 and his master’s degree in 1976 in forestry and natural resources.
Writer: Hannah Brescher, (765) 494-8402, hbresche@purdue.edu
Sources: Randy Woodson, (765) 494-8392, woodson@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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