September 16, 2008

Purdue animal sciences to honor distinguished alumni in November

Each of the recipients has demonstrated excellence in industry, academia or governmental service.

"The distinguished alumni program provides an opportunity for the animal sciences department to honor outstanding alumni and provides our students with an opportunity to learn how alumni have led successful careers," said department head Alan Grant. "We look forward to honoring these alumni for their outstanding achievements."

An awards ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Nov. 21 in Lilly Hall, Room 3113, on Purdue's West Lafayette campus.

The three recipients of the Lifetime Career Award are:

* Eddie Creighton of Warsaw, Ind. Creighton earned his bachelor's degree from Purdue in 1954. Upon graduation, he went to work on his family's farm, Creighton Brothers. He worked his way up to general manager in 1982 and, by 1985, Creighton Brothers became the leading marketer of fresh shell eggs in the continental United States. Before his retirement in 1998, Creighton was instrumental in building the Crystal Lakes liquid egg processing plant, which produces 50 million dozen shell eggs and 45 million pounds of egg product. Creighton has served as a member of the Purdue Agriculture Dean's Advisory Committee, director of the Purdue Agriculture Alumni Foundation, director for Ivy Tech Community College, as Kosciusko County commissioner and has provided leadership in numerous local organizations. In 1966 he received the Golden Egg Award, the highest honor of the Indiana State Poultry Association.

* Tilden Wayne Perry of Van Buren, Ark. Perry earned his master's degree in 1948 and doctorate in 1950, both in animal sciences from Purdue. He spent 43 years serving the Purdue Department of Animal Sciences in research and teaching. Perry's accomplishments include 150 published abstracts, 161 scientific papers, 323 departmental publications and four university textbooks. Perry served on the National Academy of Science/National Research Council Committee on Animal Nutrition, was active in the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) and the editorial board of the Journal of Animal Science. He served as a charter member and historian of the American Registry of Animal Science. Perry has earned three ASAS awards for his work, including the Gustav Bohstedt Award for Minerals (1978), American Feed Industry Nutrition Research Award (1980) and the F.B. Morrison Award (1990).

* Jesse Shively of Franklin, Ind. Shively earned bachelor's and master's degrees in animal sciences from Purdue in 1957 and 1963, respectively. Upon completion of his doctorate from Iowa State University in 1967, Shively began a 30-year research career with Pfizer. He began his tenure as a research nutritionist, became a project leader in 1974 and in 1988 was promoted to senior clinical research investigator. His research successes include the development of a feed additive and antibacterial product for swine and three U.S. patents. He was a member of the American Society of Animal Sciences and the Canadian Society of Animal Sciences. After retirement he provided consulting services for Pfizer. In addition to his professional endeavors, Shively has served the Indiana Pork Producers for more than 20 years and has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, the United Methodist Retirement Community and the Cancer Care Center.

The two winners of the Mid Career Award are:

* Malcolm DeKryger of DeMotte, Ind. Upon earning his master's degree in 1983, DeKryger spent one year as a Purdue Extension swine specialist followed by seven years in the feed and pharmaceutical industries. In 1991 DeKryger joined Belstra Milling Co., where he currently serves as vice president and is responsible for business development, personnel recruitment, nutritional management and pig production. Under his leadership, Belstra has added nearly 11,500 sows and 40,000 dairy cows, and the feed mill has grown from 35,000 mixed tons to nearly 120,000 tons. DeKryger also is a board member of the Indiana Pork Producers, girls' soccer coach for Covenant Christian High School and a member of the First Christian Reformed Church of DeMotte.

* Alan Mathew of Knoxville, Tenn. Mathew received his master's degree in 1978 and doctorate in 1991, at which time he became an assistant professor with the animal science department at the University of Tennessee. He became department head in 2003 and provides direction to the department's teaching, research and extension missions. Mathew has published 66 research papers, 51 scientific abstracts, and provided more than 40 invited national and international presentations. He served on the Journal of Animal Science editorial board and as an adviser to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine. He currently serves on the U.S. Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, on the review board for the Research Grants and Scholarships Directorate, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and on two advisory groups for the National Pork Board. Alan and his wife Ruth own a family farm in Indiana and have since added a cow-calf beef production herd at their residence in Loudon County, Tenn. 

The recipient of the Early Career award is:

* Pete Hanebutt of Indianapolis. Hanebutt completed his bachelor's degree in 1993 and took a position as an area field representative for Indiana Farm Bureau in 1994, where he facilitated Agriculture in the Classroom programs and was heavily involved with local government. For the past 11 years, Hanebutt has been the political education specialist for Farm Bureau's public policy team. His current duties include congressional and statehouse relations, grassroots lobbying activities, and facilitating Indiana Farm Bureau activities. Hanebutt has been involved with the Purdue Ag Alumni Fish Fry planning committee, volunteered with the Purdue Department of Animal Sciences and worked as the 4-H swine announcer at the Indiana State Fair. Along with his work in agriculture, Hanebutt also is involved in his church and community.

Writer: Jennifer Cummins, (765) 494-6682, cumminsjs@purdue.edu

Sources: Barry Delks, (765) 496-7234, delks@purdue.edu

Alan Grant, (765) 494-4808, agrant@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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