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| * Purdue Women In Agriculture |
August 11, 2009
Purdue honors outstanding women for dedication to agriculture
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
The Achievement Award, which honors women on the farm, was given to Kristi Kretzmeier, a Benton County resident, for her contribution to the family's 4,000-acre corn and soybean operation and beef herd.
The Leadership Award, given annually to a woman in agribusiness, was awarded to Belinda Puetz of Hamilton County, for her work as the marketing manager for CountryMark, Indiana's only American-owned oil refining and marketing company.
"The winners of these awards were selected from a pool of well-deserving nominations," said Stacy Clupper, educator, Purdue Extension Blackford County. "We look for nominees who have gone above and beyond in their dedication to Indiana agriculture. We look at the positive impacts they've had on the industry and their potential for future success."
The Achievement Award winner:
Kretzmeier, who has been involved in agriculture for more than 40 years, owns and operates the family farm with her husband John. As part of the third generation born on her family's farm in Rochester, Kretzmeier was active in the family's shorthorn beef herd, 4-H sows, and helping plant and harvest the annual crops. She was a 10-year 4-H member and an active member of FFA. Since their marriage in 1991, Kretzmeier and her husband have grown their farm from less than 1,000 acres to its current size of more than 4,000 acres.
In addition to her commitment to the family farm, Kretzmeier, a graduate of Purdue Agriculture, serves her community as a Purdue Extension and 4-H volunteer, Purdue Master Gardener, and Otterbein Elementary School volunteer.
The Leadership Award winner:
Puetz, a Purdue Agricultural Communications graduate, has been heavily involved in the agriculture industry since her days in 4-H and FFA. As the former communications manager for the Indiana Soybean Alliance, Puetz became a prominent figure in agricultural products promotion at the local, state and national levels. In her current capacity with CountryMark, Puetz spends her time promoting Indiana's energy industry. She seeks partnerships with agricultural stakeholders involved in energy production and promotes CountryMark's premium diesel, gasoline, biodiesel and ethanol fuels, positioning the company as a partner to Indiana agriculture.
Puetz also has served as a board member for the National AgriMarketing Association, the Indiana FFA Foundation and the Central Indiana Clean Cities Alliance. In 2008 she was selected for the Indiana Agricultural Leadership program.
At an awards ceremony at the Indiana State Fair, both Kretzmeier and Puetz received original, handmade pottery pieces and complimentary registration and lodging for the 2010 Women in Agriculture conference. Their names also will be engraved on a permanent plaque in Pfendler Hall on Purdue's West Lafayette campus.
Purdue Extension's Women in Agriculture awards were created in 2005 to recognize the contributions to agriculture by women around the state.
"The Women in Agriculture team felt that recognizing the successes and contributions of women would help inform others about the important role women play in this industry and provide them some much-needed recognition," Clupper said.
Writer: Jennifer Stewart, 765-494-6682, jsstewar@purdue.edu
Sources: Stacy Clupper, 765-348-3213, cluppers@purdue.edu
Belinda Jo Puetz, 317-238-8225, Belinda.Puetz@countrymark.com
Kristi Kretzmeier, 765-583-4889, kretz@localline.com
Ag Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Steve Leer, sleer@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page
PHOTO CAPTION:
Purdue Extension's Women In Agriculture team awarded the annual Achievement Award to Kristi Kretzmeier, left, of Rochester, Ind., for her dedication to agriculture on her family farm. The Leadership Award went to Belinda Puetz of Hamilton County for her work as marketing manager for CountryMark. Also pictured are Jim Mintert, far left, assistant director for Purdue Extension, and Jay Akridge, Purdue's Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture. (Purdue Agricultural Communication photo)
A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2009/women-in-ag.jpg
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