List of all past recipients of ANR Alumni Association Awards

2008 ANR Alumni Association Awards

2007 ANR Alumni Association Awards

2006 ANR Alumni Association Awards

2005 ANR Alumni Association Awards

2004 ANR Alumni Association Awards

CANR Award Recipients 2009

Honorary Alumnus Award

William (Bill) Demmer

William Demmer has contributed significantly to the economy of Michigan as CEO of the Demmer Corp., a design and manufacturing firm serving the automotive, aerospace and defense industries. A native of Lansing, he attended Sexton High School and graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Bill Demmer is an avid supporter of MSU and the greater Lansing community, and a strong advocate for issues affecting hunting and wildlife conservation. He currently serves as co-chair with MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon on the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) Value-Added Enterprise Initiative, which focuses on building mid-Michigan’s ability to compete in a global economy. He is also one of the 100 members of the Boone and Crockett Club, and was instrumental in establishing the Boone and Crockett Club professorship in wildlife conservation at MSU. His leadership in this undertaking will create opportunities for students to become the future leaders for state, tribal, national and global wildlife resource management agencies and for the public to be more informed about wildlife conservation. His support of the new John and Marnie Demmer Shooting Sports, Education and Training Center has played a major role in bringing this facility to MSU. The center will provide a venue for academic programs in shooting sports and law enforcement, as well as hunter safety, NCAA and team shooting sports, 4-H and other youth programs.

Outstanding Alumnus Award

John Chipman

Soon after graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in landscape architecture (1953), John Chipman established a reputation for outstanding landscape design. To keep his staff working year round, he established Landscape Forms, Inc., in 1969 as an extension of his landscape architecture company. It was a highly successful move, and the landscape architecture portion of the company was eventually phased out.

Today, Chipman is the retired president and chairman of the board of Landscape Forms, a company that boasts more than 200 employees at its 150,000-square-foot manufacturing and corporate facility in Kalamazoo and more than 30 sales offices in major cities worldwide. From the very beginning of his career, John Chipman has provided an excellent work environment for his employees. He was an early adopter of the Scanlon principles for best business practices. and was recognized with the Scanlon Leadership Network Stewardship Award in 2004.

Chipman has always had a special passion for international travel. His passion led him and his wife, Patricia, to establish the John E. and Patricia Chipman Scholarship Endowment for Overseas Study within the School of Planning, Design and Construction in 2000.

Alumni Service Award

Russel Erickson

After receiving his doctorate in dairy management from MSU in 1972, Russel Erickson spent his entire professional career at MSU, serving on the faculty of the Department of Animal Science from 1973 until his retirement in 2001. His retirement, however, hardly slowed Dr. Erickson’s involvement in teaching students to manage, care for and respect animals.

Since his retirement, Dr. Erickson has continued to serve MSU, its students and the dairy industry as a volunteer in the Department of Animal Science in many capacities at the local and international levels. He serves as a board member on the Michigan Dairy Memorial Scholarship Foundation and has had a scholarship established in his name. In addition, he volunteers at major dairy events at the MSU pavilion, pitching in wherever he’s needed as an instructor, judge or manual laborer. Dr. Erickson’s efforts have also been central to MSU’s draft horse program. He was instrumental in the creation of a Draft Horse Endowment Fund, assists with the draft horse course and participates in the Great Lakes Draft Horse International show at the pavilion, helping out wherever he’s needed. He has also continued as a teacher and chaperone in CANR study aboard experiences.

Eight years after having “retired,” Russ Erickson continues to be an invaluable asset to Michigan State University through his unstinting support for the Department of Animal Science and its students.

Distinguished Faculty Award

Dr. Joan Rose

Joan Rose holds the Homer Nowlin endowed chair in water research at MSU, with appointments in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources departments of Crop and Soil Sciences and Fisheries and Wildlife. She also has an affiliate appointment with the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in the College of Veterinary Medicine. She serves as director of the Center for Water Sciences and the Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment.

Dr. Rose is one of the world’s most influential and prominent scientists in the field of public health and environmental microbiology/virology. Her research has contributed major scientific advancements related to viral and bacterial pathogens in a variety of aquatic environments, including the development of new ways to detect and track microbes and viruses in the world’s surface waters and groundwaters. Her research has also had huge impacts on environmental policies related to water resources at the local, national and international levels.

Dr. Rose was named one of the 21 most influential people in water in the 21st century by Water Technology magazine. She has also won the prestigious Clarke Water Prize presented by the NWRI, and she received the first IWA Hei-jin Woo Award recognizing the achievements of women in the water profession. In 2008, she was also recognized with the MSU Outstanding Woman Faculty Award.

Distinguished Service to Agriculture and Natural Resources

Kathleen Hawkins

Kathleen Hawkins is executive director of the Michigan Beef Industry Commission (MBIC) and executive vice president of the Michigan Cattlemen’s Association (MCA). She has been an outspoken advocate for Michigan’s beef industry for more than 20 years, developing promotions and consumer information for the MBIC and ensuring that Michigan’s 14,600 cattle operations are represented by the MCA whenever their interests are at stake.

Ms. Hawkins has led many successful initiatives for the betterment of the industry, including the 1985 passage of the Beef Checkoff and the 2007 implementation of a statewide radio frequency identification (RFID) program. Hawkins has been instrumental in leveraging cooperation between the industry, government agencies and university resources, and has provided leadership to many joint programs with MSU, including the Performance Bull Test and the Preconditioned and Graded Feeder Calf Sale. She has also provided direction to MSU Extension (MSUE) and Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) priorities as a member of the MSUE/MAES State Advisory Council and, in 2006, was instrumental in establishing the MSU Beef Cattle Endowment Fund to provide financial support to MSU animal science programs in perpetuity.

Distinguished Service to Agriculture and Natural Resources

Don & Bob Gregory

Donald and Robert Gregory own Cherry Bay Orchards, one of the largest processed cherry-producing operations in the world. This vertically integrated operation includes all aspects of production, processing, product development and marketing of cherries. Today, the more than 2,000-acre operation produces both tart and sweet cherries, apples and other fall fruits, with cherry processing and manufacturing plants in Antrim, Grand Traverse and Oceana counties and farming operations in Leelanau County and southwestern Michigan.

The Gregory’s are visionary leaders in the fruit industry and strong partners in MSU research and Extension activities in northwestern Michigan. They have hosted countless projects by Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) researchers on their farms and provide a key stop on tours to demonstrate innovative farm operations. Bob Gregory has served for many years on the board of the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Foundation., and both brothers have held many top leadership positions in key industry organizations.

CANR Distinguished Partner in Study Abroad Programs Award

MSU Office of Study Abroad

For the fourth year in a row, Michigan State University ranks first among American public universities in the number of students who study abroad. The study abroad program at MSU was cited by U.S. News & World Report in its “Best Colleges 2009” as an “outstanding example of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success.” With its focus on high quality programs and expected learning outcomes, and unusually high involvement by faculty members across the spectrum of academic disciplines, study abroad at MSU serves as a national leader in education abroad.

Michigan State University’s Office of Study Abroad has provided sustained support to the college in the development of new programs, whether faculty-led, direct enrollment or semester-long exchanges. It has facilitated the CANR’s growth of nontraditional programs—in location, subject matter or target audience. Its on-going assistance and collaboration make possible our diverse portfolio of program offerings.

In recognition of this institutional commitment and partnership in study abroad programs, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has selected the Michigan State University Office of Study Abroad as the recipient of its 2009 Distinguished Partner in Study Abroad Programs Award.

2009 Outstanding Agriculture Educator

Burt Henry

Burt Henry grew up on the western shore of Michigan in the rural town of Shelby. After graduation from Shelby High School, he attended Michigan State University, where he majored in agricultural and natural resources education and minored in applied sciences and received both bachelor’s (’86) and master’s (‘88) degrees in agriculture and Extension education.

He has helped to shape young minds at Alma High School for the past 23 years. During that time, he has managed a 30-acre land lab, reestablished and maintained a 1-acre nursery, utilized a greenhouse in classroom instruction and community relations, and acquired, developed and administered a new aquaculture program while teaching everything from agricultural business management to agricultural mechanics.

In high school, he received both a state FFA and an American FFA degree as a member of the Shelby FFA chapter. His stint as the 1984-85 state FFA treasurer sparked his interest in becoming an FFA adviser. As FFA adviser at Alma High School, Henry has assisted four state officers, 13 American degree recipients, 105 state degree recipients, 35 gold and silver broiler contest teams, 11 state proficiency award winners and one state star recipient. During his tenure, Alma High School has been a superior chapter 17 times and has been named as a three-star national chapter twice. He has coached 26 state gold, four state runner-up and five state winning skills contests teams. He has also coached 17 state gold, two runner-up and four state winning leadership contest teams/individuals. Among his most recent accomplishments is the addition of a middle school FFA chapter for students in grades 6-8.