2023

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Gary Strickland

Gary Strickland spent the first 17 years of his OSU career working with the then Department of Agronomy agriculture research station system-sorghum breeding program. He then moved on to administer the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences sorghum and corn extension and variety testing programs. He provided extension programs for sorghum and corn across the state of Oklahoma during his tenure with this program, as well as conducting a state-wide field trial program cooperating with numerous extension specialists, researchers, departments, and regional, state, and federal programs and agencies. During this period, he also served as the Area Agronomist in the Panhandle of Oklahoma for a brief time.

 

In 2000 Gary moved back to Jackson County where he served as the Extension Educator for Agriculture/4-H/CED from 2000 to July of 2014 and developed an active extension/research field program. At this point, his extension appointment was changed to Agriculture Educator and Southwest Research and Extension Center (SWREC) Dry-Land Cropping Systems Specialist, and finally, to the SWREC Regional Agronomist. In this new role he worked with counties in SW-OK in an agronomic program support role, as well as cooperating with other area and state extension specialists on projects. He also remained the Jackson County Extension Office Director and Ag Educator on a half-time basis.

 

His current extension/research program has an emphasis on tillage and cropping systems, wheat herbicide studies and wheat production management topics, and alternative crops for dryland production systems. His work has been conducted both on research stations and on agriculture producers' fields throughout the SW Oklahoma area.

 

Gary is a native of Southwest Oklahoma, graduating from Tipton High School and Western Oklahoma State College. He and his late wife Lynne have 3 children and 7 grandchildren. Gary finished his college degrees at Oklahoma State University receiving both his Bachelor and Master of Science Degrees in Plant and Soil Science.

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2016

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Mark S. Gregory

Mark started a extension career as a County Extension Agent in McLennan County Texas with agriculture and 4-H responsibilities. He left that position to pursue a Master’s degree at Iowa State University. Mark joined OCES in 1985 as Area Extension Agronomist for the SE District, in Ada. He has also served as an Area Agronomy Specialist in Guymon, Cordell and Duncan. Mark moved to Duncan in 2001, where he remained until retirement in December 2015. Mark is known as a people person; enjoying relationships he has established over the years with producers, industry personnel and extension educators. He has served as president of the Oklahoma Association of County Agriculture Agents and has served as superintendent of the hay show at the Oklahoma State Fair for many years.

 

Tom Peeper

Dr. Thomas Peeper is a native of Apache Oklahoma. He received his MS from Oklahoma State University in 1969 and his Ph.D. from North Carolina State University in 1975. Tom began his tenure with OSU in 1976 as the Small Grain Weed Science Extension Specialist. After 34 years of Service Dr. Peeper retired in 2010. During his time with OSU Dr. Peeper advised scores of graduate students who all went on to make great impacts on the industry. Prior to his retirement Dr. Peeper spear headed the Okanola project which established winter canola as an economically viable rotation option for winter wheat in the southern Great Plains.

 

Chris Rice

Chris started working for OSU full time in 1980 under Dr. Jim Stritzke as a Senior Agriculturalist. He served in that capacity for 10 years. In 1990, he became Senior Station Superintendent at the Agronomy Research Station. He held that position until 2001 when he was named as Extension Area Agronomist for the SE District, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Chris retired on July 10, 2015 with 35 years of service to OSU and DASNR.

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2015

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Bob Woods

Bob Woods was an active member of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service (OCES) team for over 30 years, from 1980 when he started as the Seminole County Extension Director to 2010 when he retired as the Northeast Area Agronomist. Mr. Woods served as the N.E. Area Agronomist for the majority of his career, where he made a significant impact on the region’s agricultural systems.

 

Mr. Woods’ extension programs were extremely diverse involving livestock, forage, and grain production. His work included projects in weed management, forage systems, livestock feeding strategies, soil fertility, and precision agriculture. He authored many papers and publications with titles such as “Money with Hay Opportunities in Hay Marketing”, “Bermuda grass Pasture Forage Production as Affected by Interceded Legumes and Phosphorus Fertilization”, “Grassbak - A Forage Improvement Program”, and “Introducing a New Nitrogen Management Strategy to Northeast Oklahoma Producers”. During his tenure with OCES Mr. Woods authored over 1,000 Timely Topic Newsletters Articles.

 

Bob was very active in working with County Extension Educators to establish and maintain research test plots in their counties. Bob was instrumental in getting some “Fescue Suppression” test plots going in Mayes County from 1993 to 1997. Bob also was a major player in getting green seeker test plots started in many counties in the N.E. District. For example, in Ottawa County there is a producer that so truly believed in the green seeker program that he put all his wheat acreage (1,500 acres) in it and has maintained the program for the past 14 years.

 

Also in Ottawa County research was conducted on fertility rates in corn. Dr. Brian Arnall was involved in those test plots while he was completing his Ph.D. Bob was also instrumental in getting strip-till and ridge-till test plots going in Ottawa County.

 

Because of Bob, agronomic research and demonstration trials were revitalized in the N.E. District, wheat and soybean variety test plots that had been absent from the district for several years were re-established and are still maintained today.

 

While Bob was the N.E. District Agronomist at least six producers in the N.E. District were given the “Master Agronomist” award and most of their accomplishments were due to the leadership and involvement that Bob supplied.

 

Since retiring in July 2010, Mr. Woods has done some consulting, both privately and for the Soybean Association. He enjoyed the consulting, but now is just working for himself managing pastures and running a small stocker cattle operation (which he has done part time since 1981). The stocker enterprise has increased since he retired. He used to carry around 70-90 head a year but last fall he received and wintered 224. Bob still calls the stocker cattle his “bass boat.”

 

Bob Woods was an active member of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service (OCES) team for over 30 years, from 1980 when he started as the Seminole County Extension Director to 2010 when he retired as the Northeast Area Agronomist. Mr. Woods served as the N.E. Area Agronomist for the majority of his career, where he made a significant impact on the region’s agricultural systems.

 

Mr. Woods’ extension programs were extremely diverse involving livestock, forage, and grain production. His work included projects in weed management, forage systems, livestock feeding strategies, soil fertility, and precision agriculture. He authored many papers and publications with titles such as “Money with Hay Opportunities in Hay Marketing”, “Bermuda grass Pasture Forage Production as Affected by Interceded Legumes and Phosphorus Fertilization”, “Grassbk - A Forage Improvement Program”, and “Introducing a New Nitrogen Management Strategy to Northeast Oklahoma Producers”. During his tenure with OCES Mr. Woods authored over 1,000 Timely Topic Newsletters Articles.

 

Bob was very active in working with County Extension Educators to establish and maintain research test plots in their counties. Bob was instrumental in getting some “Fescue Suppression” test plots going in Mayes County from 1993 to 1997. Bob also was a major player in getting green seeker test plots started in many counties in the N.E. District. For example, in Ottawa County there is a producer that so truly believed in the green seeker program that he put all his wheat acreage (1,500 acres) in it and has maintained the program for the past 14 years.

 

Also in Ottawa County research was conducted on fertility rates in corn. Dr. Brian Arnall was involved in those test plots while he was completing his Ph.D. Bob was also instrumental in getting strip-till and ridge-till test plots going in Ottawa County.

 

Because of Bob, agronomic research and demonstration trials were revitalized in the N.E. District, wheat and soybean variety test plots that had been absent from the district for several years were re-established and are still maintained today.

 

While Bob was the N.E. District Agronomist at least six producers in the N.E. District were given the “Master Agronomist” award and most of their accomplishments were due to the leadership and involvement that Bob supplied.

 

Since retiring in July 2010, Mr. Woods has done some consulting, both privately and for the Soybean Association. He enjoyed the consulting, but now is just working for himself managing pastures and running a small stocker cattle operation (which he has done part time since 1981). The stocker enterprise has increased since he retired. He used to carry around 70-90 head a year but last fall he received and wintered 224. Bob still calls the stocker cattle his “bass boat.”

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2014

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Roger Don Gribble

Roger Gribble has been an active member of the OCES team since his hire in 1981.  Most notably is his success as the NW Area Agronomist, a position he has held for twenty years.  Mr. Gribble describes his program as “working with agriculture educators and producers through technical advances in crop production.  Cropping systems include wheat, soybeans, grain sorghum, cotton, corn, and canola.  Work in forage production systems that include alfalfa, improved grasses and native range.”

 

During Mr. Gribble’s tenure as NW Area Agronomist, he has averaged approximately 100 presentations a year with 150 or more annual interactions with producers and OCES professionals.  It is undeniable that Mr. Gribble has had an impact on crop production not only in his area but across the state.

 

Through his work, almost every county established at least one set of wheat plots for demonstration and research purposes.  He also was the leading force for the Lahoma Field Day held each year on the North Central Research Station.  Thousands have attended this event over the years.  Roger was also a proponent and a leader in the educational programming which led to the establishment of canola as an excellent income source and a rotational crop for wheat.  The Okanola project has had significant success across the state.

 

In his time as an Agronomist, Roger became extremely adept in all aspects of production from weed management, soil fertility, crop rotation, and variety and hybrid selection.  Roger maintained a very strong presence in his area via on farm research and demonstration trials.

 

Mr. Gribble’s nominator wrote ‘As a young Extension Specialist, Mr. Gribble was one of my greatest allies and supporters.  He created ample opportunity for me to interact with producers both in meetings and one-on-one settings.  Roger has been one of the greatest proponents in the adoption of the N-Rich Strip and Green Seeker technology which is now utilized on nearly 500,000 acres of crop land across the state.’

 

Mr. Gribble is also considered the county educator’s biggest supporter.   He referred to his educators as the door step to Oklahoma State University and supported this group with as much vigor as any other Area Agronomist to date.

 

Raymond Sidwell

Ray served as the Sr. Station Manager for the 143 acre North Central Research Station located in the heart of wheat production country just west of Lahoma from June 1, 1980, until his passing in December of 2013. Thirty three years of Raymond’s meticulous management of the facility allowed major research efforts in the following areas including wheat breeding and variety development, soil-fertility, weed science, soybean varieties and cropping systems, grain sorghum variety trials, plant pathology and entomology.

 

As Station Manager, Raymond became an ambassador for the Agricultural Research and Extension efforts conducted at the North Central Research Station.  Known by wheat producers across the state as the “Annual Lahoma Wheat Tour”, Ray and the station hosted literally thousands of guests including Wheat Producers, Commodity group officials, Foreign Dignitaries, many National and State Legislators in addition to a full-compliment of Administrators from Higher Education and Research.

 

The North Central Research Station is a world class facility that is recognized by many in Research and Extension as the “Flagship” among the Oklahoma Research Stations because of its impact on Agriculture in the southern plains and the presentation and presence that it has for its visitors.  Under Ray’s watchful eye, the “Lahoma Station” has been a gem of information for both wheat producers and others involved in production agriculture, Research, and Extension, largely because of the effort Ray and his staff put into its maintenance as well as their ability to see where improvements could be made that would better serve all agricultural clientèle.

 

Over the years, the Lahoma Research Station has grown to also host field days and tours related to Canola production, No-till crop production, crop water capture, conservation, and cover crop utilization, not to mention the countless visits by students, dignitaries and producers that have taken place on a day to day basis.

 

Raymond, his wife Brenda, and their children Bambi and Brady, are highly regarded members of the Agricultural and Ag Business Community in Oklahoma.  Locally, Raymond and his family are recognized by the farmer peers in their home community of Goltry as very progressive and proactive production agriculturists.  Ray implemented many practices that were backed by the research done at the North Central Research Station under his guidance into his own operation which in turn added credibility and adaptability of research done at the station by his farming neighbors in Alfalfa, Garfield, and Major Counties.

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2013

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Robert L. Westerman

Assistant Vice President for Agricultural Programs Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Oklahoma State University

 

 

 

Degrees Received

• Ph.D., 1969, Soil Science, University of Illinois
• M.S., 1963, Agronomy/Soils, Oklahoma State University
• B.S., 1961, Agricultural Education, Oklahoma State University

Present and Past Positions

• Oklahoma State University Emeritus Faculty 2013-present
• Vice President for Agricultural Programs 2007-2013
• Vice President for Agricultural Programs and Interim Sr. Financial Officer 2006-2007
• Vice President for Agricultural Programs 2006
• Interim Associate Director of OAES 2005 -2006
• Assistant Director of OAES, 2001 - 2005
• Head, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, 1997-2001
• Head, Department of Agronomy, 1991-1997
• Regents Professor of Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, 1988-1991
• Professor of Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, 1983-1988
• Associate Professor of Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, 1976-1983

University of Arizona

• Associate Professor and Associate Soil Scientist, 1974-1976
• Assistant Professor and Assistant Soil Scientist, 1969-1974

Professional Activities and Accomplishments

• Assist with the day-to-day management of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station budget and day- to-day affairs, which has annual expenditures over $50 million
• Demonstrated ability to serve effectively as an administrative leader of a large complex department
• Scholarly achievement in research with a strong publication record
• Research in soil fertility and plant nutrition with emphasis on efficient fertilizer use, nitrogen fertilizer transformations, movement in soil, and uptake in plants utilizing 15N techniques while minimizing the potential of pollution of groundwater, lakes and streams
• Demonstrated ability to secure extramural funding
• Editor, SSSA Monograph "Soil Testing and Plant Analysis, 1990
• Associate Editor, Fertilizer Issues, 1983-1990
• Chairman Division S-4, 1983-1084
• Regional Chairman, ASA Membership Committee, 1982-1983
• Associate Editor (Soils), Agronomy Journal, 1976-1982

National Awards

• ASA, Agronomic Achievement Award - Soils, 1991
• Fellow, American Society of America, 1986
• Fellow, Soil Science Society of America, 1986

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2011

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Dr. J. C. Banks

Professor & Extension Cotton Specialist with OSU Plant and Soil Sciences for 22 years at OSU. Raised on a cotton, small grains, and cattle farm in southwest Oklahoma. Attended college at Cameron University at Lawton, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, receiving a Ph.D. degree in Agronomy in 1974. Joined Oklahoma State University as an Area Extension Cotton Specialist in 1988. Was promoted to Associate Professor and State Cotton Specialist in 1991 and in 1996 was promoted to Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, State Cotton Specialist, and Director, OSU Southwest Research and Extension Center at Altus. Activities included management of the Altus center and statewide responsibility for research and extension/educational programs in all aspects of cotton production.

 

Bjorn Martin

Grew up in Umea, Sweden (less than 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle). Earned B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Umea, and in 1978 conducted postdoctoral work at U.C. Berkeley, California. Served as a Senior Research Associate at the University of Illinois, Urbana (1980) and as a Senior Research Scientist with NPI, University of Utah Research Park, Salt Lake City (1984). Joined the faculty of OSU in the Agronomy Department in 1989. Activities included research on plant drought tolerance and water-use efficiency.

 

Accomplishments

• Professor of Plant Stress Physiology
• OSU Plant and Soil Sciences
• 21 years at OSU 

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2009

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John Caddel

John L. Caddel, Professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, retired on February 28, 2009.  Dr. Caddel joined the OSU Agronomy Department in 1977 as an assistant professor with responsibilities in alfalfa breeding and forage management.  He had previously been on the faculty at the University of Minnesota.

 

Dr. Caddel grew up on the family's cotton, grain sorghum and Bermuda grass farm near Sinton, Texas. After spending one year at Iowa State University, he returned to Texas and obtained a B.S. degree in Agronomy from Texas A & I University in 1966 and a Ph.D. degree in Plant Breeding & Genetics from Oklahoma State University in 1971. At OSU, Dr. Caddel led a breeding and management program designed to improve multiple-pest resistance in alfalfa. He also served as the research group leader for a program designed to develop a farming systems approach to enhance forage quality and yields using clovers in eastern Oklahoma.

 

In 1991, Dr. Caddel was assigned to half-time alfalfa extension responsibilities. He provided excellent leadership in the development of an educational program for alfalfa and contributed greatly to increased alfalfa profitability in Oklahoma. He was instrumental in the development of numerous educational events and programs including the "Hay Day" program, an event to educate producers in all aspects of production, harvesting, storing and marketing of alfalfa hay. As Secretary Treasurer of the Oklahoma Alfalfa Hay and Seed Association, he developed and distributed timely, state-wide, alfalfa educational information through a newsletter (NEWS). He also developed an alfalfa production calendar and several web pages devoted to alfalfa and clovers.  These web pages contain some of the best information and color photographs on alfalfa and clovers in the country and resulted in Dr. Caddel receiving the "Certificate of Excellence Award from the American Society of Agronomy and the Excellence in Alfalfa Extension Activities Award from the Certified Alfalfa Seed Council in 1996. In 1998, he received the Outstanding Extension Specialist Achievement Award.

 

He, along with graduate students and collaborating scientists, contributed new knowledge about alfalfa through the publication of 151 scientific articles, 130 extension publications and research papers, 4 handbooks and 8 web pages. He collected, evaluated, and enhanced alfalfa by releasing 5 cultivars and 11 germplasm lines.  Dr. Caddel served as major advisor to 21 M.S and 3 Ph.D. students many of them now occupy prominent positions in public or private institutions around the country. Among them is Dr. David Porter, the current Plant and Soil Sciences department head.

 

He has contributed to numerous state, regional, national, and international scientific organizations including the American Society of Agronomy, International Grassland Congress, American Forage and Grasslands Council, North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference, the Forage and Grasslands Foundation, Inc, and the Southern Pasture and Forage Improvement Conference.  He held offices and served on numerous committees within these organizations, including being elected to the Board of Directors of the Forage and Grasslands Foundation.

 

Dr. Caddel has had several long-term assignments in international programs.  From 1971-77 while he was at U. of Minnesota , he worked in the Crop Production Department at the institute Agronomic Hassan II in Rabat, Morocco where he initiated and developed a barley breeding and genetics program to improve cereal production in Morocco.  In 1987-88, he served as resident advisor and coordinator of all in-country activities for USAID-Mid-America International Agricultural Consortium in Tunisia. He also served as Program Associate and member of the Management Operations Committee of MIAC.  Dr. Caddel has served in various capacities on international agriculture reviews, and scientific exchanges in Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, India, Kenya, Spain, France, Germany, Holland, and Belgium. He also served on the OSU Division of Agriculture, International Agriculture Advisory Committee.

 

In retirement, Dr. Caddel plans to continue to live in Stillwater, spend more time with his daughter and grandchildren , travel, and continuing some of his professional activities.

 

Jim Stiegler

Dr. James H. Stiegler grew up on a dairy farm in Hondo, Texas and started helping his father with custom farming when he was 12 years old. He also spent a lot of time with his grandparents who had come from Germany. Even at a young age he had decided he did not want a desk job but to work outside. His mom said, "Jim was destined to be a dirt doctor, he was always outside making mud pies or digging in the dirt." Dr. Stiegler attended St.John's Elementary school and Hondo High School where he played football, graduating in 1960. After graduation he attended Texas A & I University where he received his B.S. degree in Agronomy in 1964. Never having left the state of Texas, Dr. Stiegler decided to continue his education at Oklahoma State University where he earned his M.S. degree in Agronomy and met his wife, Connie, on a blind date. Dr. Stiegler and Connie were married on June 17, 1967.

 

They spent their honeymoon moving to Blacksburg, Virginia where he attend Virginia Polytechnic Institute and received his Ph.D. degree in Soil Science. During summers, he worked as a field-mapping specialist from 1967 to 1970. Dr. Stiegler did all the cooking for his roommates on the condition that they would clean up the mess.

 

Upon completion of his Ph.D. in 1970 he had a job offer from Kansas State University to become an Assistant Professor and Cooperative Extension Land Utilization Specialist. During his time there he became involved in the National Land Judging competitions. During their time at Kansas State University the Stiegler family added a daughter Stephanie. In 1973 Dr. Stiegler accepted a position at Oklahoma State University where he was the Cooperative Extension Soil Specialist and soon after their son Chris was born. In 1985, Dr. Stiegler received an achievement award for guiding a coalition of researchers, Extension Specialists, commodity groups and producers to develop a highly effective minimum tillage conservation program. This award put Dr. Stiegler in national competition for the USDA Superior Service Award. In 1988, Dr. Stiegler added another title to his name when he became the Agronomy Extension Leader. Beginning the 1980's he was a major influence on wheat farmers in Oklahoma helping to introduce new conservation tillage technology on a field scale basis that has resulted in better farming techniques across the state.

 
Dr. Stiegler's expertise in cropping systems, residue management, and conservation tillage has made him a popular speaker at producer meetings, field days, workshops, and conferences throughout Oklahoma and the Southern Great Plains. He also has administered the educational components of a number of government programs including the 319 Water Quality Program, Conservation Reserve Program, and the Environmental Quality Incentive Program. Thousands of 4-H and FFA youth from across the nation, as well as other countries are familiar with Stiegler's leadership of the annual   National Land Judging Contest in Oklahoma City of which he has been the coordinator since 1973.

 

Many accomplishments and honors have marked his 34 years of dedicated service at OSU. Among the many state and national honors, Dr. Stiegler was named a Fellow in the Soil and Water Conservation Society in 1991. He has received several awards and commendations for his education programs and publications and videos, including a USDA commendation for his work on programs associated with the 1990 Farm Bill - an honor received while on sabbatical leave in Washington D.C. He was also named Leader of the Year in Service to Oklahoma Agriculture.

 
Dr. Stiegler has been actively involved in international agriculture and has served as chairman of the natural resources committee of the Mid-American International Agricultural Consortium - a group of five land grant universities whose job it is to establish teachings, research, and extension program linkages with other nations. After serving as Interim Department Head for the second time in February of 2001, Dr. Stiegler became the official Department Head in January of 2002 holding this position until his retirement in 2007 after 34 years of service to OSU and 36 years of service in extension work. During his term as Department Head, he traveled to Israel, China, Mexico, and Brazil to promote Oklahoma State University's College of Agriculture as well as to recruit students.

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2007

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David Nofziger

David Lynn Nofziger, Regents Professor and holder of the Santelmann/Warth Professorship retired on January 5, 2007. Nofziger joined the Agronomy Department in 1974 with teaching and research responsibilities in soil physics. He was born and raised on a 100 acre farm in northwest Ohio. He was the youngest of six children and had five older sisters. As a child he enjoyed math and learned many methods of solving problems in his head from his father. After graduating from Pettisville High School in a class of 34 students, he attended Goshen College where he met his wife Ruby and obtained a B.A. degree in physics in 1966. Nofziger attended graduate school at Purdue University where he received both his M.S. and Ph.D. in soil physics in 1970 and 1972 respectively.

 

After obtaining his PhD degree, Nofziger was employed at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigera for two years. In December, 1974 he was hired as an assistant professor at Oklahoma State University. Nofziger has been a member of this department for 32 years and has demonstrated exemplary service in the areas of scholarly publications, involvement in and service to numerous professional organizations, training of undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students, garnering external research funds and conducting research related to the movement of chemicals and water into soils. Nofziger has published 87 referred journal articles, computer software and related publications, 55 proceedings and abstracts and received over 1.7 million dollars in grants, during his career.

 

While at Purdue University, Nofziger learned computer programming and utilized it extensively in his graduate work and throughout his career. In 1978, he obtained funds from the Dean of Instruction to purchase the first microcomputer in the Agronomy department. He then programmed it to use in teaching soil physics and other applications. He also developed software and graphics routines and interfaced the computers to laboratory instruments . He enjoyed combining his love for math and physics with his interest in agriculture.

 

About the same year, he attended an NSF short course on utilizing computers to teach science. He got hooked on interactive programs and is well known around the country and the world for the interactive models he developed for modeling the movement of water and chemicals in soils and for decision support systems he developed cooperatively with other scientists. He taught courses in soil physics as well as computer programming and database management.

 

Nofziger has received many honors and awards including being elected as Fellow in ASA and SSSA in 1993 and 1994, respectively. He also served as Chair, S- 1, Soil Physics and Associate Editor for SSSA. He presented invited talks in China, Sweden, Brazil, New Zealand, and Australia. He is inquisitive and enjoys learning about new areas of research. Dave and Ruby were married in 1968 and have two daughters and one grandson. They plan to move to Homer, Alaska in May.

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2006

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Charles Taliaferro

Charles M. Taliaferro, Regents Professor and holder of the Melvin D. and Mary E. Jones Distinguished Professorship in Agronomic Sciences, retired on Jan 3, 2006. Taliaferro joined the OSU Agronomy Department in 1968 with responsibilities in breeding and genetic investigations with grasses and graduate instruction. He had previously served for 3 1/2 years as a Research Agronomist for the USDA-ARS at the Coastal Plains Experiment Station, Tifton, GA.

 

Taliaferro is a native of Leon, OK. He obtained a B.S. degree in Agronomy from Oklahoma State University in 1962 and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Plant Breeding & Genetics fro Texas A&M University in 1965 and 1966 respectively. At OSU, Taliaferro led research in breeding and genetic investigations with forage and turf grasses and is widely recognized for his achievements. He, along with graduate students and collaborating scientists, contributed new knowledge through the publication of over 200 scientific articles, 6 book chapters, collected, evaluated, and enhanced grass germplasm, and released 14 cultivars and 5 germplasm lines. The emphasis of his research was on producing seed and vegetatively-propagated cultivars that combine transition zone adaptation, economic seed yield capability, and high turf quality, the latter on a par with industry standard clonal cultivars. His development and release of cold tolerant seeded Bermuda grasses have greatly benefited the forage and Turfgrass industries in the southern United States. One of these Turfgrass varieties, "Riveria" is becoming widely used in the United States, and has recently been introduced into golf courses in China, Spain, Italy and France. It also earned him the 1st Annual Breeder's Cup Award presented by the Turfgrass Breeders Association of America in 2003.

 

Talia Ferro served as major advisor to 13 M.S. and 15 Ph.D.  students many of them now occupy prominent positions in public or private institutions around the country. In addition, he mentored and trained many post-doctoral fellows, laboratory, and field technicians and taught graduate level plant breeding and genetics, and cytogenetics courses. He has contributed to numerous state, regional, national, and international scientific organizations including serving as chairman of the Improvement Conference in 1974, chairman of the CSSA DeKalb Distinguished Career Award speaker to many national and international conferences, Turfgrass industry and farmer and rancher meetings.  He served as a visiting professor at the University of Arkansas in 1984, as a special consultant to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Agriculture in 1987 and 1988, and has participated in scientific exchanges with the Peoples Republic of China in 1987, Zimbabwe in 1990, and Mexico.

 

Talia Ferro was named to the Warth Distinguished Professorship in 1991 and a Regents Professor at OSU in 1993. He received the Division of Agriculture Elmo Baumann Distinguished Professorship Award in 1994 and was the recipient of the Excellence in Research Award from Seed Research of Oregon, Inc. in 1999. He also received the award of Fellow in the American Society of Agronomy in 1999 and Fellow in Crop Science Society of America in 2000, having been an active member of the two societies for the duration of his career. In recognition of his distinguished career, the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences has recently established a Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in forage breeding and genetics in the name of Dr. Talia Ferro.

 

Talia Ferro and wife Kathie have three sons and five grandchildren. In retirement, they plan to continue to live in Stillwater, OK and they anticipate spending more time with family, traveling, continuing professional activities through consulting, and working within the community.

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2004

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Gordon V. Johnson

Gordon V. Johnson, Regents Professor of Soil Science, retired from the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Oklahoma State University on December 31, 2003 after 34 years of professional service.  Dr. Johnson, a Heimdal, North Dakota native, received his B.S. (1963) degree from North Dakota State University; M.S. (1966) degree from University of Nevada; and Ph.D. (1969) degree from University of Nebraska.

 

Dr. Johnson Spent eight years in teaching and research at The University of Arizona in soil fertility crop production, and turf management related work from 1968-77. On March 1 1977, he came to Oklahoma State University as an Extension Specialist in Soil Nutrient Management and as directory of the Agronomic Services Laboratory. Dr. Johnson had an active extension program and provided leadership to the Certified Crop Advisor program. He has published of 400 journal articles, abstracts, fact sheets, and popular press articles. Dr. Johnson has published 15 books or book chapters on soil nutrient management. During the past 10 years he has taught the soil fertility course and has been a member of a Precision Sensing Research Team that is investigating ways to identify and manage spatial field variability and the plant nutrient needs of winter wheat using on-the-go, sensor-based technology.

 

Dr. Johnson has been a member of the American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of American since 1964. He was appointed to the Board of Directors for both ASA and SSA in 1987 and again from 1991-1994. He also served as Chair and Board Representatives of Div. S-4 SSSA and was elected as Fellow, ASA in 1989, and Fellow in SSSA in 1995. He was Associate editor for Agronomy Journal from 1988-1993 and Journal of Production Agriculture from 1997-2000. He received the Werner L. Nelson Award for Diagnosis of Yield Limiting Factors in 1998 and the Elmo Baumann Distinguished Professor Award in 2000. He also received the USDA Group Honor Award for Excellence.

 

In retirement, he plans to hone his golf and running skills, travel, and possibly teach part time.

 

Eugene G. Krenzer Jr.

Eugene (Gene) G. Krenzer, Jr., Professor and Small Grains Extension Specialist at Oklahoma State University retired with over 22 years at OSU and seven and a half years on the faculty at North Carolina State University.

 

Dr. Krenzer was raised on a dairy farm in western New York State. He was the oldest of twelve children and decided in high school that he wanted to assist farmers be more efficient with the operations. After earning his B.S. at Cornell University in 1968 and his M.S. and Ph. D. at the University of Minnesota in 1973 and 1974 respectively, Dr. Krenzer began his career as the Corn Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University. Gene provided leadership in organizing the North Carolina Corn Growers Association and developed a strong on-farm testing extension program.

 

Dr. Krenzer came to OSU in 1981 to lead a research project on minimum tillage in wheat during the energy crisis of the late seventies. He worked into the Small Grains Extension position when it was vacated in the mid-eighties. Since then he has become internationally known for his leadership in dual-purpose wheat production, the use of the same wheat crop for cattle forage in the fall and winter followed by grain harvest in June.

 

Dr. Krenzer is best known for the development of the term "first hollow stem," the growth stage of wheat where it is critical to remove cattle from wheat pasture if the producer is to maximize returns per acre in the wheat-stoker cattle production system. He has taught professionals and farmers/ranchers the importance of dual-purpose wheat to the economy of Oklahoma and the southern Great Plains. He has served as major advisor for 14 graduate students published 4 book chapters, 5 video tapes, 45 journal articles and over 200 fact sheets, popular articles, and papers. In addition, he served on numerous departmental, division, and university committees and was ASA Div. A-4 Chairman from 200-2002.

 

His career has been dedicated to serving farmers in North Carolina or Oklahoma. Dr. Krenzer has been recognized with many awards by the growers including special recognition by the National Association of Wheat Growers Excellence in Extension Award in 1998, Progressive Farmer "Man of the Year" Award in 2000, the Oklahoma Wheat Growers "Mr. Wheat" award in 2003. Receiving recognition as a Fellow in the American Society of Agronomy in 2002 was a very special honor for him.

 

Instead of retirement, Dr. Krenzer is beginning a new career as a marriage and family therapist in the Stillwater, OK area.

 

J. Ronald Sholar

Dr. Ron Sholar is a native of Stewart County Tennessee. In 1971, he graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin with a BS degree in Agricultural Sciences. He and his wife Linda moved to Stillwater in August 1971 and he served as a Research Assistant to Charles Denman for the next two years. He received an M.S. degree in Agronomy in 1973. From 1975 to 1975, Dr. Sholar was an officer in the US Army and served at Ft Sill, OK and Ft Leonard Wood, MO. In 1975, he left the Army and became the first Area Agronomist assigned to the 15 county district of northeast Oklahoma with headquarters in Muskogee.

 

After three years on the job in Muskogee, Dr. Scolar moved to campus to accept responsibilities as Extension Integrated Pest Management Specialist. In 1981, he became State Extension Specialist with responsibilities for peanuts, soybeans, and other oilseed crops. In 1984, he completed a PhD in Crop Science under the direction of Dr. Jim Stritzke. He was promoted to professor in 1991.

 

Dr. Sholar has been recognized both nationally and internationally as an expert on peanut and soybean production. During his career, he authored two book chapters, seven refereed journal articles, and hundreds of popular press articles on Oklahoma oilseed crops. In 1988, he led an international delegation on a 3-week tour of the Chinese peanut industry. He also consulted in England, the Netherlands, and Germany. He conducted an extensive applied research program and many of the practices employed by Oklahoma farmers resulted from work conducted by Dr. Sholar and his team.

 

Dr. Sholar has been recognized for his contributions to Oklahoma agriculture by various grower groups including the Caddo Research Station Advisory Committee, the Texoma Peanut Growers' Association, and the Oklahoma Peanut Growers' Association, the Oklahoma Peanut Commission, the the Oklahoma Soybean Association.

 

Dr. Sholar entered the Army Reserve in 1975 and has served continuously since that time. Currently, he is a Major General and commands more then 17,000 active and Reserve soldiers in the states of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Tennessee.

 

Dr. Sholar has been married for more than 33 years to the former Linda Dennison of Newbern, TN. Linda has been a teacher in the Stillwater Public Schools System for more than 20 years. She holds a BS from the University of Tennessee at Martin and an MS from Oklahoma State University. They have two adult children and a son-in-law, and two grandchildren.

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2003

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Lonnie Sellers

Lonnie retired on June 30, 2000, from his Southwest District Area Extension Agronomy Specialist position in Duncan, which he had begun December 1, 1986. Lonnie was raised in the small town of Indiahoma. He attended Oklahoma State University and received a B.S. in Agronomy in 1967 and a M.S. in Biology in 1979 from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

 

Lonnie began his career with OSU Extension in 1970 as the Kiowa County Extension Agent. In 1972, he became Extension/4-H Agent in Stephens County. He continued his career by moving to Caddo County as County Extension Director in 1973. He served in that role until 1986.

 

Lonnie has traveled to all of the continents of the world with the last being Antarctica. Included in his worldly travel Don Proctor joined him in 1997 for three weeks with interest in Cotton Irrigation in Turkmenistan.

 

Being named Anadarko Man of the Year in 1985 was a great honor for Lonnie. He has received numerous awards in his time of extension to name a few such as National Association of County Agricultural Agents Distinguished Service Award, in 1994; the Achievement Award in 1976 and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Outstanding Field Staff Award in 1993. Lonnie was also the recipient of several IPM Awards, particularly in Alfalfa. He also was a Certified Crop Advisor. Lonnie served many years as Superintendent of the State Hay Show at the Oklahoma State Fair.

 

Lonnie and his wife Arlene reside in Duncan and are members of the First United Methodist Church. He is active in the Stephens County Water Garden Society and he enjoys collecting rocks, crystals and fossils.

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2002

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Lewis H. Edwards

Lewis H. Edwards retired January 2, 2002, after 34 years on the faculty of Plant and Soil Sciences at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Edwards received his B.S. in Agronomy with a Science option from OSU in 1961. H served as Chancellor of Alpha Zeta, Secretary and President of the Agronomy Club, and Recording Secretary of the National American Society of Agronomy Student Subdivision as a undergraduate at OSU. Dr. Edwards completed a Ph.D. in Agronomy with a Plant Breeding and Genetics option at North Dakota State University in 1965. He served as a Research Geneticist, USDA, working with Durum Wheat from 1965-1967. He returned to Oklahoma State University in 1967 as a Professor in Agronomy. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1970, and Professor in 1976. From 1987 through 1990, Dr. Edwards served as Research Coordinator for the MIAC/Morocco Dryland Agriculture Research Project stationed in Settat, Morocco. He also served as Director of Pedigreed Seed Services from 1994 until his retirement.

 

Dr. Edwards acted as major advisor for 30 graduate students and participated as a member of numerous other graduate programs during his tenure at OSU. In addition, he served as the in-country advisor for several Moroccan researchers who conducted their graduate student research in Morocco in conjunction with various U.S. universities.

 

As Moroccan researchers returned to Morocco with their graduate degrees, Dr. Edwards continued to serve as a resource person during the development of their long-term research programs. At OSU, Dr. Edwards taught graduate and undergraduate courses in genetics, plant breeding, and crop management. He acted as a project leader in the development and release of 15 varieties and germplasm lines of barley, oats, triticale, rye, mungbeans and soybeans. In addition, he participated as a team member in the release of 7 additional soybean and wheat varieties. As Director of Oklahoma Pedigreed Seed Services, Dr. Edwards has oversight responsibilities for Oklahoma Foundation Seed Stocks, Inc., and Oklahoma Crop Improvement Association.

 

Lewis and his wife, Sandy, continue to reside in the Stillwater/Perkins community. They plant to spend more time with their daughter Dayna, son-in-law Steve and granddaughters Christina and Rebekah of Dallas, as well as their daughter Jodi, son-in-law William, granddaughter Aleigh, and grandson Avery of St. Louis, MO. they also plant to expand their church and genealogical activities.

 

Jimmy F. Stritzke

Jimmy F. Stritzke was recognized as professional master agronomist.

 

 

 

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1999

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James S. Kirby

Dr. James S. Kirby retired March 9, 1999, after a research and teaching career at Oklahoma State University that has spanned over 30 years.

 

In 1969, Dr. Kirby joined Oklahoma State University as a Assistant Professor in Plant Breeding and Genetics after receiving his B.S. From Oklahoma A&M College in 1957, M.S. at Oklahoma State University in 1959, and his Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 1965. During the interim, he served three years in the US Air force from 1959 to 1962 and four years as a corn breeder in Indiana from 1965 to 1969.Primary research emphasis has been placed on a variety development of soybeans, mungbeans, and peanuts that are adapted to conditions in Oklahoma. He is widely recognized as a world authority on peanuts, particularly in the areas of genetics and breeding and on cultural management practices. H has either released or cooperated in the release of Spanhoma, Comet, Pronto, Spanco Spanish peanuts, Okrun - the first runner-type released in Oklahoma, and Southwest Runner peanut. Presently, he is completing the material packet for release of a large-seeded Virginia peanut.

 

Additionally, he has been involved with the release of several soybean varietie4s, namely, Oksoy and Sohoma and the cooperative release of Columbus and Forrest. Other variety releases have included Esser and Kinman guar and Lincoln and MIAC/Morocco Food Legumes program and has acted as major advisor for 22 graduate students and participated as a member of 77 other graduate committees. Over the years, he taught courses related to plant breeding and genetics and oilseed, pulse and mucilage crops to numerous students and served as the Graduate Student Coordinator for the department. Many of his former students occupy prominent positions in universities throughout the United States and other countries of the world.

 

He has been an active participant in numerous annual meetings of the Oklahoma Peanut Commission, the Southwest Peanut Growers Association, the Oklahoma Texas Peanut Seed Producers Group and other similar organizations.

 

Dr. Kirby received the distinguished "Fellow Award" from the American Peanut Research and Education Society in 1990 and the "Outstanding Faculty Research Award" in the department of Plant and Soil Sciences in 1998.

 

He and his wife, Barbara, continue to reside in the Stillwater/Perkins community and are enjoying spending more time with their family and grandchildren and the challenges associated with a "farm enterprise". 

 

Edward L. Smith

Edward L. Smith retired December 31, 1998, after 32 years in the small grans breeding program with major emphasis on wheat. He received a B.S. and M.S. in Agronomy from Oklahoma A&M College in 1954 and 1959, respectively, and a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University of Minnesota in 1962. He was an Assistant Professor in Agronomy at the University of Tennessee in 1962-63 and the Research Advisor for the Oklahoma State University-AID program in Ethiopia from 1963-65. After returning from Ethiopia, he served one year, 1965-66, as an Assistant Professor of Agronomy at the University of Illinois before joining Oklahoma State University as Assistant Professor  in 1966. From 1985-87, he served as Coordinator, Cereal Breeding Program for the OSU/MidAmerica International Agricultural Consortium-AID Program in Morocco and has visited other international wheat breeding programs around the world.

 

Along the way Dr. Smith advised more than 50 graduate students, wrote some journal articles and book chapters, taught some classes, and had input into a wide architectural change in wheat grown in the Southern Great Plains, i.e. change from tall wheat to semi-dwarf wheat. He participated in improvement int he way wheat is utilized in Oklahoma, i.e. for grain, forage or dual purpose. He waged war against the ever-changing populations of greenbugs, races of leaf rust, various soil-borne diseases and other stresses to improve yield and quality of both grain and forage. His efforts resulted in 14 wheat-, 4 barley- and 3 oat-variety releases plus 23 wheat-, 2 triticale- and and 1 rye-germplasm releases. He was recognized as a "Fellow" in the American Society of Agronomy in 1983 and "Fellow" in the Crop Science Society of America in 1985. He was appointed to Regents Professor at Oklahoma State University and served in that capacity from 1988-96. Dr. Smith was named Distinguished Professor and Wheat Genetics Chair in 1989 and held that position until 1997.

 

Ed and his wife continue to reside in Stillwater.

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1998

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Jim Enis

Jim Enis was employed by Oklahoma State University as the Area Specialized Agent in Agronomy for 19 years. He grew up on a ranch near Wilburton, OK and graduated from Wilburton High School. Jim attended Oklahoma State University and graduated with a B.S. degree in 1971 and a M.S. degree in 1973. After graduation, he taught Agronomy at Murray State College at Tishimingo and also taught high school science for one year. He began working for OSU as Area Specialized Agent in Agronomy in 1978 in the Northeast area office at Muskogee. He then moved to the Southeast area office in McSlester where he worked for 16 years.

 

Jim was a familiar face to many farmers and ranchers, farm service agency personnel, seed, fertilizer, and agriculture chemical industry personnel in the 19 county area he served. Over the years, Jim conducted many meetings, workshops, and demonstrations. Often, you could see Jim coming sown the road pulling his "multi-tank" farm sprayer on his way to put out a weed or brush control study, or putting out flags to mark a forage fertilization, crop variety or legume demonstration. Jim provided a valuable service and was well respected by producers and agriculture agents. One of Jim's greatest assets was his ability to take advantage of the "teachable moment" and to know when and when not to offer his expertise on production practice alternatives to his clientele in southeastern Oklahoma.

 

Currently, Jim and his wife Linda and their two sons, Neil and Brad, operate a 3400-acre cattle ranch in Latimer County.  Their operation is mainly a back grounding operation where they purchase approximately 1500 light calves, and feed them on introduced and native pastures before sending them to the feedlot. They also have 400 acres of managed pine timber production. Jim is now putting onto practice much of his agronomic preaching.

 

Jim is very active in the community having served on the Boards of Directors including Farm Credit Services of East Central Oklahoma, Production Credit Association, and the Latimer Co. Conservation District.