8/27/98

Contacts:
Mike Telford, External Relations, 515/294-7677
Ed Adcock, Agriculture Information, 515/294-2314

FOUR ISU ALUMNI TO BE HONORED AT AGRICULTURE ALUMNI WEEKEND

AMES, Iowa -- The Iowa State University College of Agriculture Alumni Society will honor four ISU graduates for their work in agriculture. The alumni will be honored during Alumni Weekend festivities at ISU Sept. 4-5.

Pete Hermanson, John Cotton, Kay Connelly and Roger Bruene will receive awards for outstanding efforts in four categories. Hermanson of Story City will receive the Production Agriculture Award. He developed a family turkey production business and is a board member of the recently organized Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative and the National Turkey Federation. He has been a member of the Iowa Turkey Marketing Council and served for seven years on the executive committee of the National Turkey Federation before serving as president in 1988. Hermanson received his bachelor's degree from ISU in agricultural business.

John Cotton of Spencer is the recipient of the Professional Agribusiness Award. Cotton is known for his work as a farm manager, appraiser and realtor in Northwest Iowa. He is a member of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, belonging to both the Iowa and Minnesota chapters. Cotton is past president of the Iowa Society and has been active in the YMCA, serving on both its national council and as president of the Mid-American Region Assembly. He was named "Citizen of the Year" for the town of Spencer in 1993 and is a past recipient of the ISU Service Key Award. In addition, he has served as chairman and member on the Board of Regents of Luther College in Decorah. Cotton received his bachelor's degree from ISU in agricultural business.

The recipient of this year's Innovators in Agriculture Award is Kay Connelly of Cedar Falls. After graduating from ISU, Connelly joined ISU Extension serving as a youth assistant. He served for eight years as Butler County's extension director, and then was promoted to crop production specialist for Northeast Iowa. Today, Connelly is an independent crop consultant, operating under the business name "C 8 M P" in Cedar Falls. He has won several awards in the past including the ISU College of Agriculture award in applied research and extension, the Meritorious Service Award from ISU Extension, Outstanding Leadership and Conservation Award from the division of the soil conservation for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Distinguished Service Award from Extension.

The Meritorious Award in Agriculture will be presented to Roger Bruene of Ames. Bruene was born on a farm near Gladbook and received his bachelor's degree in agronomy from ISU. Following graduation, he served as an ISU Extension youth assistant for Black Hawk County prior to becoming a curriculum adviser for the ISU College of Agriculture, and then head of curriculum in farm operations. In 1975, Bruene became director of placement for the college. He developed a placement program viewed as one of the best in the land-grant university system. His achievements in program development and leadership in the academic community have led to many awards including the Outstanding Faculty Adviser Award, Farmhouse Fraternity Doane Award, Cardinal Key and Alumni Association Faculty Citation.

Alumni, faculty and friends are invited to attend the Agriculture Alumni Society weekend events. Some of the highlights include a golf tournament, open houses and tours of campus.

For more information about Alumni weekend call 515-294-4548. Information is also available on the College of Agriculture's home page at http://www.ag.iastate.edu.

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