| 1997 | Mark C. Ackelson, President Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation |
| 1996 | Colin G. Scanes Executive Associate Dean College of Agriculture |
| 1995 | Floyd Doering, retired agricultural educator, Madison, WI |
| 1994 | Duane C. Acker, Former USDA Assistant Secretary and President, Kansas State University; now farming in SW Iowa |
| 1993 | R. Kirby Barrick The Ohio State University |
| 1992 | Dorothy Muffet, Director of R&D Betty Crocker Brands General Mills Foods |
| 1991 | Gordon E. Dickerson, Recipient of the GSD International Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture |
| 1990 | Thomas A. Fretz, Assoc. Dean College of Agriculture Iowa State University |
| 1989 | David G. Topel, Dean College of Agriculture Iowa State University |
| 1988 | John R. Campbell, President Oklahoma State University |
| 1987 | Fred Hubbell Younkers, Inc. |
| 1986 | Gordon P. Eaton, President Iowa State University |
| 1985 | John Conrads John Deere and Company |
| 1984 | Kenneth L. Larson, Assoc. Dean College of Agriculture Iowa State University |
| 1983 | Jay Mattison Dairy Science Major 1st ISU Ag Travel Course to China |
| 1982 | Louis M. Thompson, Assoc. Dean College of Agriculture Iowa State University |
| 1981 | Earl O. Heady, Director CARD Iowa State University |
| 1980 | William Armistead |
| 1979 | James P. Tobin County Extension Director Adair County |
| 1978 | Roger Mitchell, Dean College of Agriculture University of Missouri |
| 1977 | Lauren Soth Editor, Editorial Pages The Des Moines Register |
| 1976 | Mrs. Lenore Romney |
| 1975 | William Huegg |
| 1974 | George Borgstrom |
| 1973 | Lee J. Kolmer, Dean College of Agriculture Iowa State University |
| 1972 | Glen Burton ARS-USDA |
| 1971 | Roy Kottman, Dean College of Agriculture The Ohio State University |
| 1970 | R. James Hildreth, Managing Director Farm Foundation |
| 1969 | Carroll Hess, Dean College of Agriculture Kansas State University |
| 1968 | Homer Folks |
| 1967 | Wayne C. Scholtes Professor of Agronomy Iowa State University |
| 1966 | Willard Lane |
| 1965 | Duane C. Acker, President Kansas State University |
| 1964 | D. H. Kelley University of Nebraska |
| 1963 | M. B. Russell University of Illinois |
| 1962 | C. P. Wilson, Dean College of Agriculture Kansas State University |
| 1961 | J. P. Mather, President American College Testing Programs |
| 1960 | Fred Lorch Iowa State University |
| 1959 | O. S. Willham, President Oklahoma State University |
| 1958 | Mason Ladd, Dean College of Law University of Iowa |
| 1957 | W. E. Morgan, President Colorado A&M |
| 1956 | M. R. Irwin University of Wisconsin |
| 1955 | V. M. Hancher, President University of Iowa |
| 1954 | James H. Hilton, President Iowa State College |
| 1953 | V. B. Hamilton, President Farmers Hybrid Hampton |