Purdue dean of agriculture named university provost
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue President France A. Córdova on March 26 announced that William R. “Randy” Woodson, dean of Purdue Agriculture, will be the university’s next provost, effective May 1.

Woodson, who has served as the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture since 2004, will succeed Victor L. Lechtenberg, who has been interim provost since July when Sally Mason left Purdue to become president of the University of Iowa.

As provost, Woodson will be responsible for oversight of all Purdue colleges and schools and related academic activities in coordination with the Office of the President. His office will oversee academic systems such as the libraries, computing center and student services (admissions, registrar, financial aid, health facilities), along with all Purdue cultural centers. The provost’s office also oversees issues of academic concern for the university’s four regional campuses and the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service.
As dean, Woodson has served as the CEO for the college, the Indiana Agricultural Experiment Station and extension. In addition, the dean oversees a number of regulatory services including the state Chemist Office, the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, the Indiana Wine-Grape Council and various marketing boards.

Woodson joined the Purdue faculty in 1985 and became a professor in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture in 1993. He was the director of the plant biology program from 1995-97. From 1996-98, Woodson also served as the head of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture.

In 1998 he was named associate dean of agriculture and director of agricultural research programs and was responsible for overseeing the university’s research programs in agriculture, including fiscal management and other responsibilities such as program development and direction, budgeting, pursuit of outside funding for research and advocacy for agricultural and natural resources research.

While dean, Woodson led the college’s effort to hire more than 100 new faculty; partnered with the College of Science to launch the Climate Change Research Center; developed or enhanced a number of student success programs such as leadership development and study abroad; increased sponsored research from $41.6 million in 2003-04 to $67 million; hired more than 100 new county educators; and created the college’s Office of Multicultural Programs.

A native of Arkansas, Woodson received a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and chemistry from the University of Arkansas and a master’s degree in horticulture and doctorate in horticulture/plant physiology from Cornell University. Prior to coming to Purdue, he was an assistant professor of horticulture at Louisiana State University.

Carver named to biodiesel Sustainability Task Force

URBANDALE, Iowa — The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) appointed nine members to its newly created Sustainability Task Force, charged to ensure the U.S. biodiesel industry continues to protect the environment. Among those named to the group is Victoria Carver, senior program and resource advisor with the Iowa Soybean Assoc. (ISA).

The Sustainability Task Force was appointed by NBB Governing Board Chairman Ed Hegland. According to Carver, her appointment to the Task Force is appropriate recognition of the work ISA has done for years, including the development of environmental management practices that address soil and energy conservation, water quality and pest and nutrient management.

Production Credit Corp. hires Cooper as credit officer
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Producers Credit Corp., a wholly-owned credit subsidiary of United Producers, Inc., has announced the hiring of Tris Cooper.

Cooper joined Producers Credit Corp. as its regional credit officer for the Northeast Ohio Region. In an effort to provide better service to its customers, the company has re-aligned Ohio to give northeastern customers a dedicated credit officer for the region.
He comes from a community bank in Marion, Ohio, and has more than 20 years lending experience in both agricultural and commercial credit. Born and raised on a cow-calf operation in southern Ohio, he is a 1983 graduate of Wilmington College. Cooper resides in the Marion area, which will serve as his home office.