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Names in the News - May 17, 2017
 
AFIA gives Distinguished Service Award to Bob Brill
 
ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Feed Industry Assoc. honored Bob Brill with its 2017 Distinguished Service Award for his lifelong contributions to the feed industry May 9 in Arlington, Va. The Distinguished Service Award is AFIA’s highest honor. The award recipients are elite members of the U.S. feed industry that have provided outstanding support to AFIA and the entire feed industry throughout their careers. Brill began his career at IBM, where he was introduced to the concept of linear programming. He then started Software Dynamics Inc., which used that concept for least-cost feed formulation. This revolutionized the feed industry, saving millions of dollars by allowing all nutritional requirements from an array of ingredients to be met in the best cost combination.

 After selling his first company, he began Brill Corp., which began work with mini computers, and later was the first company to offer linear programming for personal computers. This company expanded into South America, bringing the technology into the broader feed industry. Brill Corp. was sold in the late 1990s, and Brill then founded Brilliant Alternatives, where he focused on bringing his technology into more international markets, especially Asia.

“Bob has been a great asset to the success of AFIA, as well as the U.S. and global feed industry,” said AFIA President and CEO Joel G. Newman. “He is a world-class, renowned software expert who helped to revolutionize the feed industry.”

Brill has served on AFIA’s Technology Committee and has been involved in other trade associations, including the Canadian Feed Industry Assoc. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and statistics from Lebanon Valley College and a master’s degree in mathematics from Penn State University.

Bob Wyffels recognized for leadership, achievement

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) recently presented Robert “Bob” Wyffels with an Award of Merit – the highest alumni honor awarded by the college.

Recipients are chosen for their outstanding lifetime professional achievement, exemplary leadership and service in professional and community organizations to enhance and improve the lives of others.

Wyffels, co-owner and vice president of production for Wyffels Hybrids, is an innovator in seed production committed to providing only the best products and highest quality seed to his customers. 
 
“Under Bob’s leadership, the company earned an outstanding reputation for seed quality, plantability and germination standards,” said Mitch Heisler, Wyffels marketing manager. “Bob has been the driving force behind this reputation, and he and his team take great pride in finding new ways to improve processes to make sure Wyffels Hybrids delivers the best product possible to our customers.”

Wyffels has served the seed industry in many ways as a member of the American Seed Trade Assoc. and Illinois Seed Trade Assoc. He has also served his community on the Geneseo Park Board, Henry County Extension Board and Henry County 4-H Board.

Along with Wyffels, the college also honored four other individuals with the Award of Merit: John McNamara, emeritus professor, Washington State University and consultant for McNamara Research in Agriculture; Keith Parr, partner, Locke Lord, LLP; Leon Corzine, president, LPC Farms Inc.; and Robert Easter, president emeritus, University of Illinois, and emeritus professor.

Child farm injury prevention leader wins research award

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The National Rural Health Assoc. (NRHA) has selected childhood agricultural injury prevention leader Barbara Lee as the recipient of its 2017 Outstanding Researcher Award. Dr. Lee is director of the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, and interim director of the National Farm Medicine Center, both part of Marshfield Clinic Research Institute in Marshfield, Wis.

Lee and other major award winners were honored May 11 at the NRHA annual conference in San Diego. Although she could not be present, Lee used her acceptance video to thank NRHA for highlighting childhood agricultural health and safety efforts. She said she was accepting the award on behalf of her researchers and staff, past and present.

Lee’s experience as an early-career nurse in a rural hospital sparked her passion for agricultural health and safety. She directed development of an action plan, leading to the National Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention Initiative, implemented in 1996 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Lee also chaired major efforts establishing voluntary standards for children’s work in agriculture, and for protecting non-working children.

Since 1997, she has directed the NIOSH-funded National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. During that time, the rate of childhood farm-related, nonfatal injuries has declined by nearly 70 percent, an accomplishment described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the top ten public health successes of the last decade.

CountryMark names finance and administration VP

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — CountryMark recently named Jo Biggers as the new vice president of finance and administration leading five corporate teams including finance and accounting, information technology, human resources, division orders and purchasing.

“After a long and thorough search, I believe that Jo has the desired attributes of strategic thinking, intellectual curiosity, personal accountability, analytical acumen and team dynamics in order to successfully lead the finance and administration team,” said Charlie Smith, chief executive officer for CountryMark.

In her new role, Biggers will work with the executive leadership team to manage the financial future of CountryMark as well as direct and lead a diverse portfolio of critical administrative responsibilities. Biggers was most recently the vice president of finance at Midcontinent ISO (MISO) in Carmel, Ind.

American Humane adds strategic alliances manager

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Humane Farm Program has named Sarah Wilbourn as its new Strategic Alliances Manager. Sarah previously worked as the Director of Animal Welfare for United Egg Producers. She will be focusing on outreach to farms, ranches, and retailers for American Humane’s Farm Animal Certification programs.

Wilbourn is a graduate of Auburn University where she received her bachelor’s degree in Poultry Science with minors in Agricultural Business and Hunger Studies. During college, Sarah  interned with several international agribusiness companies, including Keystone Foods, Tyson Foods and Elanco Animal Health. Her educational training combined with the opportunities she has been afforded allow Sarah to effectively communicate with a wide range of stakeholders including farmer/producers, scientists, regulatory officials, allied industries, and others.

Wilbourn can be reached by email at sarahw@americanhumane.org or 202-677-4251.

Hoosier families honored for their agricultural heritage

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Director Ted McKinney presented 39 families with a Hoosier Homestead Award on April 7 in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.

“Agriculture contributes $31 billion to our state’s economy, and it’s because of the hard work, dedication and innovation of Indiana’s farming families,” Crouch said. “I want to congratulate them on earning the Hoosier Homestead Award and for their commitment to continuing Indiana’s legacy as an agricultural leader.”

To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years and consist of more than 20 acres or produce more than $1,000 of agricultural products per year. Based on the number of years, farms were eligible to receive the Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, the Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership and the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership. Notably, the Bicentennial Award was presented to one family during Friday’s ceremony. To see the full list of 2017 awardees, visit http://in.gov/isda/files/hha%20spring%202017.pdf

Tiger-Sul hires US/Canada sales manager

SHELTON, Conn. — Tiger-Sul, a global leader in sulphur fertilizers and crop performance products, announced that sales veteran Christopher (Kit) Rowe has joined the Tiger-Sul team to fill a key US/Canada sales manager position.

As US/Canada sales manager, Rowe will lead the overall Tiger-Sul sales expansion efforts and work closely with regional account managers to provide support in their individual territories. Rowe joins Tiger-Sul with more than 30 years of industry experience. He earned his degree in environmental life science from Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio. He started his career in the turf and ornamental sector and has extensive experience in agribusiness, managing various territories. Rowe’s technical expertise, complemented by his years of experience in the agricultural industry, position him to lead Tiger-Sul’s growth in the US and Canadian market.

FMC Agricultural Solutions names industry relations chief

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Mike Harper has been named industry relations manager for FMC Agricultural Solutions in the U.S. and Canada. In his new role, Harper will lead the company’s industry association relationships, facilitate industry stewardship and advance FMC industry goals. 
 
Harper joins the marketing team from the company’s Agricultural Solutions sales team, where he served as a retail market manager in Missouri for 37 years, selling and servicing retail and wholesale accounts in the crop protection sector.

Over the years, he has supported various FMC marketing segment teams and assisted with intern training and coordination. Harper has been actively involved in the MO-Ag Industries Council board and the Certified Crop Advisors State Board of Missouri. Harper is a graduate of Purdue University. He and his wife Bobbi will continue to reside in Columbia, Mo. 
5/18/2017