Three past-presidents of ARPAS were recipients of the 2010 Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist Award.
Dr. Irv T. Omtvedt served as ARPAS president from 1986 to 1987. He is vice president emeritus for Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska, vice chancellor emeritus for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), and professor emeritus of Animal Science. He received his BA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and MS and PhD from Oklahoma State University. Omtvedt joined UNL in 1975 as head of the Department of Animal Science. Prior to being appointed IANR vice chancellor in 1988, he served five years as dean for agricultural research at UNL. In addition, he served as interim senior vice chancellor for academic affairs from 1996 to 1997 and served as the vice chancellor for extended education from 1997 to 1999.
Dr. Larry Berger (left) and Dr. Andy Cole (right) present the Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist award to Dr. Irv Omtvedt.
Dr. James L. Williamson served as ARPAS president from 1987 to 1988. He is a native of Ben Hill County, Georgia, where he grew up on a small general farm. He majored in animal husbandry in the College of Agriculture at the University of Georgia and graduated with a BS in agriculture in 1951. He received his MS in agriculture in 1952. He had been the cadet Colonel Commander of the Air Force ROTC at the University of Georgia, so then he served for two years as an intelligence officer on Okinawa for the 19th Bomb Wing and 20th Air Force Headquarters until the end of the Korean War.
After his active Air Force duty tour, he returned to the University of Illinois and earned a PhD in animal science in 1957. His career spanned 33 years with Ralston Purina, starting with beef cattle and sheep research. He did product development at the Purina Research Farm and technical services work with the sales force, dealers, and customers in the United States and several foreign countries. He was named division vice president in the Purina Chow Division, with responsibilities for the research and technical staffs, the Gray Summit, Missouri, research farm, and a beef research ranch in Oklahoma, and he was a member of the management board for the Chow Division. He was transferred to the Ralston Purina corporate group as senior vice president and director of corporate research until his retirement. During his Ralston Purina career, he was active in several university, industry, and government organizations. He was chairman of the Agricultural Research Institute in Washington, DC, and was on advisory committees for the USDA and FDA. He was on advisory committees for several universities, including Auburn University, Berry College, University of California, University of Missouri, Purdue University, Texas A & M, and Texas Tech. Williamson was chairman of the Nutrition Council of the American Feed Manufacturers Association; a director and fellow of the American Society of Animal Sciences; and a founding member, president, and the first life member of ARPAS.
Dr. Walter R. Woods served ARPAS as president from 1984 to 1985. Woods was dean of agriculture at Kansas State University from 1985 to 1990. He was also named director of extension on January 1, 1987. This administrative restructuring made him responsible for the total administration in agriculture.
Walter Woods grew up on a general livestock farm in western Virginia. He received a BS degree from Murray State University, 1954, an MS degree from the University of Kentucky, 1955, and a PhD at Oklahoma State University, 1957. He began his career as a teacher and researcher on the animal science faculty at Iowa State University in 1957 and moved to Nebraska in 1960. Woods served as head of the Animal Sciences Department at Purdue University from 1971 to 1985 before being named dean of agriculture at Kansas State.
In early September of 2010, Dr. Dana Tomlinson presented the Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist award to
Dr. Richard Frahm who received the honor last year. Dr. Frahm served as ARPAS Secretary (1989–1993), Southern Director (1988–1990), and as our second Executive Vice-President (2002–2007).
Dr. Dana Tomlinson (left) presents the Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist award to Dr. Richard Frahm.
The ARPAS Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist Award, initiated in 2008, is bestowed annually on one or more emeritus members of ARPAS who have made significant contributions to the animal sciences during their active career and have served in a leadership position within ARPAS.