FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 18, 2009

 

Contact:  Sarah Tesmer, 612-624-6256

 

2009 Outstanding Agricultural Mentor Award

In Its Sixth Year

 

Nominations are being sought for the 2009 Outstanding Agricultural Mentor Award.  The Outstanding Agricultural Mentor Award is in its sixth year and recognizes people in agriculture who have been positive mentors and role models for people in agricultural fields, especially women.  Mentors play an integral role in the development of our agricultural leaders and they often go unheralded. Minnesota District 11 Agri-Women formally recognizes the excellent work of these mentors during their annual Women’s Agricultural Leadership Conference. Please assist us in recognizing these outstanding mentors by nominating a mentor that has made an impact for agriculturalists. 

 

The Outstanding Agricultural Mentor Awards will be presented during the luncheon at the 11^th Annual Women’s Agricultural Leadership Conference on April 14, 2009 at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, Minnesota.   

 

Anyone may nominate a mentor to receive this award.  You do not have to be in a formal mentoring program to make a nomination.  Mentors can be of any age or gender and need to have influenced somebody in the field of agriculture. Although this award is coordinated by Minnesota District 11 Agri-Women, mentors or their nominators need not be affiliated with the Agri-Women organization, nor is affiliation considered criteria for evaluation.

Applications are due March 20, 2009 and may be found at the Agriculture 2009: Activating “Generation Next” conference web site www.womensagleadership.org or by e-mailing Sarah Tesmer at tesm0010@umn.edu.

Past Mentoring Award winners include:

• Carol Abrahamzon, President and Producer, Minnesota CattleWomen;
• Mary Buschette, Alumni Relations Director, University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences;
• Tim Claus, Formerly with John Deere;
• Dale Dahl, Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota;
• Yvonne Erickson, Producer;
• Annette & Kay Fernholz, Agricultural Producers;
• Robin Kinney, Area Program Director, Minnesota Farm Bureau;
• Robert Marzolf, Agriculture Teacher, Forest Lake Area High School;
• Becky Meyer, Director, Academy for Sciences and Agriculture;
• Doris Mold, Agricultural Consultant and Producer;
• Sherry Newell-Opitz, Producer Service Coordinator, Midwest Dairy Association;
• Barb Overlie, Producer;
• Barb Piehl, Regional Extension Educator;
• Juanita Reed-Boniface, Producer, Past State 4-H Coordinator;
• Jim Stordahl, Extension Educator Polk County;
• Julie Tesch, Executive Director, Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council;
• Tamia Trulson, Lecturer/Advisor, University of Wisconsin-River Falls;
• Susan VonBank, Coordinator, MAST International;
• Stephanie Wohlhuter, Agriculture Teacher, Academy for Sciences and Agriculture.