DASNR Distinguished Agriculture Alumni changed people’s lives

The three were honored in late October as 2007 recipients of the college’s Distinguished Agriculture Alumnus award.

Each of the 2007 recipients has in some way provided great service to society, said Ed Miller, associate dean of academic programs in the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, which is comprised of the college and two statewide organizations: the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station system and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.

“We’re very proud of each of these individual’s contributions,” Miller said. “These three embody a key message we tell all our students, that there are many ways an individual can apply him or herself and benefit society, and that they should strive to do so in their careers and lives.”

DASNR distinguished agricultural alumni for 2007 are (from left to right) Dennis White, Eddie Smith and Byrd Curtis. (Photos by Todd Johnson)

Smith, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education from OSU in 1968 and 1977, respectively, dedicated himself to the youth of Oklahoma and their success.

He began his career as an educator in 1969 at Fargo High School and later taught at Burlington High School. In 1976, he took a position with the Oklahoma Department of Vocational and Technical Education, now called the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. In 1981, he became the state supervisor of the Agricultural Education Division, a position he held until his retirement earlier this year.

“Mr. Smith oversaw the complete revitalization and modernization of Oklahoma’s instructional curriculum and course offerings, expanding students’ knowledge beyond traditional agriculture production to help prepare them for careers in agribusiness and off-farm agricultural-related opportunities,” said Robert E. Whitson, vice president, dean and director of agricultural programs at OSU.

Smith has literally made positive contributions to the lives of hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma youth, said Charles Cox, OSU Cooperative Extension State 4-H Program leader. 4-H is the official youth development thrust of Cooperative Extension at both the state and national levels.

“Eddie has promoted a strong leadership program for agricultural education students through participation in FFA, and has often publicly spoken about the positive contributions that FFA and 4-H make in the lives of youth and families in our state,” Cox said. “We take pride in the number of Truman scholars at OSU who have come through our 4-H and FFA programs, many being active members in both organizations.”

Smith and his family were instrumental in the establishment of the Stillwater Sirloin Club, which raises funds through memberships to help 4-H and FFA members develop and promote agriculture through their supervised agricultural experience projects.

In 2004, Smith was named the Outstanding Member recipient of the National Association of State Supervisors of Agricultural Education. He has been a member of Leadership Oklahoma, the National FFA Board of Directors, Southwest American Livestock Association board of trustees, National Agricultural Education Teacher’s Association and Oklahoma Youth Exposition board of directors, among others.

Like Smith, Curtis also embodies the college’s commitment that its graduates should strive to benefit society.

“Byrd Curtis has distinguished himself in the area of research, primarily in providing food for the world,” Miller said.

Curtis – born to poor, cotton tenant farmers near Roosevelt, Okla. in 1926 – earned his doctoral degree in plant breeding and genetics from OSU in 1959, and his bachelor’s degrees in agronomy from OSU, which was then called Oklahoma A&M, in 1950. He earned his master’s degree in crop production from Kansas State University in 1951.

His agronomic career has been with small grains, primarily wheat improvement, and in development and management of wheat research programs. Curtis was a pioneer in research on genetics of resistance to the highly destructive aphid insect to wheat known as the greenbug.

An associate professor of agronomy at OSU and then at Colorado State University, Curtis moved from academia to industry in 1967. Curtis was responsible for initiating and directing the large and progressive Hybrid Wheat Research Program for Cargill Inc. from 1967-1981. He and his staff developed wheat lines with improved crops-pollination traits, leading to the sale of wheat hybrids in the United States.

In 1981, Curtis became director of CIMMYT’s Wheat Program, the third individual to hold the position. CIMMYT is the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, a non-profit research and training center with direct links to about 100 developing countries. He managed the world’s largest germplasm development and international testing network for wheat, triticale and barley, for human consumption. Curtis retired from CIMMYT in 1991 and lives in Ft. Collins, Colo.

Only a handful of cereal crop breeders carry a comparable level of notoriety as Byrd C. Curtis that does not seem to fade as retirement years accumulate, said Brett Carver, OSU Regents professor and Wheat Genetics Chair in Agriculture.

“The rank of ‘household name’ within a research community as vast as wheat breeders and geneticists is not achieved by a single accomplishment, no matter its significance; rather, it results from laying a succession of foundations for others to achieve greatness,” Carver said. “Dr. Curtis laid foundations for generations of wheat scientists from the Great Plains of the United States to Mexico, to China and beyond.”

The third 2007 OSU agriculture alumnus honoree has similarly provided long-lasting, positive effects for the state and nation’s animal agriculture industry.

“Dennis White is well respected throughout the national network of companies and organizations that support the cattle industry,” said Dave Lalman, associate professor and OSU Cooperative Extension beef cattle specialist. “When Dennis speaks, other people listen, and he has been willing to share his expertise, experience and knowledge with his fellow producers by speaking at Cooperative Extension educational meetings and assisting with program development.”

A resident of Ninnekah, White earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree in animal science from OSU in 1964 and 1969, respectively. He earned his doctoral degree in ruminant nutrition from Texas A&M University in 1972.

He began his professional career in 1964 as an administrative trainee and manager of the sliced bacon department at Wilson and Co. in Oklahoma City. After earning his graduate degrees, he served as a Texas A&M livestock specialist from 1972-1975, working with beef cattle producers to increase production efficiency.

White then served as director of the American National Cattlemen’s Association Feeder Council for two years and was instrumental in getting legislation passed to ensure prompt payment to cattle feeders following the bankruptcy of the American Beef packers in 1975.

Following a second stint with Texas A&M as a livestock specialist from 1977-1979, White became a senior technical adviser for Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Co. From 1979-2001, he provided leadership that led to the identification, U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance and production of new technologies for improving animal well-being, carcass value, production efficiency and profitability of the cattle industry.

White served as 2001-2002 president of the OSU Animal Science Alumni Association, during which he initiated a mentoring program for animal science students. He was also instrumental in establishing a large endowment to support department scholarships and judging teams, further enhancing the educational experiences of current-day students.

“Dennis has always had a deep affection for the university and the betterment of agriculture in Oklahoma, including cattle research at OSU,” said Don Wagner, head of the department of animal science. “When we needed to raise required private matching funds to construct the Willard Sparks Beef Research Center at OSU, Dr. White was one of many who helped us be successful in obtaining contributions.”

Today, practical and applied research conducted at the center benefits many segments of cattle industry. Oklahoma is a major stock and feedlot state and imports millions of cattle each year for grazing and feedlot production.

White is also a living embodiment of the cliché, putting your money where your mouth is. Now retired, he and his wife Marta provided $500,000 to establish an endowed chair in stocker and feedlot nutrition at OSU. The endowed chair has been working its way through the system, and today is awaiting only the approval and dissemination of matching funds through the Oklahoma Legislature and State Regents.

“Our 2007 honorees collectively show how a commitment of service can benefit so many, and that there are many ways that can happen based on each individual’s choices and career aspirations,” Miller said. “That is a really good lesson for our students and the rest of us as well.”

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E-Mail: donald.stotts@okstate.edu

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