The CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award gives public recognition to those who have brought distinction to themselves and the college at large through their participation, commitment, and leadership. We have been honoring individuals with this award since 1971, and in that time we have honored 358 individuals. Of those honored over the years, 86% are male, 14% are female, this compares to the current alumni population which includes 44,554 individuals with 67% male and 33% female. Honorees of this award represent each of the College's Academic units with 32% coming from the Department of Animal Sciences, 17% from the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership, and 16% from the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. We checked in with them to see what they have accomplished since earning their award and what it meant to them. Hear from a few of our honorees below.
Bernie Scott, ’61 BS Agricultural Education, ’77 MS Agricultural Education
CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award, 2007
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: It was an inspiring experience for me personally, especially having my wife, Jean, and entire seven grown children and their spouses present!
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: The 2013 induction into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame at the Ohio State Fair!
Q: Do you have other thoughts or comments about your experience with CFAES Alumni Awards and your alumni experience?
A: I keep realizing or imagining that the 2007 Ag Alumni Award seemed like a gateway recognition leading to my 2009 Ohio State Duncan Alumni Citizenship Award and later the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame!
Karl Kisner, ’90 BS Agronomy
CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award, 2016
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: Recognition of my career achievements by my alma mater—but it could not have happened without the schooling, training, and teaching that I discovered while at Ohio State.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: Since the award, I was able to help my company go through a merger and then develop and lead its Global Marketing Team. Most recently, I accepted a new role, director of corporate strategy with Veseris, a company that is focused on the specialty pesticide markets—structural pest control, turf, and ornamental. Though the company name has changed, it’s the same company I started with upon graduation from Ohio State.
Nick Christians, ’77 MS Agronomy, ’79 PhD Agronomy
CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award, 2013
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: It was one of the highlights of my career. It was also good to get back to campus and see how it had changed.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: Distinguished Service Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America in 2017.
Q: Do you have other thoughts or comments about your experience with CFAES Alumni Awards and your alumni experience?
A: The college was an excellent host during my visit to campus. They made sure that I saw everything that I wanted to see.
Larry Lokai, ’67 BS Agricultural Education, ’73 MS Agricultural Education
CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award, 2016
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: A great honor and humbling experience, when one looks at the great alumni from Ohio State. I was a 30-year career teacher and FFA advisor, plus in 1997 won a Ruby Award for 30 years as a 4-H advisor. I was very honored to be on stage with so many great leaders from The Ohio State University.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: Since 2016, when I won the award, I have helped coach the past four Ohio FFA Milk Quality and Products champions. East Knox FFA was the state winner in 2016, 2017, and 2019. In 2018, the team from Lynchburg Clay FFA won the Ohio contest. However, one of the proudest moments I had was in 2019, when I helped coach the top four Ohio FFA Milk Quality and Products teams plus 16 of the top 20 students in Ohio. They included 1st, East Knox, Howard, Ohio; 2nd, Felicity Franklin FFA, Felicity, Ohio; 3rd, East Clinton FFA, Lees Creek, Ohio; and 4th, Versailles FFA, Versailles, Ohio. For four weeks before the state finals, I was averaging 900–1,000 miles a week going to four different schools.
James Males, ’73 PhD Animal Science
CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award, 2006
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: I was nominated for the award by my major professor, Dr. Burk Dehority. I was honored that he nominated me and more honored to receive the award. I was also the second member of my family to receive a College Alumni Award. It was a personal achievement to follow in the footsteps of my uncle, Herman Purdy. It was also the first time that many of the emeritus faculty in Animal Sciences knew that I was related to Herman.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: I successfully completed my career as a department administrator at Oregon State University. This included getting a major building project started. The most significant building in the project was a livestock arena, a large wet lab teaching facility, and additional classroom space. After retirement, I worked half-time and managed the facility and taught for three years. Since total retirement, I have written a book, The Purdys: A Cattle Family. The book includes a history of the beef cattle program at Ohio State from 1939 to 1954, and a complete biography of Professor Herman Purdy, including the 1946 National Champion Livestock Judging Team from Ohio State, which he coached.
John Foltz, ’79 BS Agricultural Economics, ’81 MS Agricultural Economics
CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award, 2012
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: I owe a lot to The Ohio State University: two degrees, it is where I met my wife, and it is where I made friendships which have lasted since college days. Receiving the award was a very nice recognition of my efforts in life and in agriculture.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: Educating young people as a college professor for 30 years. Youth are our future!
Q: Do you have other thoughts or comments about your experience with CFAES Alumni Awards and your alumni experience?
A: Being a Buckeye alum makes me a member of a large and meaningful group. My experience at Ohio State and within CFAES was world class and gave me the “keys to the world.” Coming back after almost 40 years to be on the faculty at Ohio State is allowing me to continue to be a part of what we do as a great university.
Richard Munson, ’71 BS Horticulture
CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award, 1998
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: First of all, I was totally surprised and felt undeserving of the award. Upon reflection, I am deeply honored and somewhat proud to be a member of a group of alumni to be recognized as having contributed positively to the college. I am humbled to be honored.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: I was elected as a fellow of the International Plant Propagators’ Society in 2005. It is an organization of industry and academic professionals who embody all that is good about the nursery industry.
Q: Do you have other thoughts or comments about your experience with CFAES Alumni Awards and your alumni experience?
A: I am a Buckeye forever and always proud of my association with CFAES, and I always let others know it!
Fred Hegele, ’65 BS Food Technology Agriculture
CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award, 2013
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: I have always felt surrounded by great people at Ohio State and in CFAES, so receiving recognition from within such a prestigious group is humbling.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: I have done some mission work in Kenya for teenage moms and their babies, I have helped with an early childhood development initiative for families living in poverty, and I have chaired the Phi Kappa Psi Foundation Board of Trustees in providing educational benefits to undergraduates.
L. Andre ‘Andy’ Swiger, ’54 BS Animal Science
CFAES Distinguished Alumni Award, 2003
Q: Describe what receiving a CFAES Alumni Award meant to you.
A: After 15 years on the faculty at Ohio State, I went to Virginia Tech as head of Animal Science, then associate dean for research, and finally dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. To return for this special recognition was very fulfilling to me because of my lifelong love and respect for Ohio State.
Q: What has been your greatest achievement and/or milestone since winning your alumni award?
A: About all that was left for me was retirement. I have been hung four times: first by the Ohio State Saddle and Sirloin Club, second by the Virginia Tech Block and Bridle Club, third by the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame, and finally by our College Hall of Fame.
Q: Do you have other thoughts or comments about your experience with CFAES Alumni Awards and your alumni experience?
A: As a member of our local alumni association, I enjoyed a speaking visit by Archie and one by a past director of the marching band.