Rebekah Norman, UT Extension director for Montgomery County (second from left), and Melody Teague Rose, agriculture agent in Greene County, are two of the three recipients of the UT Extension TAAA&S-Hicks Award for UT Extension. Norman and Rose are shown with Dr. Tim Cross, Dean of UT Extension (left) and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor. Not shown is Alan Bruhin, with UT Extension Sevier County, the third recipient of the award. All images courtesy of UTIA.

KNOXVILLE – Thirty-two top faculty, staff, researchers and outreach experts received awards from The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture recently. Thirty-two people were recognized at UTIA’s annual Awards and Promotions Luncheon held in early August. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by past faculty, alumni and friends of the Institute.

“We are so proud of the many talented and dedicated people working for the UT Institute of Agriculture across the state,” says UTIA Chancellor Larry Arrington. “It was an honor to recognize all these award winners for their hard work.”

Dr. Don Tyler (shown on his soapbox), a recently retired professor in biosystems engineering and soil science, was honored with the Institute’s AgResearch Impact Award. Tyler’s research has saved literally millions of acres of top soil through no-till agricultural practices – where one crop is planted on top of the residue of a past crop without plowing the ground. In 2015 he was was honored by the White House as a “Champion of Change for Sustainable Agriculture." Shown with Tyler are Dr. Bill Brown, Dean of UT AgResearch (left), and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.

Justin Thomas (center) with UT Extension in Family and Consumer Sciences in Bradley County is the statewide winner of the Bill and Ann Hicks Outstanding New Extension Worker Award. Also shown are Dr. Tim Cross, Dean of UT Extension (left), and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.

Justin Crowe, an administrator with Tennessee 4-H at its headquarters in Knoxville, is the statewide winner of the Lloyd and Nettie Downen Endowment Award. Pictured (left to right) are Dr. Tim Cross, Dean of UT Extension; Justin Crowe; and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.

The 2016 winners are:

Bill and Ann Hicks New Extension Worker Award – Justin Thomas, UT Extension, Bradley County
Vernon and Ida Darter Award – Heather Kyle-Harmon, UT Extension - Knox County
Lloyd and Nettie Downen Award – Justin Crowe, Tennessee 4-H Administrator
G.L. Carter 4-H Agent Award – Staci Foy, UT Extension – Henry County
Alice Ann Moore 4-H Agent Award – Joe Griffy, UT Extension – Stewart County

Staci Foy (center), 4-H agent with UT Extension in Henry County, is the winner of the G.L. Carter Outstanding 4-H Agent Award. ​Also shown are Dr. Tim Cross, Dean of UT Extension (left), and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.​		Heather S. Wallace, assistant professor in family and consumer sciences for UT Extension, and Kayla Sizemore in the UT Department of Child and Family Studies, both received one of two honors in the Dutch and Marilee Cavender Award for Best Publication for UTIA. Pictured are (left to right) Tim Cross, Dean of UT Extension; Heather ​Wallace; Kayla Sizemore; and Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.		Scott Stewart, professor of entomology and integrated pest management Extension specialist, and Angela Thompson McClure, associate professor in the UT Department of Plant Sciences, both received one of two honors in the Dutch and Marilee Cavender Award for Best Publication for UTIA. Pictured are Dr. Tim Cross, Dean of UT Extension; Dr. Stewart; and U Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor. Award winner Dr. Angela McClure was not available for the photo.
The UT Institute of Agriculture recognizes three UT Extension Agents with the annual Charles and Julie Wharton Award for Outstanding Extension Achievements. Shown with Dr. Tim Cross, UT Dean of Extension (left) are this year’s honorees: Bob Shumake, Weakley County; Judy Kovach, Robertson County; and Tom Stebbins, Hamilton County. UTIA Chancellor Larry Arrington is shown far right.   The UT Institute of Agriculture recently honored four members of its faculty with a 2016 J.E. Moss Achievement Award. Pictured are (front row, left to right) Dr. Jim Thompson, Dean of the UT College of Veterinary Medicine; award winner Dr. Bob DeNovo, UT CVM; award winner Dr. Shigetoshi Eda, Department of Foresty, Wildlife and Fisheries; award winner Dr. David Golden, Department of Food Science and Technology; and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor. Back row: Dr. Caula Beyl, Dean of the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and Dr. Bill Brown, Dean of UT AgResearch. Not pictured is award winner Dr. Amy Fulcher, Department of Plant Sciences.       St St St

Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents – Hicks Award
Alan Bruhin, UT Extension – Sevier County
Rebekah Norman, UT Extension – Montgomery County
Melody Rose, UT Extension – Greene County

Charles and Julie Wharton Award of Extension Achievements
Judy Kovach, UT Extension – Robertson County
Bob Shumake, UT Extension – Weakley County
Tom Stebbins, UT Extension – Hamilton County

Catheryn Hance, business manager for large animal clinical sciences at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, is the winner of the E.J. Chapman Outstanding Service Award.​ Pictured left to right are Jim Thompson, Dean of the UT College of Veterinary Medicine; Catheryn Hance; and Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.		Leaders of the Master Teacher Program at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine were named winners of the Gamma Sigma Delta Institute of Agriculture Team Award. Pictured with the award are (left to right) India Lane, UT Academic Affairs & Student Success; Nancy Howell, Large Animal Clinical Sciences; and Misty Bailey, CVM Administration. Shown behind the award winners are Dr. Jim Thompson, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine (left), and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor. Not pictured is award winner Dr. Micky Sims.		Dr. Becky Gompf, a cardiologist in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, was honored with the Institute’s Webster Pendergrass Outstanding Service Award.​ Shown with Dr. Gompf are Dr. Jim Thompson, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine (left), and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.
Heather Kyle-Harmon is a family and consumer sciences agent with UT Extension in Knox County. She is the winner of the Institute's 2016 Vernon and Ida Darter Award. Pictured are (left to right) Dr. Tim Cross, Dean of UT Extension; Heather ​Kyle-Harmon; and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.		Heather		James Newburn, assistant director and curator of the UT Gardens, was honored with the UT Institute of Agriculture’s 2016 Mildred Pendergrass Outstanding Service Award. Pictured are (left to right) Caula Beyl, Dean of the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; James Newburn; and Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.
Paris Lambdin, professor in entomology and plant pathology, was honored with the UT Institute of Agriculture’s Williams – E.R. “Prof” Lidvall Outstanding Teaching Award. Pictured in the photo are (left - right) Dr. Caula Behl, Dean of the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; Don Williams, CASNR graduate and philatrophist who established the award; Dr. Paris Lambdin, award winner; and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.		Sabrina Klepper, a licensed veterinary medical technician at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, was honored with the Institute’s Professional/Academic Award for Outstanding Service. Pictured with Klepper are Dr. Jim Thompson, Dean of the UT College of Veterinary Medicine (left), and Dr. Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.		Mike Buschermohle, precision agriculture expert with UT Extension and professor in biosystems engineering and soil science, is the winner of the UT Institute of Agriculture 2016 B. Ray Thompson Award. Pictured are (from left to right) Tim Cross, Dean of UT Extension; Mike Buschermohle; and Larry Arrington, UTIA Chancellor.

Cavender Award for Best Publication – Heather S. Wallace, UT Extension, Kayla Sizemore, UT Child and Family Studies, Scott Stewart, UT Extension, Angela Thompson-McClure, UT Extension


J.E. Moss Achievement Awards –
Bob DeNovo, UT College of Veterinary Medicine
Shigetoshi Eda, UT AgResearch
Amy Fulcher, UT Extension
David Golden, UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

E.J. Chapman Award – Catheryn Hance, UT College of Veterinary Medicine

Gamma Sigma Delta Team Award – Master Teacher Program, UT College of Veterinary Medicine

Webster Pendergrass Award – Rebecca Gompf, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Mildred Pendergrass Award – James Newburn, UT Gardens Curator

AgResearch Impact Award – Don Tyler, UT AgResearch

Professional/Academic Award – Sabrina Klepper, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinical Sciences

William Miles Community Service Award – Marcy Souza, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, Biomedical and Diagnostic Services

B. Ray Thompson Award – Mike Buschermohle, UT Extension

Williams – “Prof” Lidvall Teaching Award – Paris Lambdin, UT Entomology and Plant Pathology

T.J. Whatley Young Scientist Award – Jennifer DeBruyn, UT Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science


In addition to these awards, the following UTIA professionals received promotions to professor:

Seong-Hoon Cho – UT Agricultural and Resource Economics
Silke Hecht – UT College of Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinical Sciences
Dayton Lambert - UT Agricultural and Resource Economics
Nicole Labbe – UT Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries
Shelly Newman – UT College of Veterinary Medicine, Biomedical and Diagnostic Services
Adam Taylor - UT Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries

Through its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. ag.tennessee.edu