The deadline for nominating someone you know for a Professional Development Award of Excellence is September 1.

These awards honor NAMA members based on outstanding achievement in each of the Professional Development Areas (PDA): (1) Marketing Communications; (2) Product/Species Management; (3) Public Relations; and (4) Sales. Nominees must be NAMA members. Nominators should target individuals with direct planning and execution responsibilities in the respective Professional Development Area from agribusiness and related companies.

The awards will be presented at the 2009 Trends in Agriculture fall meeting, November 10-11, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City.

Past Awards of Excellence recipients include the following and the company they were with at the time of receiving the award:

Marketing Communications

2008 – Paul Redhage, FMC Agricultural Products
2007 – Pete Kovac, Nicholson Kovac, Inc.
2006 – Steve Engle, Woodruff Sweitzer
2005 – Bev Larson, NK Brand/Syngenta Seeds
2004 – Neil DeStefano, FMC Corporation
2003 – Sarah Vacek, Monsanto Company
2002 – Ken Anderson, NC+ Hybrids
2001 – Doug Headley, John Deere

Product/Species Management

2008 – No award was given in this area in 2008
2007 – Klaas Okkinga, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica
2006 – No award was given in this area in 2006
2005 – Dennis Gehler, CROPLAN GENETICS/Land O’ Lakes
2004 – Wendy Elliott, Pfizer Animal Health
2003 – Brian Markwardt, Golden Acres Genetics, Ltd.
2002 – Tony Klemm, Dow AgroSciences
2001 – Tony Solon, AGCO Corporation

Public Relations

2008 – Beth Andersen, Charleston/Orwig
2007 – Greg Smith, Padilla Speer Beardsley
2006 – Barry Nelson, John Deere
2005 – Janice Person, Delta & Pine Land Company
2004 – Kendal Frazier, Natl. Cattlemen’s Beef Association
2003 – Mike Ricciuto, DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition
2002 – David Buchholz, David & Associates
2001 – Ken Gordon, Syngenta

Sales

2008 – Vernon Benes, Beck Ag, Inc.
2007 – Bill Heffron, Bock & Associates
2006 – Anita Vanderwert, Brownfield Network
2005 – Margaret Wallace Oldham, Beck Ag Com, Inc.
2004 – Allen Barkve, Primedia Business Magazines & Media
2003 – Cliff Becker, Vance Publishing, Food Systems Group
2002 – Bob Deiss, Farm Progress Companies
2001 – Tom Taylor, High Plains Journal

If you have any questions regarding these awards, please contact Jenny Pickett at [email protected].

To download the nomination form in an Adobe .PDF format, visit http://www.nama.org/awards/PDAapplication.pdf.

You can also fill out the form on-line at http://www.nama.org/awards/pdaonlineform.htm.