2023 Jim Buttles
2022 James Graham
2021 Beth Rausch
2020 David Zlesak
2019 Larry Baumann
2018 Veronica Justen
2017 Justin Luther
2016 Holly Dolliver
2015 Eric Sanden
2014 Brian Smith
2013 Bill Anderson
2012 Sylvia Kehoe
2011 Don Taylor
2010 Steve Kelm
2009 Dean Olson
2008 Mike Kaltenberg
2007 Tony Jilek
2006 Gary Onan
2005 Steve Carlson
2004 Jerry Nechville
2003 Stan Schraufnagel
2002 Bob Butler
2001 Jim Shatava
2000 Bill Cordua
1999 Dick Jensen
1998 Lou Greub
1997 Lewi May
1996 Perry Clark
1995 Ian Williams
1994 Jerry Matteson
1993 Dean Henderson
1992 Chuck Jones
1991 Larry Kasten
1990 Phil George
1989 Jerry Nolte
1988 Terry Ferris
1987 Bill Mahanna
1986 Larry Meyers
1985 Bob Baker
1984 Lee Wittwer
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Honors and Awards
Student Awards
Rochelle Junkman Seymour Award
This award goes to the CAFES senior with the highest GPA.
Dr. Earl Hildebrand Memorial Award
This award for an outstanding senior in CAFES honors a student who best exemplifies a combination of scholastic achievement, extracurricular involvement and leadership roles within the College. Seniors are nominated for this award by faculty in the College. The College Scholarship Committee reviews all nominations and makes the final selection.
Faculty Awards
CAFES Outstanding Faculty Award
This award is presented to an outstanding faculty member in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, selected by their peers. The recipient is announced at the annual CAFES Awards Banquet.
Past Award Winners
Community Awards
Wisconsin Distinguished Agriculturalist Award
The Wisconsin Distinguished Agriculturalist Award is sponsored by CAFES and is presented to an individual in the agricultural or natural resources fields who has provided outstanding leadership, service, and other contributions to the agricultural community. This is not an award for recognizing contributions to an individual department within CAFES or a specific group, but rather for contributions to the entire agricultural and natural resource community.
The selection of the Wisconsin Distinguished Agriculturalist is based on the following criteria: Leadership positions and activities related to agriculture and/or natural resources, contributions to and association with the UW-River Falls and CAFES, statewide recognition for contributions to agriculture, national and international activities and accomplishments, and accomplishments and activities that extend beyond the individual's normal employment.
Congratulations to Laurence F. Jerome, the 2024 Wisconsin Distinguished Agriculturalist.
Past Award Winners
To view the entire list of awardees with biographies, see this booklet.
2023 David Lenzmeier
2022 Francis Ginther
2021 Ron Amos
2020 Kristine Andrews
2019 Dallas Wuethrich
2018 Victor Bekkum
2017 Louis E. Muench
2016 Michael Yanny
2015 Jim Holte
2014 Terri Dallas
2013 Len Bayer
2012 Dean Gagnon
2011 Juris Plesums
2010 Lee Milligan (d)
2009 James Wysocki
2008 Shaun Duvall
2007 Ed Hass
2006 Christine Jumbeck
2005 Barbara Gronemus
2004 Virgil O. Martinson
2003 Bob Bosold
2002 R. Douglas Wilson
2001 James Harsdorf
2000 Rod Rommel
1999 Will Dahl
1998 Ken Sipple (d)
1997 Loren Wolfe
1996 John P. Selz
1995 Rod Nilsestuen (d)
1994 Lee C. Hansen
1993 Russ Weisensel
1992 Louis Wysocki
1991 Robert and Karen Schauf
1990 Robert E. Walton
1989 Fritz Friday
1988 John Rosenow
1987 Arnold Cordes (d)
1986 LaVerne Ausman
1985 Thomas L. Lyon
1984 Ralph Yohe (d)
1983 Floyd Doering
1982 Glen Gearing (d)
1981 Howard McCarty (d)
1980 Wayne Danielson
1979 Myron Mommsen (d)
1978 Art Kurtz (d)
1977 Gilbert Rohde (d)
1976 Wallace Jerome (d)
1975 Lyle Lamphere (d) and Norm Christianson (d)
1974 Leonard Peck
1973 Glenn Gerhard (d)
1972 Dale Aebischer (d)
1971 Ken Wallin (d)
1970 Don McDowell (d)
d = deceased
CAFES Outstanding Service Award
The CAFES Outstanding Service Award was established in 2008 to recognize individuals or groups that have made significant contributions to the College in time, leadership, monetary donations and/or other support of CAFES programs, students, faculty, and staff.
Past Award Winners
2023 Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators
2021 Jay Gilbertson, Manager, East Dakota Water Development District.
2019 Bob Salonek, president of Value Implement
2018 Patricia and David Stone
2017 Jake Sailer of Sailer's Food Market and Meat Processing, Inc.
2016 Sparboe Farms
2015 Wayne L. Peterson (d)
2014
2013
2012 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI DNR)
2011 3M Food Safety Department
2010 Gold n' Plump
2010 Ron Zirbel
2009 Todd Kirschbaum
2009 Jean and Blaze Cunningham
Contact Us
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
laura.walsh@uwrf.edu
715-425-3535
Fax 715-425-3785
210 Agricultural Science
611 S. 3rd St.
