This year, two alumni of AEDE have been selected by Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) to receive alumni awards at a ceremony on March 7th at the Ohio Union.
Dr. Glenn C. Himes, AEDE professor emeritus and a 1964 PhD graduate of the department, and Rob Rettig, a graduate of the 1984 class of agricultural economics undergraduate majors, have been selected to receive awards from CFAES. Himes will receive a Meritorious Award, which gives public recognition to non-alumni and alumni of the college who have been singularly significant in the college’s quest for excellence. Rettig will receive a Distinguished Alumni Award, which recognizes those CFAES graduates who have brought distinction to themselves and the college at large through their participation, commitment, and leadership.
Himes was a member of the AEDE faculty from 1964 until his retirement in 1995. His research and teaching focused on production economics, price analysis, marketing, and management. While a faculty member he spent 20 years as Ohio State’s National Agricultural Marketing Association (NAMA) undergraduate team coach. In this role, he led the team to consistently high rankings in the yearly marketing competition. During the 1970s, Himes lead the development of computer-assisted instruction for teaching the college’s curriculum. In the 1990's he led Ohio State's LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program and developed a food marketing management program. Throughout his career he also served on a number of university committees to improve the undergraduate student experience, including the Undergrad Council of Student Affairs, the Undergrad Academic Advising Committee, as well as the New Student Orientation Program Committee. Himes is also a generous supporter of the college, having offered the Glenn C. Himes Endowed Scholarship Fund to AEDE undergrads for a number of years.
Rettig is CEO of New Vision Farms, which is based in Ohio’s Henry County. The 6,600 acre commercial farm manages, produces and markets specialty agricultural products. Rettig was also a founding member of the Ohio Wheat Growers Association and served two terms as the organization’s president. In this role, he was instrumental in working with producers to implement an Ohio wheat checkoff program, which provided significant funding for market development, education, and research for the wheat industry in Ohio. Additionally, as a strategic priority of the organization, Rettig helped to guide the merger between the Ohio Wheat Growers Association and the Ohio Corn Growers Association to create the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association in 2011. Active in his community, Rettig also currently serves on the school board for Napoleon, Ohio’s public schools. He has also served as a Chair and Vice Chair of Henry County’s Cooperative Extension Advisory Committee.
The alumni awards are organized each year through the CFAES Alumni Society Board of Directors who seek to honor those living alumni who personify the College’s tradition of excellence and who bring distinction to themselves and their alma mater through their outstanding professional accomplishments. Learn more about all of the CFAES alumni that will be honored at the March 7th event. AEDE will also honor Himes and Rettig with a reception hosted by the department on March 6th.
February 27, 2015