Volume 28, Number 3
September 2016 Newsletter
New Name for the Association and Newsletter
The new name for the association that was discussed and approved at the Spring Meetings became effective with the new fiscal year on July 1. The association is now the UTIA Retirees Association, and the newsletter will be printed under the masthead UTIA Retirees Newsletter. The new officers also assumed their duties on July 1. Contact information for the officers is listed near the end of the newsletter.
The association members are grouped into four large areas relating to the geographic area of the state where they now reside. However, retirees and their guests may attend meetings in any area if they choose. Several regional or sub-area meetings are also held at various times throughout the year. Many of these smaller area meetings are open to all UTIA Retirees and their guests.
Any UTIA retiree who is not a member of the association is encouraged to join in order to take advantage of the newsletter, updates, and other benefits offered to the membership. Members will be assigned to an Area Group representing the area of the state where they now reside. Members may also choose to be assigned to a second or third Area Group if they worked in areas that are different from their current residence. Many of the Updates are sent to area groups and the Spring Meetings are conducted by the area groups.
The Western Area for UTIA Retirees includes all former UTIA employees who worked the counties within the current Extension Western Region, including the AgResearch and Education Centers located within the Western Region and the Jackson and Martin retired UTIA employees. Retirees who worked in the former Extension District II or the former Central District at any time during their active employment may choose to affiliate with the Central Area UTIA Retirees or Western Area UTIA Retirees or both.
The Central Area for UTIA Retirees includes all former UTIA employees who worked in the counties within the current Extension Central Region, including UTIA employees who worked at the Central Regional Office and the AgResearch and Education Centers within the current Central Region. Retirees who worked in the former Extension District III or the former Cumberland District at any time during their active employment may choose to affiliate with the Cumberland Area UTIA Retirees or the Central Area UTIA Retirees or both.
The Eastern Area for UTIA Retirees includes all former UTIA employees who worked at the Knoxville campus, the Eastern Region Office, and the AgResearch and Education Centers and all Extension offices within the Eastern Region. Retirees who worked in the former Extension District III or the former Cumberland District at any time during their active employment may choose to affiliate with the Cumberland Area UTIA Retirees or the Eastern Area UTIA Retirees or both.
The Cumberland Area for UTIA Retirees includes all former UTIA employees who worked in the counties in the former Extension District III, District IV, Cumberland District, and Plateau AgResearch and Education Center. Recent retirees residing in the Cumberland Area may choose to affiliate with the Cumberland Area UTIA Retirees, Eastern Area UTIA Retirees, or Central Area UTIA Retirees or any combination.
UTIA Chancellor Larry Arrington Retires
From UT President Joe DiPietro:
This message is to share with you that UT Institute of Agriculture Chancellor Larry Arrington has informed me of his decision to retire, effective September 1.
As of that date, the Institute will be in the capable hands of UT Extension Dean Tim Cross as interim chancellor until we can find Chancellor Arrington’s successor.
A national search will begin immediately, and I hope to have a candidate to recommend to the UT Board of Trustees by January 2017 and a new chancellor in place sometime during the first quarter of 2017.
Read more about UTIA Chancellor Arrington’s retirement.
UT Extension Dean Tim Cross Named UTIA Interim Chancellor
From UTIA Interim Chancellor Tim Cross:
As you just read, UT President DiPietro announced that he had accepted Chancellor Arrington’s decision to retire effective September 1, 2016.
Dr. Arrington has provided excellent leadership during his five-year term as Chancellor, and leaves the Institute of Agriculture with many accomplishments and well positioned for the future. I know you’ll join me in wishing him and his wife Candy the very best as they start down this new path in life.
It is truly an honor to be asked to serve as the interim chancellor starting September 6, and I do so knowing that our Extension programs are also positioned well for the future. We have an outstanding group of faculty and staff, supported with capable and experienced leaders at our state and regional offices.
I know that changes in leadership positions create a bit of uncertainty, but I want to encourage you to remain focused on your responsibilities and achieving your goals for 2016 and beyond. The real work in Extension doesn’t happen in the dean’s office, it happens in farm fields, in school classrooms, at 4-H Centers, at community event centers, and in the homes and communities of those we serve. Keep up the good work that we are known for, and our Extension administrative team will keep our administrative functions operating on a business-as-usual basis.
Thanks for all you do.
Warm regards,
Tim
Retiree Meeting Highlights
Central Area Spring Meeting
Central Area retirees held their Spring 2016 meeting on June 8 at the Tennessee Farm Bureau headquarters in Columbia.
Attending were Dewayne Perry, Warren Gill, Don Richardson, Charlie Goan, Brenda Voiles, John Jared, Cherry Lane Darken, Connie Hamilton, Glenda Booker, John Campbell, Joan Wherley, Joe High, Dan Wheeler, and Murray Miles.
Prior to the meeting, a breakfast was hosted by Tennessee Farm Bureau, and the group was welcomed and given updates by UTIA Chancellor Larry Arrington and TFB President Jeff Aiken.
Thanks to Keith Barber and Tiffany Howard of UTIA Office of Institutional Advancement for arranging for the retirees to meet at the TFB facilities. They are considering arranging more small retiree group meetings across the state. Pictures from the June 8 meeting can be found on our Facebook page.
Eastern Area Fall Meeting
The UTIA Retirees Association executive committee has scheduled a fall get together and lunch at the Clyde Austin 4-H Center, located near Greeneville, on Tuesday, October 25.
The meeting is for association members and their guests and any other UTIA retirees and guests who would like to participate. Persons living outside the Eastern Area are also welcome to join Eastern Area Retirees for this fall get together.
The meal cost is $12.50 per person. Reservations are needed so that Andy Seals and the camp staff can have adequate food for all. You may send a check with the names of the persons attending to Martha Jo Tolley, 8833 Shoreham Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37922.
You may pay at the door if you prefer, but be sure to Contact Martha Tolley 865-691-5872 to give her the number and the names of those who are coming. Please make your reservations by October 15.
The meal will consist of the following:
* A choice of either a grilled pork chop or fried chicken or one of each.
* Baked potato, green beans, pea or layered salad, and rolls.
* A choice of either chocolate cake or apple pie.
* Tea, coffee, cola, etc.
An assortment of snack items will be available during the entire day.
No formal program is being planned. The theme for the day is “Food and Fellowship.” There will be lots of time to sit and talk with former co-workers inside the meeting room or outside in the shade. There will be tours of the facilities at the 4-H Center before lunch.
We have developed the following agenda:
Registration and Snacks: 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Tour of the Camp and Lodge: 11:00 a.m.-noon
Lunch: Noon
Visit with Other Retirees: After lunch until 2:00 or 2:30 p.m.
(Welcome to stay longer if you desire.)
As the new year unfolds for our association, I am truly honored to be entrusted with the duties and responsibilities of serving as your president.
I’m excited for the opportunity, but believe me, I do find my new role a bit challenging as I attempt to follow the outstanding leadership provided by Brenda Voiles during the past two years.
Brenda, along with Charlie Goan, did an exemplary job of taking the association to a new level, and I want to personally thank each of them for their dedication and many contributions. They will remain valuable resources as we work together to continue moving the association forward. Continue reading the newsletter…
Information About Retirees
James L. (Jim) Byford, retired, is one of sixteen individuals to be inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame Friday, October 7, at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
A retirement reception for Steve Oliver was held Friday, June 10, in the Plant Biotech Building. Steve retired with 32 years of service in UT AgResearch. Even in retirement, Steve plans to remain active, continuing his milk quality/animal health work.
A retirement reception for Donald Tyler and Debbie Joines was held June 21, 2016, in the Animal Science Building on the UTIA Campus.
A reception for Shirley Hartsell was held Friday, July 1, to celebrate her retirement after 40 years of service to UT Extension and Jefferson County.
Martha Martin Pile retired July 31. Co-workers, friends, and family gathered Friday, July 29, at the Smith-Trahern Mansion in Clarksville to celebrate Martha’s 41 years of service.
A retirement reception honoring Drucilla Ray for 23 years of service was held in Cookeville on September 16.
Many of you have asked what we can do to assist the agriculture co-workers in Louisiana as they cope with recent flooding. Approximately 40 AgCenter and College of Agriculture employees suffered damages to their homes during the floods, and a donation site has been established to assist these families. A Give Forward donation page has been established.
Several members of the UTIA Retiree Association are also members of the UT Knoxville Retirees Association. A new web page for the UT Retirees Council that replaced the UT Retirees Association has been developed.
The UT Human Resources Office reports the following persons retired or departed recently from UTIA.
Retirements
- Susan H. Bray, Administrative Support Assistant II, UT Extension Clay County, 43 years of service, PO Box 364, Celina, TN 38551
- Debra Jean Campbell, Administrative Specialist I, AgResearch and Education Center at Milan, 25 years of service, 134 Nee Road, Dyer, TN 38330
- Mark A. Coffman, Agricultural Service Assistant I, AgResearch and Education Center at Milan, 30 years of service, 1058 West Woodrow, Milan, TN 38358
- Mary H. Giffen, Laboratory Assistant III, UTCVM, 39 years of service, 2303 Highland Drive, Knoxville, TN 37918
- Nelda C. Gomer, Administrative Support Assistant II, UT Extension White County, 26 years of service, 1285 Cullen Savage Road, Palmer, TN 37365
- Shirley A. Hartsell, Administrative Support Assistant II, UT Extension Jefferson County, 39 years of service, 915 Carson Road, Dandridge, TN 37725
- Patricia A. Hickman, Administrative Specialist I, Agricultural and Resource Economics, 42 years of service, 628 Ogalla Drive, Seymour, TN 37865
- John Hodges III, Executive Director, AgResearch, 45 years of service, 5705 Glen Cove Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919
- Vanessa Jane Hooper, Management Specialist I, UTCVM, 34 years of service, 140 Valleyview Drive, Lenoir City, TN 37772
- Nancy E. Howell, Research Assistant Professor, Large Animal Clinical Sciences, UTCVM, 28 years of service, 5304 Chapman Hwy., Knoxville, TN 37920
- Deborah Kay Joines, Manager, UT Extension Soil, Plant and Pest Center, 19 years of service, 940 Harkreader Road, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122
- Mark J. Lewis, Research Associate I, East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, 36 years of service, 3215 Ellejoy Road Walland, TN 37886
- Stephen Paul Oliver, Assistant Dean, AgResearch, 31 years of service, 108 Timberlake Drive, Greenback, TN 37742
- Martha Martin Pile, Extension Agent III, Montgomery County, 42 years of service, 2801 Old Ashland City Road East, Clarksville, TN 37043
- Harwood D. Schaffer, Research Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Resource Economics, 15 years of service, 1708 Capistrano Drive, Knoxville, TN 37922
- Donald D. Tyler, Professor, AgResearch, BESS, 37 years of service, 620 Rocky Springs Road, Beech Bluff, TN 38313
Departures
- Trevor Sean Beard, Extension Agent I, UT Extension, Montgomery County, 6 years of service, 1949 Hwy 46N, Cumberland City, TN 37050
- Dudley Joe Hurst, Manager, UTCVM, Large Animal Clinical Sciences, 10 years of service, 651 Macedonia Road, Lancing, TN 37770
- Matthew Brandon Ross, Research Associate II, AgResearch, Plant Sciences, 9 years of service, 57 Country Hills Drive, Jackson, TN 38301
- Brian Hasten Rowe, Senior Maintenance Specialist I, UTCVM, 9 years of service, 2309 Denham Way, Powell, TN 37849
- Toni Jeannette Sowell, Senior Laboratory Technologist II, UTCVM, 10 years of service, 2931 Orlando Street, Knoxville, TN 37917
- Rohit Uppal, Postdoctoral Research Associate, AgResearch, 6 years of service, 7922 Knowledge Lane, Knoxville, TN 37938
- Cynthia Rose Utley, Administrative Support Assistant I, UT Extension, 7 years of service, 811 E. Conover St., Tampa, FL 33603
- Savannah Grooms Webb, Extension Agent II, UT Extension Maury County, 7 years of service, 4809 Haley Lane, Columbia, TN 38401
- Candace Brooke Wilson, Research Coordinator I, AgResearch, BESS, 5 years of service, 3807 Oweda Terrace, Chattanooga, TN 37415
- Charles Dexter Young, Manager, East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, 13 years of service, 3217 Ellejoy Road, Walland, TN 37886
Name links to obituary.
Sympathy is expressed to Mark Beeler, retired Extension Agent, Trousdale County, and other members of the Beeler family and friends on the death of Mark’s father, Houston Y. Beeler, 96, of Franklin. Houston Beeler was a retired Extension Agent, Williamson County.
James Jackson “Jimmy” Lloyd Jr., 83, of Troy died May 31, 2016, at Diversicare of Martin Nursing Home. Jimmy was employed with the UT Extension in Hardin County for three years before moving to Dyer County as a 4-H leader for seven years. He then served as the Extension director there until his retirement in 1988. After retirement he enjoyed living on the family farm in Obion County.
Clemma Rose Welch passed away Monday, August 8, at the Cumberland Medical Center. She was a cook at Clyde M. York 4-H Center for many years. Rose lived across from the 4-H Camp. She was an active member of the UTIA Retirees Association.
Walter “Marty” Clark, 58, senior farm equipment operator at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, passed away August 17. Marty was a member of the Center’s staff for more than 26 years.
Jamie Jordan, 37, research specialist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology since 2013, passed away August 7. Jamie was based at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center and was also a doctoral student majoring in plant pathology in CASNR.
Lisa Vito, a research associate in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and member of the department for more than 16 years, passed away August 21. She worked with pathogens of numerous ornamental plants, supervised undergraduate students, and aided graduate students and postdocs from various departments with their work.
Roy Brank, a retiree from the Greeneville AgResearch and Education Center, previously known as the Tobacco Experiment Station, passed away August 29, 2016, on his 91st birthday at Signature Healthcare in Greeneville, Tennessee. He had been at the health care facility for about a month. Roy retired in 1987 but returned in 2002 at the age of 76 to work on a seasonal basis helping each year to strip the tobacco crop and prepare for marketing because he missed it so much. He continued to work part time until 2010.
Ms. Etta Louise Barker, age 88, passed away on September 21 at the Paris Rehab in Paris, Tennessee. She was born October 10, 1927, in Benton County, TN. Ms. Louise worked in Davidson County as the Food Marketing Agent until the late ’70s. She appeared on many television shows in Nashville during her career, promoting her lifelong passion of Extension work.
We express sincere comfort and/or speedy healing to the following UTIA employees or retirees:
Sympathy is expressed to Alice Ann Moore on the death of her father, Paul Richardson, who passed away June 14. Alice Ann is a former State 4-H Program Leader and longtime UT Extension employee, currently retired. Mr. Richardson’s obituary is available.
We are saddened to inform you of the passing of Bruce Steelman‘s father, Thomas Morgan Steelman, age 85. Bruce is currently Extension director in Cannon County, Woodbury, Tennessee.
Sympathy is expressed to retired Extension agent Margaret M. Pile (Fentress County) whose mother, Lanova McClusky, passed away at the age of 96. Mrs. McClusky was a lifelong resident of Mount Juliet, Tennessee. If anyone would like to send Margaret a card, her home address is Margaret Pile, 199 Greenhouse Lane, Pall Mall, TN 38577.
Mrs. Neva Jo Shelby, age 82 of Jackson, passed away on August 24, 2016 at Maplewood Health Care in Jackson. She was the wife of retired Extension agent Paulus Shelby and mother of UT Extension Gibson County agent Philip Shelby and UT Extension Weakley County agent Beverly Shelby. Address for Paulus: 1137 Cotton Grove Rd, Jackson, TN 38305.
Sympathy is expressed to UTIA Retiree Becky Murray, retired Extension agent working in Jefferson County at retirement, on the death of her mother. Ruth Jarrell Murray, age 96, passed away Monday, August 29, 2016, at her home in Mohawk. Becky’s address: PO Box 584, Dandridge, TN 37725.
Sympathy is expressed to Cordell and Nancy Hatch, whose daughter, Laura passed away June 27 after battling cancer. Cordell was news editor in UTIA Communications and later served as a professor of communications at Penn State University. Cordell and Nancy send thanks for the many notes and condolences they have received.
Sympathy is expressed to Ruth Henderson McQueen in the death of her sister, Billie Ann Henderson, age 71, of Knoxville, who passed away Monday, September 19, 2016, at Shannondale Health Care. Ruth’s address for cards: 670 River Rd., Loudon, TN 37774, mhender3@utk.edu, 865-680-6614.
The upcoming ESP state meeting, December 8, 2016, 10:00 a.m., UT-TSU Extension Rutherford County Office, will feature Coach Michael Burt, “Everybody Needs a Coach in Life: Break Through Ceilings of Success to New Levels of Performance.”
The Galaxy Joint Association Meeting is set for May 10-12, 2017. Look for more information in the coming months.
UTIA will host a Woods and Wildlife Field Day Friday, October 14, 2016, 8:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the UT Arboretum, a unit of the Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center, 901 Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge. This year’s event is devoted to discussions of urban woods and wildlife species that thrive on the rural-urban interface. Registration begins at 8 a.m., but early birds may choose to enjoy a 7 a.m. networking breakfast. A $10 registration fee includes a barbecue lunch. To preregister call 865-483-3571 or email tforest@utk.edu. Early bird registration cutoff is Wednesday, October 5. To request an accommodation for accessibility, call 865-483-3571. For additional details, visit the Forest AgResearch and Education Center website.
The UT Extension County Directors Training Team recently introduced UT LEAD95, a comprehensive training program that supports county directors in fulfilling their administrative responsibilities. The training team has developed a website toolkit for county directors to assist them with day-to-day responsibilities. The toolkit addresses topics such as effective communication, leadership resources, personnel management, policies and procedures, and financial management. This site is available to county directors and all Extension staff. The program is part of a larger effort to implement action steps in UT Extension’s strategic plan.
The 19th annual Ames Plantation Heritage Festival is set for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, October 8. More than 175 presenters will showcase skills, music, and art that were popular in the nineteenth century. Visitors can shop for handmade crafts, sample savory foods, and enjoy old-time music. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for ages 4-16 and free for ages 3 and under. Arrive early if you want to see everything, and bring extra cash for shopping folk art and other handmade crafts. Ames Plantation is located an hour’s drive from Memphis, Jackson, and Corinth. Enter at Buford Ellington Road off Tennessee Highway 18. For more information, visit the Ames Plantation website or call 901-878-1067.
Considerations for Beginning Farmers, a new workshop offered by the UT Center for Profitable Agriculture, is open to anyone interested in becoming a farm owner-operator. Sponsored by Farm Credit Mid-America, USDA Rural Development and UT-Tennessee State University Extension, the workshop is a full day. Registration is $25 per person and includes the program and lunch. For more information, read the article “Thinking About Becoming a Farmer?”.
Northeast Tennessee Beef Expo will be held on October 13 at the AgResearch and Education Center at Greeneville, 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Fall Folklore Jamboree will be held on October 15 at the AgResearch and Education Center at Milan, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
UTIA Appointments and New Employees
Delton Gerloff has agreed to serve as interim dean for Extension while Tim Cross serves as interim UTIA chancellor. Gerloff has served as head of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics for eight years. Chris Clark has agreed to serve as interim department head for the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Clark has been a faculty member in the department for 14 years.
DeWayne Shoemaker took on the role of department head for the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology on August 15. Shoemaker joins UTIA after serving as a successful research scientist with USDA-ARS at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, Florida. He previously served as a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and at Western Michigan University. He holds BS and PhD degrees in Entomology from the University of Georgia.
UT AgResearch has appointed two to the position of associate dean for research and associate director of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station: David White and Tim Rials. White and Rials will work across departments, academic programs, units, and institutions to facilitate responses to federal, state, and local opportunities. They will seek new partnerships with private industry, continue our strong commitment to commodity groups and agricultural and natural resource producers, and build a stronger relationship with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. White comes to UTIA from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) where he served as chief science officer and research director, Office of Foods And Veterinary Medicine. Prior to that, he was a faculty member at North Dakota State University where his program focused on veterinary and microbiological sciences. Rials moves to the AgResearch office from the Center for Renewable Carbon (CRC) where he has served as director since 2001, first as director of the Tennessee Forest Products Center then as director of the CRC with the shift in focus and name change in 2010. He has successfully led many highly competitive, team-based awards from the USDA/NIFA, DOE, DOT, and FAA and has extensive experience working with private partners.
UTIA Faculty and Staff Honors and Recognition
UTIA recently presented several awards to top faculty, staff, researchers and outreach experts. 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. View the event’s program and winners.
UT Extension Associate Dean Robert Burns has been named to the Class of Fellows with the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).
Burns received the organization’s highest honor on July 18 at the annual international ASABE meeting in Orlando, Florida. He was honored for his outstanding contributions to improving environmental stewardship of animal production worldwide as an administrator, researcher, Extension engineer and for his 22 years of service to ASABE. ASABE defines a Fellow as a member with outstanding and extraordinary qualifications in the fields of agricultural, food, or biological systems engineering.
Membership in the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Retirees Association is for anyone who has worked five or more years for The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. The organization’s membership includes former employees from the Herbert College of Agriculture, the College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension.
It doesn’t matter if you were one of the support staff, a teacher, research scientist, Extension educator, a farm worker, custodian, laboratory technician or an administrator. If you worked at UTIA, we welcome you to join.
A major objective of UTIA Retirees Association is to unite all former University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture workers and to provide channels for communication and friendship after employees leave the Institute. Our newsletter and web pages are communication links with the Institute and current and retired employees.
When employees retire or terminate employment at UTIA, their names are added to our mailing list to receive a complimentary issue of the quarterly newsletter and an invitation to the next area meeting scheduled in the area where they reside. During this period, retirees have the opportunity to decide whether or not they want to continue their contact with former co-workers by joining the UTIA Retirees Association. The cost is $30 for a lifetime membership.
The UTIA Retirees Association newsletter is published quarterly by the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status.
UTIA Retirees Association
2621 Morgan Circle Drive || Knoxville, TN 37996
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