Faculty, Staff Achievements Honored at Eighth Annual Awards Program

For the eighth year, College of Veterinary Medicine faculty and staff gathered for an evening of recognizing service and contributions. The awards program, held October 6 at the Holiday Inn in Urbana, recognized more than 80 individuals. Dr. Robert Reich ('72), owner of Animal Medical Clinic in Quincy, Ill., served as master of ceremonies.

College Awards
A $1,000 cash prize and a College certificate went to the winners of the Teaching, Research, and Service Excellence Awards; the Dr. Gordon and Helen Kruger All-Round Excellence Award; the Academic Professional Award of Excellence; the Shirley Seets Staff Excellence Award; and the Dr. Robert and Lucy Graham Award. Runners-up received a certificate of recognition and a University of Illinois memento.

Third- and fourth-year veterinary students selected Dr. C.W. Smith, professor emeritus of veterinary clinical medicine, as winner of the teaching award for presenting material with enthusiasm, dedication, clarity, and creativity and for integrating subject concepts into the framework of the curriculum. Dr. Smith, who retired as chief of small animal surgery last August after working at the College for 31 years, is a former winner of the College Service Excellence Award, the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association Outstanding Teacher award, and the Campus Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching and a three-time winner of the Norden Outstanding Teacher Award.

Dr. Paul S. Cooke, professor of veterinary biosciences, won the research award, given in recognition of the quality and quantity of publications, research awards, and outside recognition of his work. Also nominated was Dr. Silvia Moreno, veterinary pathobiology.

 

 

The service award for outstanding committee work, clinical service, and continuing education went to Dr. William Tranquilli, veterinary clinical medicine. Individuals can be nominated for this award by their departments and by regional veterinary medical associations. Dr. Richard Wallace, veterinary clinical medicine and Continuing Education-PublicExtension, was a finalist.

 

Dr. Allan Paul, veterinary pathobiology and CEPS, received the Kruger award signifying excellence in the College's three-fold mission of teaching, research, and service. Dr. Randall Ott, veterinary clinical medicine, was a finalist in this category.

 

 

Kimberly Meenen, veterinary administration, won the academic professional excellence award in recognition of outstanding performance and professional excellence at the College. David Kuehl, veterinary biosciences, Barry Grodsky, veterinary clinical medicine, and Steve Fay, veterinary pathobiology, were also nominated.

 

The Graham award went to Joyce Amacher, veterinary administration. Awarded annually since 1957, this honor goes to a staff employee who has made outstanding contributions to the College. Amacher retired in November after 31 years at the College. Also nominated were Marie Childress, veterinary biosciences, Marlene Woodward, veterinary clinical medicine, and Roger Heiser, veterinary pathobiology.

 

Additional Presentations
Members of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association who graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in the past two years selected Dr. Ted Lock, veterinary clinical medicine, for the association's Outstanding Instructor Award. It consists of a $1,500 grant from CVMA to purchase equipment or materials for the award winner's field of choice.

 

The Shirley Seets Staff Excellence Award, created in honor of the business manager who retired in 1997 after 34 years at the College, went to Dee Bergman, veterinary administration. The runners-up were Charlene Werts and Nancy George of clinical medicine, Kathy Reinhart of veterinary pathobiology, Pat Gothard of veterinary diagnostic laboratory, and Linda Swett of veterinary biosciences.

 

Dr. William A. Meier, veterinary pathobiology graduate student, won the $2,000 Dr. Paul B. Doby Award for outstanding infectious disease research applicable to the livestock industry. Also nominated was Dr. Pratik Singh, graduate student in veterinary pathobiology.

 

 

Dr. Peiyong Zhai, veterinary biosciences, received the Dr. Joseph O. Alberts Award. Created in memory of a former head of the veterinary pathobiology department, this award, consisting of a certificate and $100 check, is presented to an outstanding graduate student on the basis of faculty nominations, an outstanding record, and a research paper. Also nominated were Dr. Chris Kuster and Dr. Jennifer Matousek, both of veterinary clinical medicine.

 

The Dr. Norman and Helen Levine Award recognizes research productivity and excellence among young faculty at the College. This year's winner was Dr. Nicole Ehrhart, veterinary clinical medicine. She received a $500 check and a certificate. Dr. Peter B. Bahnson, veterinary clinical medicine, was a nominee.

 

Dr. Rex Hess, veterinary biosciences, was the recipient of the Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research Excellence, which is presented to a faculty member for research that shows promise of attaining or that has attained national recognition. He received a $1,000 check and a plaque. Dr. Ron Weigel, veterinary pathobiology, was a finalist.

 

Dr. Kurt A. Grimm, veterinary biosciences, was the recipient of the Boley Award, established in honor of Dr. Loyd E. Boley, former head of the clinics and dean for students. The award is presented to an outstanding resident studying an AVMA-recognized specialty in the College. The winner receives a certificate and a check for $100.

 

For the first time the College presented the $1,000 Resident Teaching Excellence Award, which recognizes teaching excellence by a resident, intern, or graduate student in training at the College for an AVMA-recognized specialty board. The award was funded by an anonymous donor. Candidates are nominated by a faculty member and voted on by the College's second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students. This year's recipient was Dr. John Silbernagel, veterinary clinical medicine.

Recognition of Service
Faculty, academic professionals, and staff members who marked anniversaries of service during fiscal year 1999 received a custom-designed gold pin featuring the College's logo. At 10 years of service and multiples of five years thereafter, a 2.0 mm diamond is added to the pin. College service awardees are designated CVM below. University of Illinois Service Awards, designated UI below, were also presented at the banquet.

Veterinary Administration (Admin.)

5 Years	Barb J. Earl (UI)
	Karen J. Eichelberger (CVM & UI)
	Richard M. Mahan (CVM)
	Michael J. Miller (CVM)
	Edna M. Nicholas (CVM & UI)
	Nathan A. Schuchardt (CVM)
	Dr. Richard L. Wallace (CVM)
10 Years	Kimberly K. Meenen (CVM)
	Tracee I. Peeples-Palmer (UI)
	Dr. Victor E. Valli (CVM)
15 Years	Theodore A. Diem (CVM)
	Ronny G. Reed (CVM)
	Linda K. Rohl (UI)
20 Years	Timothy L. Chilton (CVM)
	Gary V. Cutler (CVM & UI)
	Michael K. Weidenburner (UI)

Veterinary Biosciences (VB)

5 Years	Betty S. Ujhelyi (CVM)
10 Years	Dr. David Bunick (CVM)
15 Years	Cindy S. Stauffer (UI)
25 Years	Dr. Gary Koritz (CVM)

Veterinary Clinical Medicine (VCM)

5 Years	Tracy L. Bailey (CVM & UI)
	Michael C. Finn (CVM)
	Lori L. Heinz (CVM & UI)
	Dr. Sheila M. McCullough (CVM)
	Dr. Randall Peper (CVM)
10 Years	Nancy L. Bauer (UI)
	Dr. Robert B. Clarkson (CVM)
	Dr. Cathy Greenfield (CVM)
	Tina M. Lamb (UI)
	Dr. Sandra Manfra (CVM)
	Richard J. Siemers (CVM)
	Christie L. Tucker (CVM)
	Thomas L. Wakefield (UI)
	Florence K. Yee-Benko (UI)
15 Years	W. Kathy Ellis (CVM)
	Dr. Jonathan Foreman (CVM)
	Dr. Paul Gerding (CVM)
	Kimberly A. Kensell (CVM & UI)
	Dr. John M. Losonsky (CVM)
	Sandra S. Marshall (CVM & UI)
	Mark E. Millsap (CVM & UI)
20 Years	Sally R. Duncan (CVM & UI)
	Tonia L. Heisey (20 yrs UI & 10 yrs CVM)
	Barbara A. Huffman (CVM & UI)
	Marie E. Pickens (CVM & UI)
25 Years	Linda S. Klippert (CVM & UI)
	Dr. Stephen K. Kneller (CVM)
30 Years	Dr. Thomas J. Burke (CVM)
	Richard L. Keen (CVM & UI)

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL)

5 Years	Michael J. Kinsel (CVM)
10 Years	Gerald L. Bargren (CVM)
15 Years	M. Jane Chladny (CVM)
	Argelia T. Simon (CVM & UI)
25 Years	Gregg W. Clabaugh (CVM)
30 Years	John W. Hoffman (CVM & UI)

Veterinary Pathobiology (VP)

5 Years	Dr. Joanne B. Messick (CVM)
	Kathryn J. Reinhart (CVM & UI)
10 Years	Dr. Roberto Docampo (CVM)
	Dr. Silvia Moreno (CVM)
	Dr. Federico Zuckermann (CVM)
15 Years	Donna L. Epps (UI)
20 Years	Rose Ann Meccoli (CVM)

Retirees Honored
Dr. James E. Hixon, VB and Admin, 22 years
Sandra S. Drysdale, VDL, 28 years
Dr. Charles W. Smith, VCM, 31 years
John W. Neff, Jr., VP, 38 years