Faculty, students, alumni honored at AFS hall of fame banquet
National championship buckles were presented to the 2009 Meat Animal Evaluation and Meat Science Quiz Bowl teams, in addition to commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the 1999 National Champion Meat Judging Team, on Friday (Oct. 9) at Texas Tech University's Hall of Fame and Meat Science Recognition Banquet in the United Spirit Arena.
Other highlights of the evening's program included recognition of Department of Animal and Food Sciences' students, faculty and alumni for their achievements and contributions to the department over the past year.
Meathead of the Year "" J. Chance Brooks. J. Chance Brooks brought home the department's 'Meathead of the Year' honors, an
award that has been awarded annually since 1988 to the person who has made the most
significant contribution to Texas Tech's Meat Science and Muscle Biology Program throughout
the year.
"After earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees in animal science here at
Texas Tech, Brooks completed his doctorate in animal science with an emphasis in meat
science and muscle biology at Texas A&M University.
"After a brief sojourn on the faculty at Oklahoma State University where he taught
undergraduate and graduate courses and conducted numerous beef, pork and lamb research
projects, Brooks returned to Texas Tech where he currently holds a teaching and research
position as an associate professor of meat science in the Department of Animal and
Food Sciences and membership in the International Center for Food Industry Excellence.
"His research program focuses primarily on meat packaging and post-harvest food safety,
research that has resulted in a number of packaging systems used in the meat industry
today.
Albert Usener Award "" Ryan & Kayla Rathmann. Ryan and Kayla Rathmann were recognized for their outstanding service to the meat
judging program at Texas Tech with the 2009 'Albert Usener Award.' Awarded since 1998
in memory of Albert Usener, the award honors the person who has made the most significant
contribution to the meat judging program since the last time the award was presented.
The Rathmanns both hold bachelor's and master's degrees from Texas A&M. Ryan Rathmann
earned his doctorate in ruminant nutrition from Texas Tech in 2008.
"Since his arrival at Texas Tech, Ryan Rathmann has coached the university's Meat
Animal Evaluation teams to three consecutive national championships and increased
the team from eight to 18 participants. He has also coached Tech's two consecutive
national championship livestock judging teams and twice been selected as the national
collegiate coach of the year.
"Ryan Rathmann is currently an assistant professor in the department, teaching courses
in animal breeding and genetics, beef production, and livestock and meat evaluation.
He earned the college's 'Instructor of the Year' award for the 2008-2009 academic
year.
"Kayla Rathmann moved from the Dean's office to the department in September 2007.
She currently serves as the coordinator of student and alumni programs and is responsible
for overseeing all student oriented activities, teaching senior seminar, advising
Block and Bridle, and recruiting students to study animal or food science. She was
awarded the Ag Council's 'Staff Member of the Semester' in Spring 2008.
Outstanding Alumnus "" Micah Butler. Since 1988, the Meat Science Program has annually recognized an outstanding alumnus
for significant contributions either to the meat science industry or the university's
meat science program. This year, the department honored Micah Butler, owner and operator
of Butler's Smokehouse, a family-owned-and-operated specialty meats business located
in Stephenville since 1999. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Texas
Tech.
"Butler earned his bachelor's degree in animal science and a master's in meat science
and food technology. He was an integral member of the 1991 National Champion Meats
Judging Team and coached the 1995 meat judging team that won three national contests.
His wife, Lacy Butler, earned her bachelor's degree in animal science in 1993 and
a master's in animal breeding and genetics in 1994.
"Butler moved to Stephenville in the summer of 1999 and has run the small USDA-inspected
facility ever since. The firm specializes in beef jerky and prime steaks. In addition
to producing jerky under the Butler's Smokehouse label, the company also work with
a number of other companies and organizations like Dr. Pepper/7 UP Inc., the USO,
Texas Tech, Holmes Smokehouse, and the Kentucky Beef Council to produce private label
jerky, as well.
Distinguished Service Award "" William Bennett. William Bennett, the recipient of this year's 'Distinguished Service Award,' joined
the Texas Tech faculty in 1968 and served until his retirement in 1997 in a number
of capacities. He taught in the Department of Plant and Soil Science, served as an
assistant dean for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and
became the Director of Development in 1984.
"Bennett graduated from Oklahoma State University and received his master's and doctorate
from Iowa State University. Beginning his academic career at Texas A&M, he moved to
Lubbock in 1968 and joined the Texas Tech faculty. He helped initiate two student
groups in 1974, the Ambassadors for Agriculture and the Agri-Techsans.
"As the CASNR Director of Development, Bennett supervised the growth of the college's
endowment from an initial gift of $10,000 in 1974 to almost $10 million by the time
he retired in 1997. It was the largest college endowment on campus at the time of
his retirement.
"Bennett founded the 'Excellence in Meat Science' endowment, which has now grown to
more than $4 million. He was also one of the founders of the Texas Tech Meat Science
Association.
Horizon Award "" Mandy Carr. Mandy Carr, recipient of this year's 'Horizon Award,' is currently the Executive
Director for Research and Group Leader for Safety, Nutrition, and Product Enhancement
Research Programs at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. She also leads the
NCBA Safety Strategy Team, comprised of team members from retail, foodservice, issues
and reputation management, policy and research, charged with working to improve the
safety of beef.
"The recipient of a Texas FFA Scholarship out of high school, Carr left the small
Texas panhandle town of Sudan to earn her bachelor's, master's and doctorate in food
science and technology from Texas Tech.
"Honored as the outstanding undergraduate student in the Department of Animal and
Food Sciences in pursuit of her bachelor's degree and as the department's outstanding
PhD student in conjunction with the completion of her doctoral studies in food safety
and microbiology, Carr joined the faculty at Angelo State University in 1999.
"Throughout her eight-year tenure, she developed the university's meat and food science
undergraduate and graduate teaching programs, facilitated, designed, and established
the federally inspected ASU Meat Laboratory, published two book chapters and 23 peer-reviewed
publications, and advised 16 graduate students.
Advanced Graduate of Distinction Award "" Tommy Wheeler. This year's recipient of the department's 'Advanced Graduate of Distinction Award'
was Tommy Wheeler. Wheeler, a native of Muleshoe, graduated from Texas Tech with his
bachelor's in agricultural economics and a master's in meat science. He subsequently
earned his doctorate in meat science from Texas A&M. Soon after earning his doctorate,
he joined the Meats Research Unit staff of the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research
Center of USDA-ARS in Clay Center, Neb. as a research food technologist.
"In 2007, Wheeler became Research Leader for the reorganized Meat Safety and Quality
Research Unit. His research has emphasized the development of genetic and postmortem
strategies to optimize carcass yield and meat quality of red meat animals while eliminating
the pathogen contamination of beef. He has played a leading role in team research
that has developed beef classification systems for on-line measurement of meat tenderness,
marbling, and carcass yield.
"He and his colleagues have developed the first, highly accurate beef tenderness classification
system, demonstrated that consumers will pay a premium for guaranteed tender beef,
and proven that such a product could improve sales and consumer satisfaction with
beef at retail stores.
"He has also played a key role in the development of the first non-invasive tenderness
prediction system accurate enough to be useful to the beef processing industry for
online tenderness grading that has been implemented by virtually all the major beef
processing plants and should facilitate value-based marketing by providing a consistent,
objective basis for valuing carcasses.
Graduate of Distinction Award "" Janeen Salak-Johnson. Janeen Salak-Johnson was honored as the department's 'Graduate of Distinction' recipient.
She earned her bachelor's, master's and doctorate in animal sciences from Texas Tech.
She went on to do her post-doctoral training at the University of Minnesota in Immunology
and Neurosciences, where she received two post-doctoral fellowships, a NIH Postdoctoral
Training Fellowship in Psychoneuroimmunology and a NIH-NSRA Post-doctoral Fellowship
in Pain.
"Salak-Johnson is currently an associate professor of Stress Physiology and Animal
Wellbeing in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois. She's
actively involved with the National Pork Board Animal Welfare Committee and has been
selected to participate on many their subcommittees.
"In addition to a number of university committees, she currently serves or has served
as a member of the NPB Animal Welfare Committee, ASAS National Animal Behavior and
Wellbeing Committee, ASAS Midwest Animal Behavior, Housing, and Wellbeing Committee.
"She's a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Animal Sciences and has
served as a reviewer for a number of peer-reviewed scientific journals. Salak-Johnson
has authored or co-authored over 70 original refereed publications, abstracts or technical
reports and been the recipient of several teaching and research awards, as well.
Written By Sean Cleveland
CONTACT: Moriah Beyers, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2805, ext. 248 or moriah.beyers@ttu.edu
Editor's Note: For more information about the 1999 national champion meat judging team click http://www.depts.ttu.edu/meatscience/judging/1999_Meat_Team.php. For information about this year's national championship meat animal evaluation and meat science quiz bowl teams see http://www.depts.ttu.edu/meatscience/docs/2009_MAET.php and http://www.depts.ttu.edu/meatscience/Quizbowl_2009.php
1012NM09
Davis College NewsCenter
-
Address
P.O. Box 42123, Lubbock, Texas 79409-2123, Dean's Office Location:Goddard Building, Room 108 -
Phone
(806)742-2808 -
Email
kris.allen@ttu.edu