ISU Foundation presents IPPA with top award

The Iowa State University Foundation presented one its most prestigious honors to the Iowa Pork Producers Association during its Distinguished Awards Celebration on April 11 in Ames.

IPPA President Jamie Schmidt, a producer from Garner, and CEO Rich Degner accepted the Order of the Knoll Corporation and Foundation Award at the ceremony, held jointly with Iowa State University and the ISU Alumni Association.

The award, established in 1993, is presented annually to a corporation, foundation or association that has demonstrated generosity to Iowa State through significant leadership giving, dedicated and long-term service and assistance to students and faculty through recruitment opportunities and research programs.

“These awards are among the university’s highest honors, and the recipients represent the very best of Iowa State University,” said Roger Neuhaus, president/CEO of the ISU Foundation. “Those we are honoring have had a profound impact on Iowa State – generously supporting students, faculty and programs across campus.”

“Iowa State has provided excellent education for our members’ children and many young people who gain employment in animal agriculture following graduation,” Schmidt said in accepting the award. He thanked ISU for the education it provides and conducting important research and outreach to thousands of Iowa’s pork producing families.

“By supporting renovation and construction efforts of important university facilities such as Kildee Hall, the Dr. W. Eugene and Linda Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center, the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Complex and, most recently, the Jeff and Deb Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center, the Iowa Pork Producers Association is paving the way for industry-changing research to be conducted while affording the next generation of Iowa State students the opportunity to get the most out of their Iowa State education,” the foundation said.

IPPA’s partnership with Iowa State has helped create and maintain a powerhouse pork industry in Iowa and helped solidify Iowa’s position as the nation’s top pork producing state and number one pork exporter. The association has been an important partner to the university for more than 30 years and in that time has touched countless students, faculty and community members with its generosity and commitment to excellence in the pork industry.

The ISU Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation dedicated to securing and managing gifts and grants that benefit the university.

Source: Iowa Pork Producers Association