Award Recipients

2019

Director Award: Gary Ford, Northern Partners Cooperative

Educator Award: Michelle Wiseman, Edwards County High School

Friend Award:  Jerry Tice, Grosboll Becker Tice and Barr

2018

No Awards Presented

2017

Director Award: Karen Neff, Director, Farm Credit Illinois

Educator Award: Dean Dittmar, FCAE

Friend Award: Jim Fraley, Illinois Farm Bureau (retired)

Manager Award: Jim Thompson, General Manager, Adams Electric Cooperative

2016

Director Award: Rick Nelson, Vice Chairman of the Board, GROWMARK

Educator Award: Ron Lynch, Retired Agriculture Teacher/FFA Advisor, Cissna Park High School

Friend Award: Jackie Welch, Program Support, Southern Illinois University

Manager Award: Bill Teichmiller, Manager, EJ Water Cooperative

2015

Director Award: Harry Fehrenbacher, Board Chairman, Effingham Equity

Educator Award: Joe Steffen, Agriculture Teacher/FFA Advisor, Newark Community High School

Friend Award: Jim Craft, Retired Executive Director, Illinois FFA

Manager Award: Bill Buchanan, President, McDonough Telephone Cooperative

2014

Director Award: Larry Kraft, Immediate Past Board Chairman, Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives and Board Chairman, Monroe County Electric Cooperative

Educator Award: Pat O’Rourke, Instructor Emeritus, Illinois State University Department of Agriculture

Friend Award: Mickey Adams Latour, Dean of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University

Manager Award: Jacqueline Hannah, former General Manager, Common Ground Food Co-op

2013

Director Award: Fred Kuenstler, Dairy Farmer/President, Prairie Farms Dairy

Educator Award: Jeffrey Robison, Goreville High School

Friend Award: Gary Kuhlmann, Field Representative Supervisor, Prairie Farms Dairy

Manager Award: Bruce Johnson, Manager, Stephenson County Farm Bureau

2012

Director Award: Daniel Kelley, Chairman of the Board and President, GROWMARK/Farmer

Educator Award: John Kabat, Mt. Vernon High School

Friend Award: Dr. Robert Easter, Ph.D., President, University of Illinois

Manager Award: Francis Murphy, Manager, Neighborhood Co-op Grocery

2011

Director Award: Phil Carson, Director, Tri-County Electric Cooperative and Egyptian Telephone Cooperative Association

Educator Award: Donald Bumphrey, Warsaw High School

Friend Award: Thomas E. Jennings, Director, Illinois Department of Agriculture

Manager Award: Bill Dodds, President/CEO, Spoon River Electric Cooperative

2010

Director Award: Myron Erdman, Illinois Milk Producers Association

Friend Award: Gary Minish, Southern Illinois University – Carbondale and David Stille, Illinois Farm Bureau

Manager Award: Dale Tippett, TOP Ag Cooperative

2009

No awards presented

2008

Manager Award: Tim Reeves, Southern Illinois Power Cooperative

2007

Friend Award: Peggy Kaye Fish, Farm Credit System

2006

Friend Award: Larry Elledge, Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives

2005

Friend Award: Earl Struck, Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives

2004

Director Award: Irvin Stanford, Tri-County Electric Cooperative

2003

No awards presented.

2002

Director Award: Laverl Byers, Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative

Friend Award: John Croft, GROWMARK and Leonard Southwell, Prairie Farms Dairy

Manager Award: Jim Gillett, Elburn Cooperative

2001

Director Award: Neil Pistorius, Shelby Electric Cooperative

Friend Award: Dwayne Johnson, GROWMARK

Manager Award: Larry Lovell, Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative

2000

Director Award: John Reifsteck, Illini FS

Friend Award: Gordon Olsen, Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives

Manager Award: Walter L. Schuttler, Gold Star FS

1999

Director Award: Archie Hamilton, Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association and Kenneth McKee

Friend Award: Dick Jurgens, Interstate Producers Livestock Association

Manager Award: Jim Coleman, Shelby Electric Cooperative

1998

Director Award: Bill Griswold, Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative

Friend Award: Dean McGuire, Southern Illinois University – Carbondale

Manager Award: Norm Jones, GROWMARK

1997

Director Award: Morris L. Bell, Menard Electric Cooperative

Friend Award: Jerry Warren, GROWMARK

1996

Director Award: Alfred Schleeper, Illinois Farm Bureau (Calhoun County)

Friend Award: Bob Howland, GROWMARK

Manager Award: Dorland W. Smith, Menard Electric Cooperative

1995

Director Award: Vernon Maier, Livingston Service Company

Friend Award: French Fraker, Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative and Soyland Power Cooperative.

Manager Award: Wm. David Champion Jr., Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative

1994

Director Award: Joseph Slaymaker, Whiteside County Farm Bureau

Friend Award: Al Kemnitz, GROWMARK

Manager Award: Del L. England, Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative Co.

1993

Director Award: Delbert D. Mundt, Norris Electric Cooperative

Friend Award: Kenneth Engel, Marshall-Putnam Farm Bureau

Manager Award: Don L. Muller, Gateway FS

1992

Director Award: James W. Smith, Gateway FS

Friend Award: Thomas H. Moore, Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives

Manager Award: Robert C. Jackson, Northern FS

1991

Director Award: Kenneth Diers, McDonough Telephone Cooperative

Friend Award: Harold Guither, University of Illinois

Manager Award: Roger Mohrman, Adams Electric Co-operative

1990

Manager Award: Dean Searls, Adams Electric Co-operative

1989

Manager Award: Normal Welker, McDonough Telephone Cooperative

1988

Director Award: Glenn Webb, GROWMARK

Friend Award: Bill Oschwald, University of Illinois and Cooperative Extension Service

Manager Award: Bill Endicott, Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative

1987

Director Award: Milo Thurston, Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative

Friend Award: Peggy Kaye Fish, WTAX Radio

Manager Award: Robert W. Vander Pluym, Clinton County Electric Cooperative

1986

Director Award: Gerald Quade, Effingham-Clay Service Company

Friend Award: Richard Connell, Farmland Industries

Manager Award: Donald McWard, McLean County FS

1985

Director Award: Ken McPeek, Production Credit Association and Dairy Herd Improvement Association

Friend Award: John “Jack” Claar, University of Illinois Extension

Manager Award: Eldon “Ben” Snowden, McDonough Telephone Cooperative

1984

Director Award: Robert Heilman

Friend Award: Ray Fuller, GROWMARK

Manager Award: James Liggett

Retiring Cooperators: W. Everette Specht, St. Louis Bank for Cooperatives and Dale E. Butz, Illinois Farm Bureau.

1983

Cooperative Statesmen: Laverl Byers, Illini Electric Cooperative; Larry Dowell, Western Illinois Electric Cooperative; Stanley Greathouse, Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative; Kenneth Kensil, Shelby Electric Cooperative; Richard Moss, Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative; Richard Rubenacker, Wayne-White Electric Cooperative

1982

Illinois won the Co-op Month Award for best events, promos, etc…

Secretary of Agriculture John Block won a national Co-op Month award.