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.