Front Row (L to R): Daniel J Wampler, Linda Pollak, VP and Dean Bobby Moser, Scott E Higgins, and Steven P. DeBruin, DVM
Back Row (L to R): David R Hawkins, Alan R. Brugler, Gary Lee Bennett, and Brian Watkins
Gary Lee Bennett
M.S. 1975, Ph.D. 1977
Animal Science
A research leader in the Genetics and Breeding Research Unit with the USDA in Clay Center, Nebraska, Gary conducts research leading to incorporating and evaluating marker assisted selections in genetic evaluations. He currently supervises ten scientists and ten support staff members. Employed by the USDA since 1985, Gary started as a research geneticist before moving up to Research Leader in the Production Systems Unit three years later. In 2004, he moved over to the Molecular Genetics Unit where he stayed until he accepted his current position in 2006. Gary also served as Acting Center Director from November 2009 to January 2010.
In addition to his position with the USDA, Gary has served as an adjunct professor for the Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska since 1985. Before starting with the USDA, Gary spent four years with the Genetics Section of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Gary is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Sigma Delta, Sigma Xi, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. He was a recipient of the American Society of Animal Science/European Association of Animal Production exchange program travel award in 1992 and the American Society of Animal Science Award in Animal Breeding and Genetics in 2001. A current member of the ARS National Life Sciences Patent Committee, Gary has also served on the Publication Committee for the American Society of Animal Science.
Raised on a grain and livestock farm in Northwest Iowa, Gary earned his BS with Distinction in Animal Science from Iowa State University in 1973. Gary then came to Ohio State where he earned his MS (1975) and PhD (1977) in Animal Science.
A former Sunday School teacher, Gary remains active in his church. He serves as lay reader, Diocesan Convention delegate, and Stewardship co-chair.
Gary and his wife, Betsy, live in Hastings, Nebraska. They are the parents of Emily and Andrew.
Alan R. Brugler
B.S. 1976, M.S. 1976
Agricultural Education
Owner and principal of Brugler Marketing and Management LLC, Alan has clients in nineteen states and several foreign countries. A registered Commodity Trading Advisor firm based in Omaha, Nebraska, Brugler Marketing and Management, provides daily newsletters for clients, news feeds for several hundred websites, instructional materials, and telephone consultation. Alan conducts more than 40 educational seminars a year for clients and corporate sponsors. In addition to running his firm, Alan also teaches Technical Analysis modules for the International Grains Program at Kansas State University and the Texas Master Marketer Programs.
Raised on a dairy and grain farm in Northeast Ohio, Alan earned his B.S. and M.S. in Agricultural Education from Ohio State simultaneously in 1976. After graduating, he took a position as Organization Director with the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation before becoming Director of Market Information. After leaving the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Alan started as Senior Analyst with Data Transmission Network. After five years, he moved up to the Director of Research position. Then in 2002, Alan started Brugler Marketing and Management.
Alan is a member of the National Futures Association and the National Introducing Brokers Association. He is a previous recipient of the CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, Outstanding Young Men in America, and spent several years in Who's Who in the Midwest.
Alan has also held offices in his homeowner's association. He served as Chairman of the SID #291 Board. He also spent five seasons as a coach for Millard Star Soccer and 5 seasons as a baseball coach and assistant coach for the Kingswood Athletic Association.
Alan and his wife, Nancy, live in Omaha and are the parents of Alexandra and Zachary.
Steven P. DeBruin
B.S. 1977
Dairy Science
Steven earned his B.S. from Ohio State in Dairy Science in 1977. After graduating, Steven moved to his late grandfather's farm in Amanda, Ohio. He and his wife began their farm with beef cows and later expanded to include sows and feeder pigs. In addition to farming, Steven taught Vocational Agriculture at Amanda-Clearcreek High School. When he returned to OSU for veterinary school, he continued to live on the farm.
After graduating with his DVM in 1983, Steven moved to Millersport, Ohio. He founded Feeder Creek Veterinary Services, a large animal clinic which has grown to include five veterinarians and serves many central Ohio counties. For almost twenty years, the practice has served as the livestock veterinarians for the Ohio State Fair. Steven has worked with OSU to develop guidelines for Ohio's Quality Assurance Program, which is sued by 4-H extension educators and FFA advisors to educate their members about responsible animal husbandry practices.
DeBruin Cattle Company, based on the family farm in Millersport, is committed to providing a safe and wholesome food supply for their consumers. Each steer raised on the farm averages 3,500 three ounce servings of beef. Some of the cattle are harvested locally as natural beef, which contributes to the county's economy.
Currently a member of the Ohio Beef Council, He also serves on the Ohio Livestock Care Board TRAC committee for beef cattle. Steven has served as President of the Fairfield Cattleman's Association, the Ohio Cattleman's Association, and served as a delegate to the National Cattleman's Association. He served as Chairman of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association Food Animal Committee and was also a recipient of OVMA's Distinguished Service Award.
Steven and his wife, Patty, live in Millersport, Ohio. They are the parents of Elizabeth, Annie, Megan, and Caitlin.
David R. Hawkins
B.S. 1963, M.S. 1965
Animal Science
David grew up on a general livestock farm in Ohio. After earning a B.S. in Animal Science and graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1963, he remained at Ohio State and earned the M.S. in animal breeding and genetics in 1965. He accepted a teaching assistantship at Michigan State University, where he completed a Ph.D. in ruminant nutrition in 1969. David joined the MSU faculty as Assistant Professor and extension specialist in charge of the Upper Great Lakes Regional Beef Cattle Project, Marquette, MI. In 1971, he accepted a teaching/research position on the East Lansing campus and was subsequently promoted to Associate Professor and Professor. From 1984 to 2006, he served as Coordinator of Animal Science Undergraduate programs, with major responsibility for course and curriculum development. In this role, he developed eight different courses and has led the department through three major curriculum reviews. During his career, Dr. Hawkins personally taught nine different courses involving over 7,000 students and served as advisor for over 1850 undergraduates. He led three MSU Study Abroad programs to Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England. He served as major professor for 14 graduate students and has served on committees of 36 other graduate students. He is author or co-author of 42 papers and abstracts in referred journals, 81 papers in experiment station research reports, 11 extension bulletins and 80 articles in other publications.
In 1999, David received the prestigious National American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) Distinguished Teacher Award. In 2006 he received the National ASAS Animal Industry Service Award and the ASAS Fellow Award in Teaching. Dr. Hawkins is a recipient of five prestigious awards from MSU's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Distinguished Teaching Award, Distinguished Service Award, Outstanding Advisor and Distinguished Faculty Award. In 2005, he was selected as the first recipient of the Howard and Lilli Ann Camden Endowed Creativity, Teacher, Scholar Award at MSU. He holds memberships in American Society of Animal Science, American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, Gamma Sigma Delta, and Sigma XI. The Michigan Cattlemen's Association recognized his service as Coordinator of the MCA Bull Test Program in 1990 and as MCA Seedstock Breeder of The Year in 2001. He has been invited to judge most of the major beef cattle breed shows in the United States plus Australia, Canada and Denmark.
David and his wife, Kathleen, are residents of East Lansing, Michigan. They are the parents of Lisa and Jennifer and have three grandchildren.
Scott E. Higgins
B.S. 1984
Agricultural Economics
After earning his B.S. in Agricultural Economics, Scott started as Director of Member and Industry Relations with American Dairy Association Mideast. Within two years he moved up to Assistant Manager and then President and Chief Executive Officer. Since 2005, he has also served as Chief Executive Officer of the Ohio Dairy Producers Association and President and CEO of the Ohio Dairy Industry Forum.
Scott is a member of the Ohio Agricultural Council. He served on the Executive Committee from 2000-2007 and as President from 2004-2005.
His contributions to Ohio State and the College include serving as a guest lecturer each quarter in the capstone and communications courses in the Department of Animal Sciences. His organization annually supports the Ag Recognition Banquet and Fallfest, the College's Reunion Weekend tailgate. They also recently constructed the dairy building at Farm Science Review.
Scott is a member of New Covenant Community Church. He is currently a Sunday School teacher and board member and has served two previous terms on the board. From 1997 to 2007, he was the Director of Christian Education. Also in his community, Scott has spent time as a volunteer basketball coach with the Johnstown Youth Athletic Association, assistant coach with the Johnstown Select Sports Youth Basketball, and a parent volunteer with the Johnstown high School Band. He is currently a board member for the Children's Hunger Alliance.
Scott and his wife, Lisa, live in Johnstown, Ohio. They are the parents of Nicholas, Candace, Elisa, and Travis.
Linda Pollak
B.S. 1978
Horticulture
After earning her B.S. in Horticulture from Ohio State, Linda went on to earn her M.S. and PhD from the University of Nebraska in Plant Breeding and Genetics. Upon graduation she took a position with the USDA/ARS as a research geneticist. She also began working as a collaborating associate professor in the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University.
Linda was the principal or co-principal investigator on 18 grants, two CRADAs, and on Trust Fund Agreement. She has approximately 90 referred publications. Her early research into hybrid vigor patterns led to further development of high yield corn hybrids. Later her pioneering research in collaboration with food scientists emphasized end-use characteristics of grain for food and industrial purposes. Most recently Linda has been key in the development of a multi-state testing program known as the U.S. Testing Network, the focus of which is conventional and organ yield testing.
A former member of the Maize Crop Germplasm Committee, Linda is a member of the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America, the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Gamma Sigma Delta, Alpha Lambda Delta, and Sigma Xi. She twice served as a chair for the Crop Science Society of America-in 1996 for the division covering Plant Genetic Research and in 2010 for the division covering Biomedical, Health-Beneficial, and Nutritionally Enhance Plants.
Linda and her husband, George, reside in Guthrie Center, Iowa.
Daniel J. Wampler
B.S 1980, Ph.D. 1983
Horticulture
Daniel earned his B.S. in Food Processing and his PhD in Food Technology from Ohio State. After earning his PhD, he accepted a position with Pillsbury Foods in their microwave processing of food and Green Giant division. After three years, he became Director of Natural Product Extraction Technologies and Chemicals for Tastemaker. In 1994, Daniel was named Vice President of International Technology Commercialization for Wild Flavors. Three years later he became Vice President of Research and Development for Alex Fries. In 1999, Daniel founded Sensus, a natural product extraction company. He currently serves as President.
Daniel has served on numerous college committees. He co-chaired the Parker Food Science Building campaign, served on the Major Gifts committee, and spent five years on Dean Moser's alumni board. He is currently a member of the Food Industries Center board, the Department of Food Science Department Chair search committee, and serves as a Denman Forum corporate judge. He has funded two major projects in the Department of Food Science through the Center of Innovative Food Technology.
A previous recipient of the CFAES Young Professional Achievement Award, Daniel is also a firm supporter of students. He hires an undergraduate student intern each summer. The interns spend the summer doing research and are then required to present the results at Ohio State's Denman Undergraduate Research Forum. 2010's first place winner was a 2009 Sensus intern. Her poster presentation is displayed at Sensus, along with the presentations of all the other interns.
Daniel has been a member of the Institute of Food Technologists for thirty one years and is a past local IFT president. He has been awarded two patents-one for controlled release of aromatic substances and one for microwave browning reactions. In his community, he has been a supporter of various youth sports organizations.
Daniel and his wife, Lisa, live in Mason, Ohio. They are the parents of Danielle, Alissa, and Justin.
Brian Watkins
B.S. 1983
Agricultural Economics
Brian earned his B.S. in Agricultural Economics from Ohio State in 1983 and received a Certificate of Theological Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2001. He is currently enrolled in the Fisher College Executive MBA program and will graduate in 2011.
Upon graduating from Ohio State, Brian took a position as a loan officer with Marion Production Credit Association. Also in 1983, he became a partner in Watkins Farm, his family's grain and livestock farm which is now operating in Hardin, Logan, and Champaign Counties. In 1985, Brian left Marion Production Credit Association for a position with Rushwood Farms. He is President of the swine production farm which has contract locations around West Central Ohio. Since 1995 Brian has also servedas Secretary for PGI, Inc, an Ohio swine marketing and management cooperative.
Brian has served as Chair for the Strategic Planning Task Force of the Ohio Pork Producers Council. He is also a member of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Ohio Corn Growers Association, and the Ohio Soybean Association.
In his community, Brian has engaged in various youth coaching activities and church youth teaching activities. He also serves as President of the Kenton Rotary Club.
Brian and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Worthington, Ohio. They are the parents of Meredith, Claire, and Audrey.
