Alums Meet Your
New Leader

Tony Holloway '91 is no stranger to working with alumni. That's good, because he's president of the College's AG and HES Alumni Association for 2007-2008.

While he was still a student, Holloway went to work in what is now the Office for Advancement. He cut his teeth on Roundup and Winter Event, and he was the College's student rep to the alumni board of directors.

"I thoroughly enjoyed it," he said. "I knew that this was something I wanted to be involved in."

After graduation, his work for a company that leases agricultural equipment based him in Bowling Green. Holloway quickly moved into the presidency of the Mammoth Cave Area alumni association.

By 1993, he had settled back in his native Christian County and gone to work as an area program director for the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation, serving 12 Western Kentucky counties. It is a job that he still has and still enjoys, putting to use what he learned in ag communications as an undergraduate.

In 1995, Holloway married Sherry Lassiter Holloway, and they built a home on his family's farm in Gracey, where they live today.

But Holloway has had plenty of enthusiasm left over for alumni activities. He jumped into the Pennyrile alumni association as soon as he was back home, eventually becoming its president.

Holloway then began to be active at the state level, and he held several state offices before being named president of the state association at Winter Event in January.

He is excited about the positive force that alumni can be for the College. "I want to see us continue to promote the vision of the College of Agriculture, to help the Office for Academic Programs continue to recruit good students," he said. He also wants "to make our events more kid-friendly."

"We want to represent everybody," Holloway said. That includes alums with no kids to those like him with young children (he and his wife have a daughter, Chloe, age 7) to older alums, whom he calls "the backbone" of the alumni association.

Holloway believes being active in the alumni association can give alums social rewards and, with its opportunities to network, professional ones as well.

"Do you have to go to all the events? No, but it sure is fun," he said.

"There's a family atmosphere in the College of Agriculture," Holloway said. "A lot of kids grow up on a farm, and they're part of a family. Then they still have a sense of family when they're in the College.

"Why not still have that feeling of connectedness, of family, as an alum?"

Tony Holloway with
Sarah Tabb Henry '56 (HES)

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2006 AWARDS
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LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

(by area)
Bluegrass — Dr. C. Oran Little, Lexington
Fort Harod — Dr. Bonnie Tanner '63, Harrodsburg
Gren River— Tom Curtsinger '48, '67, Owensboro
Lake Cumberland— Cecil Hall Dyer '55, '60, Burkesville
Licking River— Hollis Bradley Brown '61, Maysville
Lincoln Trail— Ilus Ray Mackey '49, Elizabethtown
Louisville — Roy Hunt '43, Louisville
Mamoth Cave — Merrill Hammons '53, Franklin
Northeast — Harold Rice, Webbville
Northern Kentucky— Shirley Howard '58, '63, Willamstown
Penyrile— John Fourqurean, Cadiz
Purchase — Dan Hutson '48, Murray
Quicksand— Rufas Fugate '55, Hyden
Wildernes Trail— Charles Cornett '60, Manchester

(by region)
North Central— Myra L. Tobin '62, New York City
Northeast — Eleanor A. Botts '57, Cincinnati
Southern— Dr. Clifton Taylor '54, '67, Alachua, Fla.
Western — Michele M. Hennessey '67, San Francisco

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVERS

(by area)
Bluegrass — Michelle Knapke McDonald '84, '93, Carlisle
Fort Harod — Carolyn Royalty, Harrodsburg
Gren River— Sandra Bedwell Wood '64, Island
Lake Cumberland— Sharon Mattingly Denney '78, Monticello
Licking River— Larry R. Smith '70, Ezel
Lincoln Trail— Richard Ryan '77, Elizabethtown
Louisville — Bruce Eckerle '83, '88, Louisville
Mamoth Cave — Stephen Snider '78, Franklin
Northeast — John Sparks '72, '94, Blaine
Northern Kentucky— Dr. Jay Hellmann Jr. '85, Independence
Penyrile— Debbie Huffman Boone '78, Fredonia
Purchase — Fred Gillum '69, Kirksey
Wildernes Trail— Jane Winkler Dyche '78, '80, London

(by region)
North Central— Richard Hardesty '79, Franksville, Wis.
Northeast — Dr. Martha Bickett Frost '71, Plattsburg, N.Y.
Southern— John W. “Skip” Heibert Jr. '77, Brentwood, Tenn.
Western — Amy Shiau '89, San Jose, Calif.

NEW ACHIEVERS

(by area)
Bluegrass — Andrew Fritsch '00, Paris
Fort Harod — Christi Lee Wilson '99, Versailles
Gren River— Brain Knott '00, Owensboro
Lake Cumberland— Ryan Williams '02, Campbellsville
Licking River— Michael Staton '00, Owingsville
Lincoln Trail— Aaron Reding '96, New Haven
Louisville — Brent Frazier '98, Shelbyville
Mamoth Cave — Daniel Gaston '99, Russellville
Northeast — Brad Brammell '02, Grayson
Northern Kentucky— Dan DeZarn Jr. '97, Dry Ridge
Purchase — Sam Hancock '98, '00, Fulton
Quicksand— Todd Holbrook '01, Pine Ridge
Wildernes Trail— Matthew Hayes '05, Broadhead

(by region)
North Central— Marianne Lorensen '00, Champaign, Ill.
Northeast — Mary McGehee Busha '90, Sutton, Mass.
Western — Dr. Louann Marksberry Waldner '88, Visalia, Calif.

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2007 Board of Directors
AG & HES Alumni Association


Area Presidents

Bluegrass — 
Rob Cole '97, Lexington

Fort Harrod —
Christi (Stafford) Hack '01, '05, Lawrenceburg

Gren River—
John Mark Brown '87, Morganfield

Lake Cumberland—
Danny Wilkinson '82, Columbia

Licking River—
Steven Bach '99, Owingsville

Lincoln Trail—
Misty (Miller) Bivens '00, '02, Hodgenville

Louisville —
Brent Frazier '98, Shelbyville

Mammoth Cave —
David P. Brown '06, Woodburn

Northeast —
Bill Cropper Jr. '71, South Portsmouth

Northern Kentucky—
Dr. Jay Hellmann Jr. '85, Independence

Pennyrile—
Bart Peters '91, '94, Princeton

Purchase —
Sam Hancock '97, '00, Fulton

Quicksand—
Rufus Fugate '55, Hyden

Wilderness Trail—
Rhonda (Hargett) Cornett '01, London

Faculty Directors

Teaching —
Dr. Martha Nall '70, Lexington

Extension—
Amber (Branstetter) Huffman '98, '03, Center

Research —
Dr. David W. Williams, Richmond

Student Directors

Ag Student Council—
Brittany Wilkinson '08, Columbia

HES Student-at -Large Representative —
Laura Barry '10, Collierville, Tenn.

Ag Student-at -Large Representative —
Devan Parrett '08, Cecilia

Executive Board

President—
Tony Holloway '91, Gracey

Vice President—
Michelle (Knapke) McDonald '84, '92, Carlisle

Secretary—
Diana (Wells) Doggett '75, '77, Lexington

Treasurer—
Bill McCloskey '84, '87, Bardstown

Immediate Past President—
Doug Thomas '81, Paris

HES Representative —
Myrna (McGahan) Wesley '69, '75, Lexington

At-Large Representative —
Dr. Audrey (Thornton) Carr '64, '72, '94, Georgetown

National Agriculture Alumni &
Development Association
(NAADA) Representative — Whitney Stith '89, Union

Alumni Program Coordinator —
Jaime (DeMent) Sparrow '00, '03, Stamping Ground

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"Ambassador" for Sheep Industry Honored by
Animal Sciences Hall of Fame

Roger Thacker, who has been called "an ambassador for Kentucky sheep producers," is the most recent inductee into the College's Animal Sciences Hall of Fame.

Thacker, now retired, spent 20 years of his career in the College, where he was manager of UK's Division of Animal Care and maintained approximately 900 ewes for fat lamb production. He helped form the National Lab Animal Management Association and was one of the founding members and first president of the Kentucky branch of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.

Before coming to UK, Thacker worked at both The Ohio State University and the University of Connecticut and in Washington state as executive director of the Northwest Trek Wildlife Research Center. He is a native of Derbyshire, England. He and his wife Linda live on their farm south of Versailles.

Thacker has worked tirelessly to help people in the sheep industry, and he spearheaded expanding retail sales for Kentucky's lamb industry.

The citation read at Thacker's hall of fame induction called him the "backbone" of the sheep industry. "His communication, leadership, dedication, and innate 'shepherding' characteristics kept the industry breathing so that today the Kentucky sheep industry is a viable and profitable one," said the citation.

Thacker is the 19th inductee into the Animal Sciences Hall of Fame, which was begun in 1987.

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Below: Lillian Hixon Rice '49 (left), and Alice Pile Kirkpatrick '38

Two Inducted into HES Hall of Fame

Two long-time Cooperative Extension agents, Alice Pile Killpatrick '38,
and Lillian Hixson Rice '49, are the newest inductees into the Human
Environmental Sciences Hall of Fame.

Alice Pile Killpatrick, a native of Breckinridge County, began her career as a home economist with the Farmers Home Administration, sometimes traveling by horse and buggy to visit farm families. She then became the first extension agent for Meade County. Eight years later she became an extension agent for home economics in Montgomery County, a post she held for 18 years. In her work for Cooperative Extension, Killpatrick provided community-based education, helped start Extension Homemaker clubs, worked with 4-H camps, and helped create a partnership between the Red Cross and Montgomery County Extension Homemakers to advance home nursing and first aid education.

After retiring from the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service in 1971, Killpatrick helped spearhead the construction of the Mount Sterling Montgomery County Public Library, among other civic activities.

Lillian Hixson Rice served for 45 years in home economics extension, first in Bracken County and then in Mason County. She built Mason County's Extension Homemakers program to more than 1,200 members, educated extension clientele about recycling, led numerous cultural study tours, and led an Extension Homemakers effort that raised $100,000 for UK's ovarian cancer research.

Rice also has served on the board of the Maysville Community and Technical College, helping to organize that school's first driver training class. In 2006, she was recognized by the community college for distinguished service to education. Rice also has been active in local efforts for literacy, economic development, and opportunities for the aging.

Both are UK Fellows and members of the Scovell & Erikson Society.

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2006 Joe T. Davis Memorial /
UK AG HES Alumni Association Scholarship
Golf Tournament Donors

Academic Programs, College of Agriculture
Agricultural Economics Department
AG & HES Alumni Association Area Chapters
Alltech
Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity
Ameriprise Financial—Scott L. Dingle
Ameriprise Financial—Renie Fink
Animal and Food Sciences Department
Austin City Saloon
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department
Central Kentucky Ag Credit
College of Agriculture Administration—Dean Scott Smith
Custom Logo Ware
Dean, Dorton & Ford
Farm Credit Services of Mid-America
Neil Farris
F.W. Rickard Seeds Inc.
Bob Herbst
Goff Southeast Tents
Heritage Hill Properties LLC
Hyatt Regency Lexington
Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station/Research Office
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation
Kentucky FarmHouse Association Inc.
Kentucky Thoroughbred Association
Mike King
Jim Lawson
Marriott Griffin Gate
Miles Farm Supply
Mike Peters
Republic Bank
Ring Financial Services
Robert L. Conley Livestock Ltd.
School of Human Environmental Sciences
Jerry and Susan Skees
Slone’s Signature Markets
Larry Smith
SpringHill Suites
Whitney Stith, CPA
University Inn
UK Equine Initiative
UK Federal Credit Union
Veinot Financial Group
Whayne Supply
Gifts in Kind
A.K. Framing
Robert A.A. Brewer
Consolidated Grain & Barge
Crowne Plaza
Deer Creek Properties
EdgeView Farms
Embassy Suites
Hallmark Trophies
Heritage Hill Properties LLC
Hickory Sticks Golf Club
Hyatt Regency
Kentucky Eagle Beer
Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation
Kentucky Thoroughbred Association
Marriott Griffin Gate
Partners in Agriculture
Pepsi
Rafferty’s of Lexington
SpringHill Suites
Triple Crowne County Club
UK Research and Education Center, Princeton

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2006
ROUNDUP
DONORS

Bronze Level
($250-$499)
Amburgey Farm Machinery Inc.
Bagdad Roller
Bluegrass Stockyards
Cecilia Farm Service
Community Trust Bank
Council for Burley Tobacco
Embassy Suites
Executive West Hotel
Furniture World
H & R Agripower
Hatfield Chrysler, Dodge, Dodge Trucks, and Jeep
Holbrook Implement Co.
Holiday Inn Express
Hyatt Regency Lexington
Kentucky Bank
Kennedy Book Store
Kentucky Corn Growers Association
Linde Gas LLC
McRay Feed
Progressive Marketing
Sheraton Suites Lexington
Springhill Suites
Stith, Wimsatt & Associates PLLC
UK Alumni Affairs
UK Bookstore

Silver Level
($500-$1,499)
Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association
Central Kentucky AG Credit
Coleman Home Center Inc.
East Kentucky Power Cooperatives
Greater Lexington Convention & Visitors Bureau
Griffin Industries
Hands On Originals
Kentucky Pork Producers
Kentucky Poultry Federation
Kentucky State Fair Board
Kentucky Thoroughbred Association
Kingsford Charcoal
Monsanto
Neogen
Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc.
Southern Belle Dairy
UK Federal Credit Union
United Mountain Horse Association

Gold Level
($1,500 - $3,499)
Crowne Plaza Lexington
Farm Credit Services of Mid-America

Platinum Level
($3,500-$9,999)
Kentucky Beef Council
Kentucky Cattlemen‘s Association

Diamond Level
($10,000+)
Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation
Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance

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