March 5, 2001

Wagenecht Receives Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity National Award

SALT LAKE CITY, Ut-Kraig Wagenecht, Executive Administrator for the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR), has been named one of three recipients of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity (AGR) Grand President's Award for Professional Achievement. The National Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity presents the award annually to members under age 40 who have achieved outstanding success in their professional careers. Grand President William Boehm presented this award to Mr. Wagenecht at the AGR Leadership Seminar in Salt Lake City, Utah on March 3rd.

After receiving a bachelor's degree in agriculture marketing and a master's degree in business administration from Western Illinois University, Wagenecht served as Assistant Director and later as Vice President of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation. During this time, he was able to enhance the professional capabilities of more than 200 key agricultural leaders in Illinois and was instrumental in developing programs that received national recognition.

In 1997, Wagenecht was selected as the first Executive Administrator of C-FAR, a statewide coalition to support food and agricultural research in Illinois and the nation. In this position, he is the administrator of a $15 million research grants program that is directed by the C-FAR membership. This membership includes 64 food and agricultural associations, 37 affiliate members (public entities) and over 140 individual members. Working closely with four public universities and other research entities, the membership works to identify primary research needs to support Illinois food and agricultural systems. This program, unlike any in the nation, is re-shaping the way in which publicly funded research is conducted in Illinois and across the nation.

"Kraig's vision, leadership and communications skills have enabled C-FAR to grow to become a national model. His commitment and dedication are second to none," said C-FAR Chairman Terry Wolf. "For those of us who work with Kraig, it is not surprising he has received this national recognition, and we congratulate him."

Alpha Gamma Rho is the National Agricultural Fraternity with 68 Chapters. Membership exceeds 54,000 men in 50 states and 54 countries. The Fraternity's goal is to make better men and to promote the increasingly important and versatile field of agriculture.

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