A professor emeritus in the University of Wyoming's College of Agriculture is among six scientists who received inaugural Distinguished Professional Animal Scientist awards from the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS).
Conrad "Connie" Kercher, who taught in the Department of Animal
Science from 1954-1996, received the honor from ARPAS during the group's
July joint meeting in Montreal, Canada. ARPAS met with the American
Society of Animal Science (ASAS), the American Dairy Science Association
and the Canadian Society of Animal Science.
"I was surprised. This is the first time they have given the award,"
said Kercher.
Other recipients were Bill Baumgardt and T. Wayne Perry, representing
Purdue University, Virgil Hayes, University of Kentucky, Dick Frahm,
Virginia Tech, and James Oldfield, Oregon State University.
Regionally, Kercher served the Colorado-Nebraska-Wyoming chapter as the
Wyoming membership chairman and as vice-chairman and chairman.
Nationally, he served on the association's board of directors and was
ARPAS vice-chairman and chairman. He is a Charter Diplomate (board
certified) in the American College of Animal Nutrition of ARPAS. He also
served the ASAS as Western Section director, and national society
secretary-treasurer, president-elect, president, and past president.
Kercher and wife Lydia live in Laramie. They have four daughters, six
grandchildren and one great-grand child.