AMSA HONORS DR. WILLIAM HENNING WITH 2012 INTERCOLLEGIATE MEAT JUDGING MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD
CHAMPAIGN, IL — The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) announces that Dr. William Henning, Professor of Animal science at Pennsylvania State University, is the recipient of the 2012 AMSA Intercollegiate Meat Judging Meritorious Service Award. The award was established in 1993 to recognize outstanding contributions or service to the Intercollegiate Meat Judging Program and is sponsored by Food Safety Net Services. Dr. Henning will be honored at a special reception and awards presentation at the AMSA 65th Reciprocal Meat Conference on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 in Fargo, ND.
Dr. William Henning received a B.S. degree in Animal Science with a minor in Chemistry from Western Illinois University in 1968. He earned both his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Henning was introduced to Intercollegiate Meat Judging in 1968 while in graduate school at the University of Kentucky. Through a few career changes he has always maintained an interest in Intercollegiate Meat Judging, demonstrated by his work as a coach and later as a major contest sponsor and organizer over a 40-year span.
In 1983, Dr. Henning joined the faculty at The Pennsylvania State University as an Extension Specialist and Coach of the Meats Judging Team. During his tenure at Penn State, he worked closely with the Pennsylvania Beef Council and the Pennsylvania Pork Council in developing educational programs for producers, consumers, home economists, and dieticians. Henning provides leadership in developing educational programs for the Pennsylvania Association of Meat Processors, the Eastern Meat Packers Association, and the American Association of Meat Processors.
Dr. Henning has made many contributions to meat judging. Taking the lead and writing the section about veal evaluation in the Meat Evaluation Handbook merits special recognition. For many years he worked closely with 4-H and FFA meat judging throughout Pennsylvania. Being the only extension meats specialist in the Northeast during his career, his influence spreads from Pennsylvania to Vermont. Many state programs sought his guidance in developing or operating a 4-H meat judging program.
Though retired, he still has a passion and contributes greatly to the industry as a private consultant and by interacting with many industry groups throughout the Northeast. Henning is a champion for small and very small meat plants throughout
Pennsylvania and New England. His outreach to those plants has strongly and positively impacted programs in other states and regions. Whenever national meat research projects were operated, Henning was frequently the go-to person for the region.
Dr. Henning was nominated by Dr. Brad Morgan, Pfizer Animal Health, who stated that “Dr. Henning’s long and continuing commitment to Intercollegiate Meat Judging and the meat industry certainly make him a worthy recipient of the 2012 Intercollegiate Meat Judging Service Award.”
AMSA HONORS DR. KERRI HARRIS AS THE 2012 DISTINGUISHED EXTENSION-INDUSTRY SERVICE AWARD WINNER
CHAMPAIGN, IL — The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) announces that Dr. Kerri Harris, Associate Professor in the Meat Science Section of the Animal Science Department of Texas A&M University and President/CEO of the International HACCP Alliance, is the recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Extension-Industry Service Award. The award was established in 1965 to recognize outstanding achievement in meat science extension and service to the industry and is sponsored by the American Meat Institute Foundation (AMIF). Dr. Harris will be honored at a special reception and awards presentation at the AMSA 65th Reciprocal Meat Conference on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 in Fargo, ND.
Dr. Kerri Harris has been actively involved with the HACCP Alliance since it was formed in March of 1994, and has contributed to its growth and accomplishments. She helped the Alliance standardize HACCP training programs and assisted with the development of the train-the-trainer course and the accreditation program for HACCP training providers. Harris authored the Alliance’s proposal to develop ten generic HACCP models for USDA and received the grant allowing her to lead this valuable effort.
She has been awarded four competitive grants to conduct USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s Enforcement Investigation and Analysis Officer (EIAOs) training. Since October 2001, thirty Extension credit EIAO courses have been conducted as part of these multi-year grants.
Dr. Harris facilitated the development of Best Practices for Beef Harvest, Industry Best Practices for Holding Tested Product, Best Practices for Microbiological Sampling, and Best Practices for Retailer Operations Producing Raw Ground Beef. She works closely with the industry and provides valuable assistance with HACCP implementation. Kerri assists very small, small, and large establishments by providing hands-on assistance to help develop and implement scientifically sound food safety programs that comply with regulatory requirements. Her efforts and dedication to food safety are well recognized on a national and international basis.
In addition to her outreach efforts, Kerri is responsible for developing a strong research program and teaching a HACCP course for graduate/undergraduate students, a graduate course on food safety policy and regulations. Prior to her position with the International HACCP Alliance, Kerri was on the Nutrition staff of the Animal Science Department at Texas A&M University. She taught seven different human nutrition courses and served as the Director the Combined Graduate Degree – Dietetic Internship Program.
Kerri is a three-time graduate of Texas A&M University. She received her B.S. in Food Science in 1986, M.S. in Nutrition in 1989, and Ph.D. in Nutrition in 1994. Kerri has published multiple refereed journal articles and other publications, co-authored three book chapters, and presented at multiple national and international meetings.
Dr. Kerri Harris was nominated by Dr. Jeffery Savell, Texas A&M University, who stated that “Because of her extension and industry activities and her commitment and dedication to our industry, Dr. Kerri Harris is most deserving of the AMSA Distinguished Extension-Industry Service Award.”
AMSA fosters community and professional development among individuals who create and apply science to efficiently provide safe and high quality meat defined as red meat (beef, pork and lamb), poultry, fish/seafood and meat from other managed species.
Source: The American Meat Science Association