ARA Agricultural Retailer of the Year Award
Sponsored by Monsanto, ARA and AgProfessional magazine, the ARA Ag Retailer of the Year is a recognized symbol of quality and prestige, the emblem of the very best in the industry. This is an annual award, and the recipient is selected by the ARA Executive Committee.
ARA is now accepting nominations for the 2013 ARA Retailer of the Year Award. Nominations are due Friday, July 5, 2013. Click here for more details.
Past Recipients:
2012 - South Dakota Wheat Growers (Aberdeen, SC) Watch Video
2011 - The Lyman/Tremont Group (Woodland, CA) Watch Video
2010 - Central Valley Ag (Oakland, NE) Watch Video
2009 - Willard Agri-Service (Lynch, MD) Watch Video
2008 - The McGregor Company (Southeast WA)
2007 - Landmark Services Cooperative (Cottage Grove, WI)
2006 - C-S Agrow Service (Calumet, IA)
2005 - The Dune Company (Yuma, AZ)
2004 - Effingham Equity (Effingham, IL)
Distinguished Service Award
The ARA Distinguished Service Award honors an individual member of the association who has gone above and beyond the traditional responsibility to support the ag retail industry and the association – making the industry better for all. The individual chosen for this award is selected by the ARA Executive Committee. The designee may come from any of the membership categories in ARA: retail, distributor, or manufacturer of equipment, chemicals and fertilizer.
Past Recipients:
2012 - Ken Manning, Wilbur-Ellis Company
2011 - Dan Weber, Ceres Solutions
2010 - Kim Bohlander, Dow Agrosciences
2009 - Dave Coppess, Heartland Ag Service
2008 - Tom Warner, Crop Production Services
2007 - John Hester, Nichols Agriservice
2006 - Pete Romano, Quincy Farm Chemical
2005 - Don Pottinger, AGCO Corporation
2004 - George Thornton, Agriliance & Neil Strong, Syngenta
2003 - Allen Summers, Asmark
2002 - Jim Thrift, BASF
2001 - Ray Train, Syngenta
Jack Eberspacher Lifetime Achievement Award
In 2010, the ARA Lifetime Achievement Award was renamed the Jack Eberspacher Lifetime Achievement award to honor the memory ARA’s former President & CEO who passed away in July, 2009. This award is the highest honor presented by ARA for a career in agricultural retail. Each year, the award is presented to a single honoree based on the following criteria:
• Individual whose talent has fundamentally advanced ag retail;
• Individual who has made steadfast contributions to the association;
• Individual whose accomplishments have been acknowledged by professional colleagues and his or her local community; and an
• Individual whose work has stood the test of time.
Past Recipients:
2012 - Jim Thrift, Agricultural Retailer Association
2011 - Al McQuinn, retired from Ag-Chem Equipment Company
2010 - Bill Griffith, retired from American Cyanamid
2009 - Jack Eberspacher, Past ARA President & CEO
2008 - Ron Stutsman, Eldon C. Stutsman & Neil Strong, Syngenta
2007 - Glen Brandt, Brandt Consolidated
2006 - Spencer Douglas, Douglas Fertilizer
2005 - DeWalt J Willard, Willard Agri-Service
2004 - Wendell Stratton, Stratton Seeds
2003 - Lloyd Burling, Il Assoc.
2002 - Lowell Downey, ADM
2001 - John Boyd, Morral Co.
ARA Legislator of the Year Award
Each year the ARA recognizes a legislator who has championed the issues of importance to agriculture and agricultural suppliers.
Past Recipients:
2012 - Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) & Representative John Mica (R-FL)
2011 - Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) & Representative Bob Gibbs (R-OH)
2010
- Representative Sam Graves (R-MO) & Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)
2009
- Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN)
2008
- Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS)
2007
- Representative Marion Berry (D-AR)
2006
- Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)
2005
- Representative Ron Lewis (R-KY)
2004
- Representative Charles Stenholm (D-TX) & Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT)