Outstanding Achievements Honored at ASFMRA’s 2011 Annual Meeting

Oct. 31, 2011 - PRLog -- Professional Farm Manager of the Year Award
R. Edward Kiefer, AFM, ARA, AFM, ALC of Hertz Farm Management, Inc. in Geneseo, IL has been involved with farm management, real estate appraisal, real estate sales and acquisitions, and agricultural consulting since 1975.  He was raised on a grain and livestock farm in Keswick, Iowa, and is a farm owner in Keokuk County, Iowa. He’s been a member of the Education Committee and a past committee chair for ASFMRA. He’s the former president of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.  

Appraisal Professional of the Year
The 2011 Appraisal Professional of the Year was Paul Bierschwale, ARA. This award honors an ASFMRA Accredited Member for their outstanding experience and commitment to excellence within the agricultural appraisal profession, including their industry contributions.  Paul is currently a part owner, Real Estate Appraiser and Real Estate Broker with Bierschwale Land Company, LLC in Junction, Texas.  His appraisal experience includes residential, commercial, industrial and rural properties for loans, sale, partition, estate settlement, ad valorem taxation, condemnation, and bankruptcy.  Mr. Bierschwale was elected President of ASFMRA in 2005. Paul currently serves on the Board of Trustees of The Appraisal Foundation.

D. Howard Doane Award
The 2010 D. Howard Doane Award was presented to Carl Baldus, ARA and Bobbie Baldus of Baldus Real Estate, Inc. in LaPlata, Maryland. The D. Howard Doane Award is held in great esteem in the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. It is given annually to a member or non-member who has demonstrated such qualities and outstanding contributions in the field of agriculture with emphasis on farm management and rural appraisal.  Both Carl and Bobbie have been an important part of ASFMRA, donating many hours to the organization, and have been instrumental in raising funds for the ASFMRA Education Foundation.  

Carl F. Hertz Distinguished Service in Agriculture Award
This award, named after a previous distinguished ASFMRA member is presented each year to an individual in appreciation for service to agriculture other than directly in the farm management and rural appraisal professions. The recipient of the 2011 Carl F. Hertz Distinguished Service in Agriculture Award was Peter Clark. Mr. Clark has been associated with the real property profession for over 50 years in both England and Canada, and prior to his retirement in 2004 was appointed the Director of International Liaison providing government assistance to developing and reconstructing. He has been active in the Appraisal Institute of Canada and served as their National President in 1998. He was elected to two terms to the Board of Trustees of The Appraisal Foundation and served as their Chairman in 2005. He is a founding member of the World Association of Valuation Organizations.

Early Career Award
The ASFMRA Early Career Award recognizes an outstanding early career member, someone who is making outstanding contributions to their local chapter, the ASFMRA and to their local communities during their first 10 years of ASFMRA membership. The recipient of the 2011 ASFMRA Early Career Award was Travis B. Johnson, AFM.   Travis, who lives near Milford, Iowa, is a Senior Farm Manager with Farmers National Company. He has been a member of ASFMRA since 2003, earned his Accredited Farm Manager (AFM) designation in 2007 and graduated from the Iowa Chapter Grow, Educate, Train (GET) Program in 2009. He has served as the Chairman of the Scholarship and Awards Committee and now serves as the Chairman of the Friends of the Iowa Chapter Fundraising Committee, as well as on the Board of Directors for the Iowa Chapter Education Foundation.

Meritorious Service in Communication Award  
The Meritorious Service in Communication Award acknowledges an individual, company, or association involved in promoting understanding and goodwill between producers and consumers of agricultural products.  The 2011 recipient of the Meritorious Service in Communications Award was Jerry Lackey.  Jerry Lackey of San Angelo, Texas has been a professional communicator for more than 50 years.  He has retired as the regional farm broadcaster for Voice of Southwest Agriculture Radio Network/Clear Channel Ag Networks, and Agriculture editor emeritus of the San Angelo Standard-Times. He continues to write his Windmill Country column in the Standard-Times, and other Scripps Texas Newspapers. The agricultural column is the oldest continuously printed agriculture column in Texas. His radio and television career has spanned 25 years as farm broadcaster for KLST-TV and VSA Radio Network in San Angelo.

H.E. “Buck” Stalcup Excellence in Education Award
The H. E. “Buck” Stalcup Excellence in Education Award is awarded to individuals who have contributed his or her knowledge and countless hours toward the advancement of the ASFMRA education program.  The 2011 H.E. “Buck” Stalcup Excellence in Education Awards went to Gregory A. House, AFM, ARA of Davis, CA, for management education and Chris L. Greenwalt, ARA, RPRA of Greeley, CO for appraisal education.

Gregory A. House, AFM, ARA attended UC Davis to study agricultural science. Greg and his wife Jennifer own and operate House Agricultural Consultants. The Houses also own and operate an organic apple orchard. Greg is a past president of the California Chapter ASFMRA, and also served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Chapter. With wife Jennifer, Greg has taught farm management to university students and Society members for the past 20 years. He has been a member of ASFMRA's Management Education Committee and has taught Introduction to Farm Management, and Ethics for Farm Managers. He is an Accredited Farm Manager, Accredited Rural Appraiser, Certified Professional Agronomist, and Certified General Appraiser in the State of California.

Chris L. Greenwalt, ARA, RPRA recently retired as the National Appraiser for USDA/NRCS, National Resource Conservation Service after over 36 years. Prior to this he was employed by USDA, Farm Service Agency for 21 years serving as Farm Loan Chief, Senior Appraiser and Chief Appraiser in Washington, DC. Chris received his RPRA designation in 1993 and his ARA designation in 1994 from ASFMRA and his Fellow designation in 2009 from The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.  He is a Certified Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice Instructor, State Certified General Appraiser in Colorado, teaches several appraisal courses for ASFMRA and served 6 years as an Appraiser Qualifications Board Member.

Gold Quill Award
The ASFMRA Journal publishes the thoughts, ideas, and new developments of the organization and its members. The Gold Quill honor is awarded to the author of the most outstanding article published during the year in the Journal of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.  The ASFMRA Editorial Committee presented the 2011 Gold Quill Award to Donald A. Fisher, ARA of Pomeroy Appraisal Associates in Syracuse, NY for his article entitled, "An Environmental Trade Case Study: Agricultural Conservation Easement Pays Off Environmental Penalty".

The 2011-2012 ASFMRA President, Jeffrey L. Berg, ARA noted “I am excited and proud to be a part of such a great organization. The 2011 Annual Meeting was one of the American Society’s best meetings yet. It was a great honor to recognize so many who have given so much to the Society and the professions we serve.”  

ASFMRA, headquartered in Denver, CO, is a non-profit organization of over 2,000  professionals providing management, consultation and valuation services for rural and agricultural assets throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada. ASFMRA members manage over 25 million acres of farm and ranch land for absentee owners, banks and trusts. Members complete more than 175,000 appraisals a year on more than 30 millions acres of land.

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ASFMRA is the premier organization for professionals providing management, consulting, and valuation services on rural and ag land. Known as the Most Trusted Rural Property Professionals. Have farm land, don't know what to do with it, call ASFMRA.