UACAA Awards

Distinguished Service Awards

The Distinguished Service Award shall be presented to members who have served at least 10 years as members of the Cooperative Extension Service, who have conducted outstanding programs, are held in high esteem by their fellow workers and are approved by the State Director of Extension. They must be members of their State and National Associations the year that they are selected.

Distinguished Service Award Winners

2024 Andree Walker-Bravo
2023
Josh Dallin
2022
Taun Beddes
2021
JayDee Gunnell
2020
Linden Greenhalgh
2019
Matt Palmer
2018 Justen Smith
2017 Clark Israelsen
2016 Jody Gale
2015 Boyd Kitchen
2014 Kevin Heaton
2013 Kim Chapman
2012 Mike Pace

2011 Chad Reid
2010
Lyle Holmgren
2009
Mark Nelson
2008
Troy Cooper
2007 Richard Hefelbower
2006 Jim Keyes
2005 Sterling Banks
2004 Jerry Goodspeed
2003 Jeffrey Banks
2002 Dean Miner
2001 Dennis Worwood
2000 Debbie Amundsen
1999 None
1998 James Barnhill
1997 Adrian Hinton
1996 Gary Anderson
1995 Shawn Olsen
1994 Larry Sagers
1993 Brent Gledhill
1992 Verl Bagley
1991 Val Warnick
1990 Ross Jacobson
1989 Tom Reeve
1988 Joe Austin

Achievement Awards

The Achievement Award will be awarded to Agents with less than 10 years of service in Cooperative Extension Service who have exhibited excellence in the field of professional extension. Nominees must be members of the State and National Association the year that they receive the award and have the approval of their State Director of Extension.

Achievement Award Winners

2024 Jake Hadfield
2023
Ben Scow
2022
Reagan Wytsalucy
2021
Steven Price
2020
Sheriden Hansen
2019
Josh Dallin
2018 Mike Caron
2017 Katie Wagner
2016 Britney Hunter
2015 Allan Sulser
2014 Trent Wilde
2013 Taun Beddes
2012 JayDee Gunnell

2011 Linden Greenhalgh
2010
Ron Patterson
2009
Matt Palmer
2008
Clark Israelsen
2007 None
2006 Michael Johnson
2005 Kevin Heaton
2004 Scott Williams
2003 Michael Pace
2002 Marlon Winger
2001 Boyd Kitchen
2000 Kim Chapman
1999 None
1998 Chad Reid
1997 Jerry Goodspeed
1996 Mark Nelson
1995 Dean Miner
1994 James Barnhill
1993 Gary Anderson
1992 Clyde Hurst
1991 Dennis Worwood
1990 Brent Gledhill
1989 Larry Sagers
1988 Shawn Olsen

Specialist Award

The UACAA Specialist award recognizes a USU Extension Specialist who has demonstrated positive specialist and agent interaction. Agents and specialists share the responsibility for meeting the needs of clients throughout the state of Utah by “Extending the University” in a team effort. Such relationships improve our ability to better serve our clientele and make a greater impact on people’s lives.  

Specialist Award Winners

2024 Chad Page
2023
Eric Thacker
2022
Matt Yost

Communications Awards

Audio Recording

Year

State Winner

National Level

2022
Jake Hadfield  
2021
Taun Beddes Regional Winner
2020  Taun Beddes National Finalist
2019 Taun Beddes, Mike Caron Regional Finalist
2018 Taun Beddes, Mike Caron National Finalist
2016 Mike Caron National Finalist
2015 Mike Caron National Finalist
2012 Taun Beddes Regional Winner
2011 Larry Sagers Regional Winner

Bound Book/eBook

Year

State Winner

National Level

2021
Marion Murray National Finalist
2018 Katie Wagner, Shawn Olsen National Winner
2015 Katie Wagner National Winner
2013 Richard Anderson National Winner

Computer Generated Graphics Presentation

Year

State Winner

National Level

2013 Beth Burritt Regional Winner
2012 Jeff Banks National Finalist
2011 Rick Heflebower Regional Winner

Fact Sheet

Year

State Winner

National Level

2022
Kalen Taylor National Finalist
2020 Katie Wagner Regional Winner
2019 Michael Caron National Finalist
2018 Taun Beddes, Mike Caron, Kelly Kopp, Corey Ransom  
2017 Ron Patterson, Ricardo Ramirez  
2016 Mike Caron, Taun Beddes  
2015 Mike Caron, Ryan Davis  
2014 Jeff Banks  
2014 Taun Beddes  
2013 Ron Patterson, Ricardo Ramirez  
2012 Stephen Sagers, Ron Patterson  
2011 Taun Beddes, Dan Drost National Finalist

Feature Story

Year

State Winner

National Level

2018 Mike Caron  
2013 Katie Wagner Regional Winner
2012 Larry Sagers Regional Winner
2011 Larry Sagers Regional Winner

Learning Module/Notebook

Year

State Winner

National Level

2018 Mike Caron  
2012 Larry Sagers National Winner
2011 Beth Burritt National Finalist

Newsletter, Group

Year

State Winner

National Level

2018 Helen Muntz, Marta Nielsen, Cynthia Lyman, Jerry Goodspeed, JayDee Gunnell  
2012 Mark Nelson, Clint Albrecht Regional Winner
2010 Mark Nelson, Clint Albrecht Regional Winner

Newsletter, Individual

Year

State Winner

National Level

2021
Marion Murray National Finalist
2011 Beth Burritt Regional Winner

Personal Column

Year

State Winner

National Level

2018 Ron Patterson  
2017 Jeff Banks Regional Winner
2016 Jeff Banks National Finalist
2014 Jeff Banks National Finalist
2012 Larry Sagers Regional Winner
2011 Jeff Banks National Finalist
2011 Larry Sagers  

Program Promotional Piece

Year

State Winner

National Level

2019 Helen Muntz State Winner
2018 Ron Patterson Regional Winner
2017 Jeff Banks Regional Winner
2016 Vernon Parent Regional Winner
2015 Jeff Banks Regional Winner
2014 Paul Hill Regional Winner
2013 Paul Hill Regional Winner
2012 Jeff Banks National Finalist
2011 Mark Nelson National Finalist
2010 Kevin Heaton Regional Winner

Publication

Year

State Winner

National Level

2022
Mark Nelson Regional Winner
2021
Mark Nelson Regional Winner
2020 Katie Wagner  
2019 Helen Muntz Regional Winner
2018 Mike Caron, Taun Beddes, James Barnhill, Kelly Kopp  
2017 Jeff Banks  
2016 Michael Caron Regional Winner
2015 JayDee Gunnell Regional Winner
2014 Britney Hunter Regional Winner
2013 Beth Burritt Regional Winner
2012 Larry Sagers National Finalist
2011 Taun Beddes, Ryan Davis Regional Winner
2010 Chad Reid  

Published Photo & Caption

Year

State Winner

National Level

2022
Trent Wilde Regional Winner
2021
Dallen Smith Regional Winner
2015 Jeff Banks  
2012 Larry Sagers National Finalist
2011 Larry Sagers National Finalist

Video/TV Presentation

Year

State Winner

National Level

2018 Ron Patterson, Dennis Hinkamp Regional Winner
2017 Jody Gale, Dennis Hinkamp National Winner
2016 Jerry Goodspeed Regional Winner
2015 Jeff Banks National Finalist
2014 Ron Patterson, Dennis Worwood, Jody Gale, Dennis Hinkamp National Finalist
2013 Ron Patterson, Dennis Hinkamp  
2012 Ron Patterson, Dennis Hinkamp Regional Winner
2011 Rick HefleBower Regional Winner

Web Site

Year

State Winner

National Level

2022
Cody Zesiger Regional Winner
2021
Sheriden Hansen Regional Winner
2019 Helen Muntz State Winner
2015 Taun Beddes Regional Winner
2013 Beth Burritt National Winner
2010 Lyle Holmgren National Winner

Program Recognition Council Awards

Search for Excellence--Consumer or Commercial Horticulture

Year

State Winner

National Level

2012 Jeff Banks National Winner

Search for Excellence--Crop Production

Year

State Winner

National Level

2012 Mike Pace  

Search for Excellence--Environmental Quality, Forestry and Natural Resources

Year

State Winner

National Level

2022
Randall Violett  
2021
Josh Dallin  
2019 Kim Chapman National Finalist
2018 Josh Dallin  

Search for Excellence--Farm Health and Safety

Year

State Winner

National Level

2015 Matt Palmer National Finalist

Search for Excellence--Livestock Production

Year

State Winner

National Level

2020 Kevin Heaton National Finalist
2018 Josh Dallin  
2015 Kevin Heaton  

Search for Excellence--Remote Sensing and Precision Agriculture

Year

State Winner

National Level

2011 Kevin Heaton National Finalist

Search for Excellence--Sustainable Agriculture Recognition

Year

State Winner

National Level

2022
Jake Hadfield  
2020 Mark Nelson National Finalist

Search for Excellence--Young, Beginning, or Small Farmers/Ranchers

Year

State Winner

National Level

2015 Kim Chapman  

Excellence in 4-H Programming

Year

State Winner

National Level

2021
Mark Nelson  
2018 Josh Dallin Regional Winner
2017 Holly Christley, Linden Greenhalgh National Winner
2016 Justen Smith Regional Winner
2015 Matt Palmer Regional Winner
2015 Allan Sulser Regional Winner
2014 Allan Sulser Regional Winner
2011 Chad Reid Regional Winner

Agriculture Awareness and Appreciation

Year

State Winner

National Level

2014 Chad Reid National Finalist
2012 Chad Reid Regional Winner

Posters

Year

 Category

 State Winner

 National Level

2020 Extension Education Mark Nelson  
2020 Applied Research Cody Zesiger  Finalist
2019 Extension Education Joshua Dallin  
2019 Applied Research Mark Nelson  Finalist

SARE/NACAA Fellows Program

Year

State Winner

National Level

2019 Mark Nelson  
2018 Ron Patterson  
2013 Matt Palmer National Winner
2013 Ron Patterson  
2012 Matt Palmer  
2012 Ron Patterson