FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.  — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture department of animal science presented its 2014 Awards of Distinction to five alumni currently serving in varied fields. Department head Mike Looper presented the awards during the department's annual awards and scholarship luncheon on April 16.

The recipients are:

• Advanced Graduates of Distinction – Charles R. Looney,  B.S. degree in 1978 and an M.S. degree in 1979; Jeff Miller,  Ph.D. degree in 1991.
• Graduates of Distinction – Kevin D. Clark, B.S. degree in 1986; Roger C. Crum Jr., B.S. degree in 1960; Joe D. Pagan, B.S. in 1979.

Looney started his own company, OvaGenix, in 1999 after a long and successful career in the embryo transfer field. While he was working with Granada Biosciences he was part of the team that produced the first embryo derived bovine clones and the first recombinant bFSH/LH. He was also part of the team that produced the first transgenic cloned calves and the first adult cloned bull while at Ultimate Genetics, which he founded. He has been promoting the cattle industry for the past 35 years in the United States and abroad. 

Miller was a loan officer before being promoted to vice president of Union Bank of Mena where he worked until 2009. Since 2009 he has been chairman of the agriculture department of Southern Arkansas University. He is an advocate for modern, high yield agriculture, and his current research interest is in developing novel methods for introducing agriculturally naïve students to the science of agriculture.

Clark has not only been at the helm of several companies, he has started and sold a few as well. He has managed multinational operations, sourced investors and brokered mergers and acquisitions. All while developing, manufacturing and selling products that require federal Food and Drug Administration approval. He is a founding member of the Arkansas Biotechnology Association; served as an executive committee member of the U of A Technology Development Foundation; and been on the advisory board of Arkansas Bio Ventures.

Crum has been involved in several organizations over the years, including the American Society of Animal Science, Poultry Science Association, National Feed Ingredients Association and the Ingredient Association Council. He has worked as a senior associate with Context Consulting; feed additive product marketing manager and manager of development research and technical service for Pfizer Agricultural Division; area director, North America, for SmithKline Animal Health; and vice president, sales and marketing, for the Microbial Genetics Division and director, poultry and feed industry accounts in the Nutrition and Industry Markets group of Pioneer Hi-Bred.

Pagan founded Kentucky Equine Research in 1988, an international research, consulting and product development firm dealing in the areas of equine nutrition and sports medicine. Under his leadership, KER has become a consultant to feed manufacturers on six continents and has played a key role in providing feeds and forages to horses participating in several Olympic Games and World Equestrian Games competitions. He has spoken at numerous equine seminars and symposiums internationally and is the editor of the four volume Advances in Equine Nutrition Series.