UT Institute of Agriculture Presents Top Faculty and Staff Awards for 2021
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture recognized some of its top faculty, staff, researchers and Extension experts at UTIA’s annual awards and promotions luncheon on the UTIA campus in Knoxville July 30, 2021. The event was conducted in person, a welcome return to normalcy after having an online ceremony because of the pandemic last year. The awards honor the extraordinary performance of UTIA employees during a difficult year of online education and changes to procedures because of the pandemic. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by faculty, alumni and friends of the Institute.
UTIA Senior Vice President Tim Cross hosted the award winners and praised them for their work. “After a challenging and stressful year, it’s a pleasure to recognize excellence as exemplified by these award-winning members of the UTIA faculty and staff,” Cross says. “Their continuing dedication to our land-grant mission of serving Tennessee ensures that we develop and deliver real life solutions to improve health, grow the economy and enhance our environment.”
Timmy Mann, 4-H agent with UT Extension in Robertson County, is one of three winners of the Charles and Julie Wharton Award for Outstanding Extension Achievements. The award recognizes winners from each region of Tennessee, with Mann representing Middle Tennessee. Vickie Clark of Carter County is the East Tennessee winner, and Sondra Ganus-Thorne of Hardin County represents West Tennessee.
“It is an amazing honor to receive the 2021 Charles and Julie Wharton Award for Outstanding Extension Achievement,” Mann says. “For over 28 years, I have been blessed to work for UT Extension where I have met and worked with so many outstanding people. I am so thankful to the Wharton family for making this award possible.”
Mann has been with Extension 28 years, starting his career in Dickson County and then moving to Springfield in 2006. Before working for Extension, he was a soil conservationist in West Tennessee. Mann has coached a 4-H forestry judging team that placed highly in a national competition. He also started the 4-H BB gun program in Robertson County; this group has qualified for the Daisy Nationals, a shooting competition held annually in Arkansas. Mann also leads a local 4-H archery program.
Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.