Vince Pantalone Named Institute Professor, UTIA’s Greatest Honor
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture celebrated the accomplishments of some of its top faculty, staff, researchers and Extension experts at UTIA’s annual awards and promotions luncheon. This year’s ceremony was held in the newly-opened Agriculture and Natural Resources Building on the UTIA campus in Knoxville on August 14, 2024. Many of the awards are gifts made possible by faculty, alumni and friends of the Institute.
UT Institute of Agriculture Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Keith Carver hosted the award winners and praised them for their work. “I continue to be amazed by the dedication, enthusiasm and expertise demonstrated by the impressive work of our UTIA faculty and staff,” says Carver. “The awards are well deserved, and the impacts of these accomplishments are seen across the state and will benefit Tennesseans for generations.”
The highest honor awarded annually by UTIA is the Charles E. Wharton Institute Professor Award, and this year the title goes to Vince Pantalone, professor in the Department of Plant Sciences. The Charles E. Wharton Institute Professor Award is granted to a faculty member who has served at the rank of professor for a period of at least seven years and is a recognition of consistent outstanding performance over this period. The award recognizes excellence in teaching, research and Extension or clinical practice. Leadership and reputation through service at the national or international levels is also expected.
Pantalone has served at the Institute for the past 26 years, 17 of which have been at the rank of professor. A plant breeder and geneticist, he oversees UTIA’s soybean breeding and genetics program that uses a combination of classical plant breeding and DNA laboratory technologies to develop high-yielding cultivars that are resistant to pests and adapted to the climate, soil, and cultural practices of Tennessee, the Mid-South, and the Southeast. His particular interests lie in the protein and fatty acid composition of soybeans and in analyzing molecular markers to assist in enhancing soybean cultivars.
Pantalone has released 21 soybean cultivars that are now commercialized varieties and filed 14 invention disclosures with the UT Research Foundation. He holds two utility patents, including one with a plant science colleague for their collaboration on soybean cyst nematode-resistant soybean genes.
The other 2024 winners are:
The Charles and Patricia Goan Excellence in Customer Service Award: Terry Toney, UT Extension Trousdale County
The Charles and Julie Wharton Award for Outstanding Extension Achievements:
Christopher Cooper, UT Extension Shelby County
Matthew Deist, UT Extension Franklin County
Tom Rison, UT Extension Claiborne County
Ann and Bill Hicks Outstanding New Extension Worker Award: Lee Rumble, UT Extension Knox County
Tennessee Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists – Hicks Awards of Excellence:
Creig Kimbro, UT Extension Grundy County
Mitchell Mote, UT Extension Rutherford County
Lindsay Stephenson, UT Extension Haywood County
Vernon and Ida Darter Award: Lucas Holman, UT Extension Wilson County
The Lloyd and Nettie Downen Endowment Fund Leadership Enhancement Award: Amy Kirk, UT Extension Evaluation and Staff Development
G.L. Carter Jr. Outstanding 4-H Youth Development Agent Award: Crystal Blankenship, UT Extension Cumberland County
Alice Ann Moore Outstanding 4-H Youth Development Agent Award: Julie Harstin, UT Extension Obion County
William D. Bishop Outstanding Service Award: Heather Kyle, UT Extension Knox County
Webster Pendergrass Outstanding Service Award: Lannett Edwards, Animal Science
E.J. Chapman Outstanding Service Award: Jo Carlson, UT Extension
Cavender Outstanding Awards for Best Publication:
Natalie Bumgarner, Bob Ary, Anna Duncan, John Gunter, Andrea Ludwig, Mitchell Mote, Taylor Reeder, Melody Rose, Lee Rumble, Celeste Scott, Justin Stefanski, Virginia Sykes, Haley Treadway, Gregg Upchurch and Seth Whitehouse for Welcome Home: Gardening in Tennessee, PB 1919
Christopher Sneed, Michelle Childs and Megan Leffew for the series of publications Fundamentals of On-Farm Retail, SP 938A–D
J.E. Moss Achievement Awards:
Nutifafa Adotey, Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science
Elizabeth Croy, Large Animal Clinical Sciences
Sandy Kitts, Plant Sciences
Jun Lin, Animal Science
Williams: E.R. “Prof” Lidvall Outstanding Teaching Award: Lannett Edwards, Animal Science
Mildred Pendergrass Outstanding Service Award: Jennifer Chandler, Entomology and Plant Pathology
B. Ray Thompson, Sr. Outstanding Faculty Performance Award: Larry Steckel, Plant Sciences
Professional/Academic Award for Outstanding Service: Egla-Irina Delvo-Lopez, UT Extension Family and Consumer Sciences
T.J. Whatley Distinguished Young Scientist Award: Kellie Walters, Plant Sciences
UT AgResearch Dean’s Professor Award: Qixin Zhong, Food Science
UT AgResearch Impact Award: Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes, Entomology and Plant Pathology
UT AgResearch Mid-Career Faculty Research Excellence Award: Scott Lenaghan, Food Science
UT AgResearch Dean’s Award for Outstanding Support Staff: Alyssa Merka, School of Natural Resources
UT AgResearch Dean’s Award for Outstanding Professional Staff:
Philipus Pangloli, Food Science
Rebecca Payton, Animal Science
UT AgResearch Dean’s Grantsmanship Awards:
Sindu Jagadamma, Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science
Alicia Rihn, Agricultural and Resource Economics
Toni Wang, Food Science
UTIA Faculty Global Lifetime Achievement Award: Juan Luis Jurat-Fuentes, Entomology and Plant Pathology
Faculty Global Excellence Award: Andrew Muhammad, Agricultural and Resource Economics
Outstanding Staff Global Engagement Award: Whitney Anderson, AgResearch Administration
In addition to the winners of the sponsored awards, 43 faculty members received promotions, earned tenure, or both. They are listed on the UTIA Awards and Promotions website.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch, and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.