Antoinette A. Betschart

(B.S., '60, Home Economics)
Director
Pacific West Area, ARS/USDA
Albany, California

Antoinette Betschart is an expert on the nutritional quality of cereal grains and legumes, with special interest in protein and fiber. She received the Women in Science & Engineering Award for "Most Outstanding Woman Scientist in the Federal Government" and is a fellow of the American Association of Cereal Chemists. Betschart joined USDA as a research assistant at the Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California, where she gained recognition in the field of plant protein and nutrient bioavailability in plant foods. She was appointed director in 1991. Under her leadership, 200 scientists work in five major research areas and collaborate extensively with university and other research scientists, both nationally and internationally.

 

Richard M. Bohart

Professor Emeritus
Department of Entomology
Davis, California

Richard Bohart played a major role in establishing the Bohart Museum of Entomology on the UC Davis campus. As the result of the world-class collection and systematics training center he created, UC Davis has become an international focal point in entomology. His efforts transformed a teaching collection of 100,000 specimens to the ninth largest collection in North America. Today, the museum, named in Bohart's honor, houses a over 6 million specimens. He published 230 scientific articles on insect systematics and mosquito and pest control and published six books on mosquitoes and wasps. Bohart received the National Science Foundation Pacific Science Board Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship and a USDA Fellowship.

 

Harold O. Carter

Professor Emeritus
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
Fairfield, California

Harold Carter is founding director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center, a forum where crucial trends and policy issues affecting agriculture and natural resources in California and the West are analyzed. He served as co-director of the Economics Subproject of the UC-Egypt Program, an international project in Egypt competitively awarded to UC Davis. In this position, he led a massive effort to join UC agricultural economists with 270 Egyptian academic and public sector agricultural economists in policy-relevant research and training endeavors. The Agricultural Issues Center has conducted high quality, broad based studies providing objective information about the dramatic changes taking place in California agriculture.

 

Cheryl E. Harrison

(B.S., '79, Design)
President
Harrison Design Group
San Francisco, California

Cheryl Harrison began her career in Scandinavia, developing, designing and marketing products for the U.S. Later, she moved to San Francisco where she became involved in the arts. She was director and board president for Artists in Print and a member of the board of trustees of San Francisco's Business/Arts Council. Harrison founded San Francisco's National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Program that recognizes high school students in the fields of visual art and creative writing. In 1985, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce named her "Woman Entrepreneur of the Year." Harrison, who initiated the Design Internship Program for UC Davis, serves on the Design Advisory Council for the Department of Environmental Design.

 

Harry H. Laidlaw, Jr.

Professor Emeritus
Department of Entomology
Davis, California

Harry Laidlaw, who is listed in the 50th edition of Who's Who in America, is known throughout the world as "the father of bee genetics and breeding." He built the UC Davis honeybee biology program into the world's best. He discovered new techniques that resulted in the development of a successful method for artificial insemination of queen bees. He fought hard for the resources to build the Bee Biology Facility, and he equipped it to become the best academic honeybee research facility in the world. Laidlaw participated in international bee congresses in Washington, D.C., Australia, Germany and Russia. Australian beekeepers presented the first Alan Clemson Memorial Foundation Award to him in recognition of research into selective bee breeding.

 

Warren D. Mooney

(B.S., '55, Food Science)
Owner
Liquid Sugars, Inc.
Emeryville, California

Warren Mooney (deceased) was instrumental in establishing the Liquid Sugars Distinguished Visitors series, which funds the visit of an industry leader to UC Davis. He established the Emil Mrak Prize in Food Science and Technology, which is awarded annually to the outstanding food technology student. This award has been presented to 25 students, many of whom now hold successful positions in the food industry. Warren was a member of the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology Industry Advisory Council and also served on the UC Davis Foundation Board of Directors. He was a member of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences' Dean's Advisory Council and served on the board of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association.

 

John H. Pryor

(B.S., '37, Truck Crops)
Retired
John Pryor Co.
Salinas, California

John Pryor founded an agricultural chemical fertilizer dealership and pioneered the liquid fertilizer business and its application to crops in the Salinas Valley. His concepts revolutionized the industry. After starting John Pryor Company, he established Pryor Farms, a 900-acre vegetable crop farm operation. He received the Salinas Business Excellence Award for Agribusiness, the Monterey County Distinguished Business Award in Agribusiness and the Salinas Area Chamber of Commerce's Ag Leadership Award. Pryor established a scholarship for Salinas Valley students and, after his retirement, established an educational foundation for deserving Salinas Valley high school students planning to continue their education and study agriculture.

 

Robert C. Richards

(B.A., '61; M.A., '89, Zoology)
Research Limnologist
Staff Research Associate
Tahoe Research Group
Department of Environmental Science and Policy
Lake Tahoe

Robert Richards has been instrumental in the success of the Tahoe-Baikal Institute, a U.S.-Russian student exchange program involving UC Davis, the Tahoe Conservancy and Russian agencies from the Lake Baikal region of Siberia. He has worked in limnological field and lab research, fisheries and biological studies, naval service, teaching and public education. Richards has taken hundreds of people out on research trips so that they may observe first-hand what research is being done and has hosted more then 1,000 public and university students on the research vessel John Le Cont. He helped film, produce and script educational documentaries about Lake Tahoe research efforts. He lectures to schools, service clubs and the general public.

 

Yoshimi Shibata

(B.S., '84, Individual)
President/Owner (Retired)
Mt. Eden Nursery Company, Inc.
Mt. Eden, California

Yoshimi Shibata is the former president of Wholesale Florist and Florist Supply Association, which represents approximately $1 billion of annual sales in floral products. He served on the boards of directors of Sumitomo Bank of California and the California State Chamber of Commerce, as well as Roses, Inc., the national trade association of rose growers. Shibata received a Certificate of Achievement from the California State Florist Association in recognition of service rendered to the floral industry. He returned to school to earn his diploma at age 70 and proudly graduated alongside his youngest son, Mike. Today, he is a member of the UC Davis Chancellor's Club and a volunteer staff member of the National Japanese Historical Society.

 

Richard R. Smith

(B.S., '68, Agricultural Science and Management)
Owner
Paraiso Springs Vineyards
Valley Farm Management
Soledad, California

Richard Smith is owner of Paraiso Springs Vineyards and Valley Farm Management, which currently grow 2,500 acres of grapes in Monterey County. He serves on the Industry Consulting Committee to the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. An expert on California water issues, especially in the coastal region, he often is asked to testify and participate on committees involved in the fate of agricultural water. A strong advocate for agriculture and agricultural literacy, Smith has served on many advisory committees and task forces in the winegrape industry. He was president of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers and president of Winegrape Growers of America.

 

Martin M. Yan

(B.S., '73; M.S., '77, Food Science)
Certified Master Chef
Restaurant Consultant
Yan Can International Cooking School
Foster City, California

Martin Yan is host of the syndicated public television show Yan Can Cook. He has hosted more than 1,500 cooking shows and authored 14 cookbooks, including "Martin Yan's Culinary Journey Through China." The James Beard Foundation recognized him with the James Beard Award for Best TV Cooking Show in 1994 and Best TV Food Journalism in 1996. Yan was honored with the prestigious Antonin Careme Award by Courvoisier. He was named Culinary Diplomat for the American Culinary Federation for his contribution to the food and hospitality industries. Along with Julia Child, he received an honorary doctorate degree in culinary arts from the world's leading culinary training university, Johnson & Wales.