University of Wisconsin - Extension

The University of Wisconsin-Extension today will present 17 awards today to individuals, groups and organizations that have demonstrated their dedication to outreach and extension education programs. UW-Extension Chancellor Kevin Reilly and more than 220 guests will honor award recipients at the annual Extension Awards Banquet on Thursday at The Lowell Center in Madison.

The Friend of Extension Awards honor individuals and organizations outside UW-Extension that have given substantial support to the extension mission at the local, state, national or international level. These will be presented to:

• The Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Fund - for working with UW-Extension to stop child abuse, through parenting newsletters, training programs for grandparents, and home visits for high-risk parents.
• Senator Russell Decker (29th Senate District) - for supporting the Dairy Options Pilot Program, sustainable dairy-grazing programs, modernization of the Marshfield Agriculture Research Station and other UW-Extension programs.
• Representative Scott Jensen (32nd Assembly District) - for promoting professional development for legislative staffers, by working in partnership with UW-Extension's Governmental Affairs Consortium to create the Assembly Staff Leadership Development and New Assembly Staff Training programs.
• Jules Matsoff, Associate State Director, Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) - for tireless work on UW-Extension's Small Business Development Center Advisory Council.

The Wisconsin Idea Award is given to those who make exceptional contributions to the quality of life at the local, state, national or international level through their work with UW-Extension. Two awards will be presented this year to:

• Creating Health, a two-year collaboration between Wisconsin Public Television and Cooperative Extension that combined televised programs, print materials, interactive media and community-based education to address women's health issues.
• The University of Wisconsin-Parkside's Diversity Circles for Dismantling Racism program, which helped people better understand their attitudes and beliefs about people of other races and improve their ability to effectively communicate with those who may have different beliefs.

Members of the UW-Extension faculty and academic staff will be honored at the event. Recipients of the Award for Excellence include:

• Larry Baumann, Mary Ellen Bell, Vern Leibbrandt, Cooperative Extension
• Karen Cowan, Department of Liberal Studies and the Arts, UW-Madison
• Mike Hallenbeck, Employee Assistance Program, UW-Madison
• Jamie Diana Poindexter, Instructional Communications Systems
• Dr. Ron Rada, Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor, UW-La Crosse
• The entire Wisconsin Innovation Service Center staff, UW-Whitewater

The Classified Staff Award for Exceptional Service will be presented to four outstanding UW-Extension employees:

• Linda DeMars, Local Government Center, Cooperative Extension
• Rick Mills, Dean's Office, Cooperative Extension
• Donna Protokowicz, Center for Continuing Education/Extension, UW-Superior
• Janette Randall, Front Desk Manager, The Pyle Center

And, recognizing more than 30 years of service to UW-Extension, the Extension Career Award will go to Kenneth Dixon, director of engineering at WHA-TV in Madison.

Dixon managed engineering and production facilities in Madison and Green Bay and was responsible for moving the WHA-TV transmitter to a shared site at the University Research Park in Madison. He recently returned from a brief retirement to help guide WHA-TV's acquisition and installation of digital television transmission facilities.