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Mark Hodges honored as OSU Distinguished Ag AlumnusOklahoma Mark Hodges, longtime executive director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, has been honored as a 2009 Distinguished Agriculture Alumnus by Oklahoma State University's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. "Oklahoma's agriculture and business communities are well aware of Mark's many significant, positive contributions to wheat producers and agribusiness operations across our great state," said Robert E. Whitson, DASNR dean and director and vice president of agricultural programs at OSU. "Mark also has been one of the most vocal champions for rural Oklahoma over the past several decades." Hodges, a native of Forgan, completed his Master of Science degree in agronomy at Oklahoma State University in 1983, after having first earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma Panhandle State University in 1978. He served for a number of years as OSU Cooperative Extension area agronomist in the Oklahoma Panhandle before eventually being named executive director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission in 1996. After a brief stint as head of the Oregon Wheat Commission, Hodges returned home in 2001 and served a second term as executive director of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, retiring in 2008. Hodges has been instrumental in positioning Oklahoma's wheat industry to be competitive in world markets, including the development of the current quality based marketing plan adopted by the Oklahoma Wheat Commission in 2001 and now utilized by Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. "Mark currently serves as director of Plains Grains Inc., and executive director of Oklahoma Genetics Inc., and Oklahoma producers, agribusiness operators and the university are fortunate to have him serve in these capacities," said Dave Porter, head of OSU's department of plant and soil sciences. Plains Grains Inc., is a non-profit organization designed to assist all levels of the wheat supply chain, both domestically and internationally, by providing timely, cutting-edge wheat quality information to industry members. Oklahoma Genetics Inc., is a non-profit organization whose mission is to assemble interested and capable seed enterprises to promote stewardship and to publicize and market the use of improved genetics, traits and benefits through quality Pedigreed seed and vegetatively propagated materials, as well as the promotion of educational programs and scientific plant-improvement research. A few of the honors Hodges has received include the Oklahoma Wheat Growers "Mr. Wheat" award, a "Distinguished Achievement Award" from the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, OSU's "Grain Man of the Year" and an "Innovative Leadership Award" from the High Plains Resource Conservation and Development Council. "All the while he has continued to be a loyal, tireless and effective supporter of the division and OSU," Porter said. "His hard work and devotion to Oklahoma agriculture is a shining example of the excellence inherent in our alumni and serves as an inspiration to us all."
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