Co-op communicators honored
op co-op communicators were honored by their peers in Montana in June for outstanding work and dedication to cooperatives. Awards were presented during the annual institute of the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA).
James Leuenberger, Shawano, Wis., received the H. E. Klinefelter Award, given annually to a CCA member who has raised the standards of Cooperative communications and, in doing so, has contributed significantly to the cooperative way of doing business. Leuenberger is vice president of information and public relations for Cooperative Resources International (CRI).
Raised on a Fort Atkinson, Iowa, dairy farm, Leuenberger earned a bachelor's degree in dairy sci-ence and a master's degree in agricultural journalism from Iowa State University. He served as a 4-H and youth agent with the Winneshiek County Extension Service in Iowa before joining the National Holstein Association in Brattleboro, Vt. In 1975, he was named vice president of public relations of what ultimately became known as 21 Century Genetics.
Sheryl Meshke and James LeuenbergerPhoto courtesy CCA
As the industry consolidated, 21st Century became part of the new CRI organization in 1993 and Leuenberge assumed his present position at that time. He now manages a staff of 17 in four different locations. He also serve as managing editor of the cooperative's cattle breeding publication, Horizons.
Sheryl Doering Meshke, Lake Crystal, Minn., received CCA's Michael Graznak Award, given annually to a young communicator and CCA member who has demonstrated excellence in cooperative communications. Meshke is communications director for Associated Milk Producers Inc., at New Ulm, Minn.
Meshke manages the communications and government relations department. She is in charge of the co-op's
monthly magazine and its member and employee newsletters and serves as treasurer of AMPI's Political action committee. In addition, she is the cooperative's spokesperson and media relations coordinator. Before
joining AMPI in 1991, she was editor and advertising director with Madelia Media Inc. and worked as a journalim inten at The Land magazine and Country Times newspaper at Amboy, Minn.
She earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural journalism at South Dakota State University. She currently is pursuing a graduate degree in business communication at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. She serves on the CCA board.
CCA named Catherine Merlo, Bakersfield, Calif., as writer of the year. Merlo, who heads a communications firm that works closely with a number of cooperatives and related organizations, formerly worked with Calcot, a Bakersfield-based cotton and almond marketing cooperative. Merlo was cited by judges for her ability to address a variety of writing assignments.
Bob McEowen, field editor with the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, Jefferson City, earned photographer-of-the-year honors. McEowen's photography focuses on subjects that convey the message that there are opportunities in rural areas and that rural areas are a good place to live and work.
Best-of-class award in the special projects/programs competition went to David Eaheart of Farmland Industries, Kansas City, Mo., for that company's campaign entitled "Support Trade for Farmers, for Farmland, for You." Judges said the winning entry stood out due to a comprehensive approach to cooperative communications that included well-written stories, good use of contemporary graphics and a design that supported the theme.
Honored for Publication of the Year was Janet Hunter, editorial director of the Farm Credit Bank of Texas, Austin, for that company's Landscapes magazine. The publication showed "exceptional creativity, originality, readability and quality over a broad scope of content," judges said.
USDA Rural Development's Rural Cooperatives won a third place award for best magazine, and field editor Pamela J. Karg won a second place news writing award for an article about President Clinton's visit to an Arkansas tomato cooperative.
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