Here We Have Idaho | Fall 2013 by The University of Idaho

The

Here we Have

Fall 2013

Fooďż˝ Issue

In 2014, the University of Idaho will celebrate the 125th anniversary of its founding. Since 1889 when our land-grant university was established as Idaho’s flagship educational and research institution, the University of Idaho has continued to bring insight and innovation to the citizens of the state, the nation and the world.

Celebrations of our rich history are planned throughout Idaho.

SaveDates the

2014

125TH ANNIVERSARY BOISE Jan 22, 2014 Anniversary Kickoff Celebration Social and dinner

MOSCOW Jan 30, 2014 Birthday Celebration Live streams and social gatherings at the UI BOISE, COEUR D’ALENE and IDAHO FALLS CENTERS

CELEBRATION COEUR D’ALENE July 24, 2014 Anniversary Celebration Social and dinner cruise

IDAHO FALLS Sept 24, 2014 Anniversary Celebration Reception

For additional details and most up-to-date information visit: www.uidaho.edu/125years-events email: 125thevents@uidaho.edu or call: (208) 885-8920

Nominate a Future Vandal More than 100,000 alumni can attest that a University of Idaho degree is something special. Our national position, unique brand of hands-on education, quality faculty and programs, all delivered in a quintessential college town environment, help create graduates who go on to lead their communities and their professions. It is a legacy of leading. If you know a potential student who you think fits the University of Idaho mold, please nominate them. You’ll be paying them a compliment and setting them on a path for a lifetime of success.

uidaho.edu/nominate

University of Idaho magazine | Fall 2013

Here we Have

On the Cover: Marci Miller and Greg Freistadt, both ‘10, work five plots around Moscow with the help of a field hand who exchanges his labor for produce from the couple’s Deep Roots Farm. See story, page 16.

Departments

Features

Fostering Food: UI’s Food Technology Center

14 20 22 32 36 38 39 40 42

More Women Find their Place in Farming

From the President

4 Campus News 26 Capital Campaign News 44 Class Notes

A Perfect Pairing: School of Food Science Take a Trip Through Ag Country A Toast to Idaho Wine Vandal Brand Meats Dining-Room Diplomacy Pizza: A Sneaky, Tasty Way to Deliver Tofu From a Prayer to Prosperity: Litehouse Foods Eat with Confidence: UI Microbiologist Works to Keep E. Coli Out of the Kitchen

52 Football in the Family

From the Interim President This year we celebrate a sesquicentennial— the 150th anniversary of Idaho’s birth in 1863 as a territory of the United States. When President Abraham Lincoln signed the Idaho Territorial Act, he brought into the union what would become our state, which would owe much of its eventual prosperity to another Lincoln legacy—the land-grant university system created by the Morrill Act, which the president had signed just the year before. The land-grant concept has shaped the postwar economic, scientific and cultural development of the union that Mr. Lincoln preserved. The University of Idaho belongs to a distinctive “first family” of land-grant institutions. Unlike many Western land-grant institutions—which were created to supplement the founding universities in their respective states—the University of Idaho is a founding university. In fact, it is among the first in all historical elements of educational distinction: the nation’s land-grant legacy, a founding university, and was first to be recognized in Idaho when it achieved its 1890 statehood. This unique, multidimensional heritage does not confer a privilege; rather, it carries a profound responsibility. Our university is expected to be pre-eminent in shaping and shepherding Idaho’s progress in post-secondary education. Our leadership role includes enlisting the collaboration of sister institutions and the support

of partners in the public and private sectors. Our leadership is powerful because it is collaborative. This edition of Here We Have Idaho—with its focus on food production and the emerging issues of food safety, security and distribution— illuminates the breadth of collaboration in agriculture and related disciplines. For example, you will read about how Carolyn Bohach is working to prevent harmful E. coli in beef; how our extension agents have nurtured the region’s now nationally respected vintners, wineries and grapegrowers and how alumni-founded Litehouse Foods Inc. has become a national model of entrepreneurial success. American agriculture leads the world—and feeds much of it. This inspiring fact reflects hard work by farm families, sound business planning in a dynamic global economy, and indispensable and strategic investments in science and technology. These investments are the products of the enlightened collaboration between industry and the academy. In the last year alone, nearly $7 million has been committed by agricultural entities to the University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Interdisciplinary collaboration also extends to, and is fostered by, every one of our colleges. The research is economically vital and is—as it must be—academically rigorous. These examples of industry-academy collaboration illustrate the power of a modern landgrant university. President Lincoln would have been pleased. Go Vandals! Don Burnett Interim President

uidaho.edu/president

Here We Have Idaho The University of Idaho Magazine Fall 2013 • Volume 30, Number 3 Interim President Don Burnett

Vice President for Advancement Christopher D. Murray

Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Christopher S. Cooney ’13

University of Idaho Alumni Director Steven C. Johnson ’71

Alumni Association President Annie Averitt ’00

University of Idaho Foundation Chairman Laine Meyer ’72

Editor Paula M. Davenport

Creative Director Emily Mowrer

Class Notes Editor Annis Shea ’86

Writers and Contributors Amanda Cairo Beth Case Erica F. Curless Sayantani Dasgupta ’09 Paula M. Davenport Melissa Davlin ’07 John Foltz Nic Ford Andrew Gauss Noah Kroese ’04 Laura Kross ’13 Bill Loftus ’81 Brett Morris ’83 Nancy Nilles Becky Paull ’79 Mary Ann Reese Tara Roberts ’07 Andrea Thomas

Photography UI Photo Services Melissa Hartley Joe Pallen ’96 and as credited Views expressed in the Here We Have Idaho Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect official policy of the University of Idaho.

The University of Idaho is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and educational institution. © 2013, University of Idaho Here We Have Idaho magazine is published three times a year. The magazine is free to alumni and friends of the university. For address changes and subscription information, visit uidaho.edu/idaho-alumni. Contact the editor at UIdahoMagazine@uidaho.edu.

uidaho.edu/herewehaveidaho 3

Campus News Coeur d’Alene

Hagerman

Center Adds English Degree, Expands Other Course Offerings

Aquaculture Researchers Study Soy Solution to Feed Shortage

The University of Idaho in August added additional academic programs for those attending its Coeur d’Alene center. New offerings include a bachelor’s degree program in English, introductory coursework in virtual technology and design, or VTD, and upper-division coursework in chemistry. It’s now possible to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 11 subject areas at the center, said Charles Buck, center director and an associate vice president. “Educational opportunity is critical for prosperity in our region,” he added. The bachelor’s degree program in English will feature an emphasis in literature delivered through a combination of in-person, Internet and video instruction. The VTD specialization is industry driven and blends technology with art and design. Classes prepare students to create computer-generated 3-D models that can deliver realistic, yet virtual, experiences for those in the fields of health care, entertainment, education and more. The newly added chemistry coursework encompasses kinetic theory, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and spectroscopy. “We’re taking advantage of new technologies to connect to UI’s world-class faculty while expanding educational opportunities for students in far north Idaho,” Buck said.

The aquaculture industry is booming, and billions of people rely on farmed fish as their primary dietary protein source. As carnivores, most of today’s farmed fish feast on fish meal, which is made from other fish. But the world’s supply of fish meal can’t keep up with demand, said Ron Hardy, director of the University of Idaho’s Aquaculture Research Institute, or ARI, in Hagerman. ARI researchers are investigating ways to replace fish meal with plant-based ingredients, opening doors for a more sustainable industry. A grant from the national Soy Aquaculture Alliance is supporting ARI research into feeding fish with the meal left over after cooking oil is extracted from soybeans. The research goes beyond traditional “feed ’em and weigh ’em” studies, Hardy said. ARI uses molecular techniques to analyze how high-soybean-meal feed affects fish, down to the genetic level. The researchers not only investigate the effects of soybased feed on everyday trout, but also have selectively bred a strain of rainbow trout that fare particularly well on a plant-based diet. The ultimate goal is to raise fish that grow quickly, efficiently and economically while remaining healthy, said ARI-based postdoctoral researcher Biswamitra Patro. ARI’s research into fish feed helps Idaho’s multimilliondollar trout industry—No. 1 in the nation—and international farmers alike. “Here we are in Idaho and we have this wonderful trout industry that is in a sense a microcosm of a global industry,” Hardy said. “The issues it faces are the same issues faced by the global aquaculture industry.”

~ Andrea Thomas

- Tara Roberts uidaho.edu/cda 4

uidaho.edu/aquaculture

Moscow

Idaho Falls

A Cool Idea: Salmon Incubator Hatches from Old Refrigerators

UI, Dairy Industry Work to Turn Waste Stream into Revenue Stream

A recycled refrigerator turned in-stream incubator may be the answer to increasing wild salmon populations, a team of University of Idaho engineering students recently discovered. For their senior project, the student team adapted old refrigerators and even coolers that can help increase wild salmon egg survival rates, now roughly 5 percent, to match hatchery levels as high as 90 percent. These incubators use common, inexpensive materials so they can be easily built and used by American Indian communities and others working to boost healthy salmon runs. The students tested a pilot model in a local stream this spring and presented their work at the annual Engineering Design Expo, where students display their senior projects. The system is simple: Spring-water flows through a pipe into the incubator, then into the main stream. People put eggs harvested from wild salmon into small plastic-mesh boxes, where they hatch inside the refrigerator. When the fish reach a certain growth stage, they instinctually know to swim through an opening in the incubator into the stream. The design allows the fish to hatch, grow and leave with no human contact beyond the day the eggs are placed in the incubator. Wild fish are genetically stronger than hatchery fish, leading to an overall healthier population, and they replenish nutrient levels in streams by bringing back nutrients from the ocean. The incubators increase fish populations in their native habitat without the need for a costly facility downstream. The next step is to help write research and educational grants so communities — academic or otherwise — can put the incubator design into action.

Scientists at the University of Idaho are working on a national project that could help transform dairy manure into money. They’ve certainly got their fair share of raw material. Dennis Keiser, a UI engineering professor based in Idaho Falls, said Idaho dairy farms produce nearly 12 million tons of manure each year. Keiser, an affiliate of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies, or CAES, has teamed up with the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy on the project. The goal? Identify markets for products and co-products derived from dairy manure while ameliorating potential environmental hazards and pumping new income into large dairy operations. Keiser has helped develop economic models that show a potential national market value for treated manure products at $3 billion a year. Idaho would annually stand to bring in more than $135 million. Predictions are based on farms with more than 1,500 dairy cows. Electricity generated from methane, fertilizer, soil amendments, greenhouse gas offsets and renewable energy certificates would be among the project’s spin-offs, Keiser said. Jerry Bingold is the director of renewable energy for the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “This will provide the science-based information needed to accelerate commercialization of methane digesters on small, medium and large farms; and will help identify and develop new commercial uses for manure-derived products,” he said. “Through this effort, CAES will serve as a model for other U.S. Department of Energy labs in the advancement of sustainability research and transfer of technology to the broader industry.”

~ Tara Roberts uidaho.edu/fish-incubator

~Paula M. Davenport usdairy.com/dairypower 5

The Food Technology Center shares grounds with the UI Caldwell Research and Extension Center.

UI’s Food Technology Center is a one-stop shop for getting started selling edibles BY MARY ANN REESE PHOTOS BY MAT T LEITHOLT

t sounds almost too good to be true. Whether you’re a chef looking to package a popular soup for sale or a home cook wanting to sell Grandma’s prune-and-nut bread—or chutneys, condiments, jams or frozen burrito wraps—at a farmer’s market, the University of Idaho not only helps you learn how to do it, it also has a kitchen you can use to meet state and federal safety standards. UI offers a one-day seminar, “Developing Your Food Product Idea: A Blueprint for Pre-Venture and Startup Food Companies,” several times a year for $100. Once you’ve taken the course, you’re eligible to rent— on a sliding scale—the university’s Food Technology Center (FTC) commercial kitchen, with its thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment. Its 150-gallon steam kettle can make enough salsa to fill 150 dozen-jar cases in a day. A filling machine with a foot pedal can handle 5,000 small jars or bottles a day. There’s a 40-quart food processor, a 60-quart Hobart mixer, a Universal Labeler, a shrink tunnel for speed-wrapping safety plastic melted around bottle tops, and much more. “Probably only a couple kitchens in the country offer what we do,” said kitchen supervisor Cini Baumhoff. Baumhoff and FTC director Josh Bevan help clients with everything from product development and testing, processing and packaging, and analytical testing and making nutritional labels, to training employees and staging food demonstrations and conferences. For many people wanting to sell prepared foods, the cost of setting up or renting kitchen space that meets safety

standards can be prohibitive. “An individual can make and package a product here for $250 for three or four days’ use of the kitchen, compared to $2,000 at a comparable commercial facility,” Baumhoff said. As for trends among their 40 to 60 clients a year, “The last few years have seen more inquiries about gluten-free food,” Baumhoff said. “Now, perhaps a side-effect of the locavore movement, there’s a lot more interest in fresh or cold-pack processing—things like hummus.” The 7,000-square-foot FTC shares grounds with the UI Caldwell Research and Extension Center and Agri-Business Incubator. Adjacent temperature-controlled metal bays have helped wineries trim expenses as they start up. “I don’t know of any other state that offers these services for both wine and food in one location,” said James Toomey, director of the Agri-Business Incubator. “Together, clients can collaborate, learn from each other and expand their ideas.” Because UI expects this facility to be self-supporting, the food kitchen probably wouldn’t be viable without the help of some $200,000 a year generated by the adjacent pilot plant where staff contract to do research and development, Good Laboratory Practice studies, and food quality and safety analysis with large food manufacturers and agrichemical companies including J.R. Simplot Co., Novozymes, DuPont, Bayer CropScience, BASF and Syngenta. The Food Technology Center is under the leadership of the UI-WSU School of Food Science in Moscow and Pullman. uidaho.edu/food-tech

FTC

From home kitchen to store shelf: How the FTC helped four cooks find success ALL PROFILES BY MELISSA DAVLIN

Zacca Hummus:

Bean spread evolved with family ties

H Idaho-grown garbanzo beans star in Janine Zacca Zenner’s homemade hummus.

ummus might be a staple at potlucks and parties now, but that wasn’t the case when Janine Zacca Zenner was a high school student in Florida. “I grew up eating and making hummus all the time,” she said, but many of her friends had never heard of the creamy garbanzo bean dip. But she is Lebanese. Her connection with the Mediterranean food grew when she met her husband, Chris, and moved to Boise. Chris’ parents, Russ and Kathy Zenner, are third-generation farmers in Genesee. One of their crops: garbanzo beans. When Zacca Zenner’s mother visited and met Chris’ parents, she told her daughter to ditch the canned beans and start using fresh ones from the farm for her hummus. Like a good daughter, she listened, and loved the results. Friends and family started encouraging her to package and sell the hummus. But her background was in finance, not food production and marketing, and she didn’t know where to start. So she approached the University of Idaho Food Technology Center in Caldwell. They helped her set up a test booth at a farmers market, and the responses were overwhelmingly positive. In 2011, Zacca Zenner set up her first sales account with the Boise Co-Op, and has steadily expanded her distribution throughout the Treasure Valley and Ketchum areas since. Now, she makes nearly 400 pounds of hummus in each production run, and hopes to expand distribution throughout the Pacific Northwest. Her hummus comes in three flavors—Traditional, Roasted Red Pepper and Poblano Pepper—and she’s considering adding a lentil spread to the lineup. zzfoods.us/products.html

Backcountry Bars: All-natural treat uses Northwest ingredients

K Created as an alternative to chocolate chip cookies, Backcountry Bars grace the shelves of 200-plus stores. Bakers, from left: Kris and Karie Boesiger.

ris and Karie Boesiger didn’t set out to make a living off cookies. The Boise-based mother-in-law/daughter-in-law team started their business selling Mom’s Specialty Mustard at farmers markets in 2001. A few years later, they added cookies to the product line. Those cookies turned into Backcountry Bars, an oatbased treat made without wheat, high-fructose corn syrup or soy. By the time the Boesigers began making Backcountry Bars, they had already been making their mustard at the University of Idaho Food Technology Center for several years. Their established relationship and experience helped them get their new product to market faster. Over the years, the pair tweaked the bar’s size to make it one serving. The Boesigers later started selling glutenfree bars, which use the same recipe as the regular bars but are made with gluten-free oats. The business is dedicated to buying Idaho and Northwest ingredients—the honey and sugar come from Idaho, the fruit comes from Washington and the oats come from Wyoming or Oregon. You can find the bars in dozens of retail locations throughout Idaho and the Northwest, including WinCo Foods, the UI VandalStore in Moscow and the Boise Co-Op. Soon, the Boesigers hope to offer another way to get your cookie fix. They’re looking to expand their enterprise by selling raw cookie dough through fundraisers.

backcountrybar.com 9

Wagner’s Idaho Mustard:

Perfected for German father, blend takes off

Some like it hot. Others like it dilled. Either way, Wagner’s Foods makes a mustard for you.

ob Wagner’s mustard recipe sprang from an unfulfilled craving. “My father, he loves the old German style mustard,” Wagner said. “He couldn’t find it anymore.” So Wagner, who lives in Nampa, began looking up recipes and experimenting. He ordered mustard seed and made several variations of the German mustard for his father, who lives in California. Once Wagner tweaked the formula to perfection, he sent it to his dad for approval. “He loves it and said it was better than the stuff he grew up with,” Wagner said. After that, Wagner and his wife began giving jars of the mustard to friends, who loved it just as much. One of those friends owns a farm, where she sells organic beef and chicken. She told Wagner that if he bottled enough of the condiment, she’d sell it through her farm store. “That was the encouragement I needed,” Wagner said. He began looking into what it would take to legally sell his mustard, and the health inspector suggested he start at a church kitchen. After that didn’t work out, he called the University of Idaho Food Technology Center and got into a class. That changed his approach to his blossoming business. “They were talking about things I’d never even considered. Stuff like designing your label, all of the cleanliness issues, the production issues,” Wagner said. Originally, he’d planned to put mustard in jars using a spoon and funnel. The UI class taught him that there were more efficient production methods, he said. That lesson paid off. During just one production run in June, Wagner made 1,200 jars of mustard. “If I’d attempted to make 1,200 jars with a spoon and a funnel, it would have taken us three weeks,” he said. Two years into the business, Wagner has added more flavors to his lineup. He and his wife, Cari, now sell the original Wagner’s Idaho Mustard, Wagner’s Dill Mustard, Wagner’s Smoky-Hot Mustard, Wagner’s Screamin’ Hot Habanero Mustard, and the newest flavors: Hoppin’ Jalapeno Mustard and Sweet and Sassy Honey Mustard. The business is so successful, Wagner and his wife hope to make it a full-time gig. “It would not have been possible for us to do this without the UI Food Technology Center,” he said. wagneridahofoods.com

Dillys:

Demand for pickled veggies overwhelms home kitchen

A Dilly’s Pickled Vegetables feature spicy mixes of asparagus, green beans, baby dill pickles and more.

recipe from Grandma turned into a great business opportunity for Shelly Craig. She had canned asparagus and dilly beans with her own mother using the family recipe. Friends soon caught on, making the Midvale resident a popular guest at potlucks. “It just never failed,” Craig said. “Any time we went to a party somewhere, someone would say, ‘Bring some beans, bring some asparagus.’” As an adult, Craig began selling the pickled veggies out of her house, but the demand was too high to keep up out of her small kitchen. She tried using a school kitchen, but that arrangement didn’t last long, either. So Craig called the University of Idaho Food Technology Center and got set up at their kitchen. The experience was eye opening, she said. Canning was second nature to her, but until she took UI's one-day overview seminar, she didn’t realize the legalities involved in selling her product. She had to relearn how to prepare her pickled veggies to meet those standards. At the beginning, she made about 50 jars at a time. Now, she makes about 1,300 per production run. In the nine years since Craig began selling her vegetables, she’s expanded her selection. Now, customers can buy spicy dill pickles and pickled baby corn. Distribution has grown, too. Her Dillys pickled vegetables are available at the Boise Co-Op, Whole Foods and Rosauers, as well as statewide at every liquor store. (Try the pickled asparagus and dilly beans in Bloody Marys.)

dillys.net 11

Did you know... n UI is recognized by Forbes Magazine in 2013 as among the "Top 25 Value Colleges" in the nation. n Most undergraduate students in researchrelated fields have opportunities to conduct hands-on research with their faculty mentors. n UI is ranked as one of Washington Monthly’s top 100 national universities for 2013. n UI attracts grants and contracts of more than $100 million each year to fund innovative research and teaching—nearly three times the amount of all other Idaho universities. n Nearly $1 billion is contributed to Idaho’s economy through the combined activities of the university and its alumni. n UI has Extension offices in 42 counties, on 3 Indian reservations, and operates 11 regional Research and Extension centers.

Inspiring Vandals

“As a Vandal Connect caller and a University of Idaho student, I want to thank you for taking the time to talk with me and my student co-workers. Thanks to you, we have one of the most rewarding jobs on campus. Your support helps make dreams a reality for Vandal students.” Kierstyn McGlothin, senior, criminology n Vandal Connect callers contacted more than 32,500 alumni, parents and friends of the university last year. n Last year alumni and friends contributed more than $1.5 million to the university through the Office of Annual Giving.

Office of Annual Giving (208) 885-5369 foridaho@uidaho.edu

uidaho.edu/inspire 12

More Women Find Their Place in

UI sociologist Ryanne Pilgeram is recording female farmers' stories and studying their impact on agriculture BY PAUL A M. DAVENPORT

fter more than 150 years of near ownership exclusion, American women are gaining a foothold on the farm. This time around, many are purchasing land on their own, rather than just marrying into farm families—whose property rights favored second-generation male heirs over farm widows or their daughters. The latest U.S. Census of Agriculture shows a 30 percent jump, between 1982 and 2007, in the number of women operating or co-operating farms and ranches. Figures come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service report, released in May. Ryanne Pilgeram—a University of Idaho sociologist who grew up on her family’s Montana farm—is interested in the personal stories and potential trends within this wave

of Farmer Janes. She is about halfway through conducting 36 audiotaped interviews of women who farm in Idaho and Montana. She’ll wrap up the remaining interviews in the months to come. For now, she’s combing through her finished transcripts to better understand the ways women are financing their return to the land, the challenges they may face and the roles they play in sustainable agriculture. The field is ripe for such a study given the dearth of social science research on the topic, she said. UI senior Bryan Amos of Potlach is assisting her on the study. Some interesting facts are already popping up, Pilgeram said. “Women are finding unique, idiosyncratic ways to access land. They’re using retirement savings, gains from investments, military disability benefits, career income,

inheritances and proceeds from the sales of non-farm property,” said Pilgeram, an associate professor in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. Most of the women she’s met are content with small farms, said Pilgeram, who snared a competitive UI Seed Grant to advance her project, “Examining the Roles of Women in Sustainable Agriculture.” That mirrors a national finding. On average, farms operated by women run 210 acres, about half the size of farms run by men, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Census shows. “While women certainly have dreams and aspirations for their farms and agribusinesses, being a huge company isn’t one of them. Instead, they deeply aspire to be personally connected to their land and what they’re producing,” Pilgeram said. The nation’s increasing support for the locavore

movement, farmer’s markets, food co-ops, roadside stands and community-supported agriculture are opening sales opportunities for women on smaller farms. It’s a trend that may continue, Pilgeram said. “The number of women operating new farms has steadily increased from 12 percent to 19 percent between 1998 and the 2007 agriculture census.” Pilgeram expects to publish at least two academic papers when her project is completed. Her aim is “to evaluate the social equity of sustainable agriculture as practiced in the Northwest and potentially help this system become more equitable.” In light of the increasing role women are playing in agriculture, we wanted to learn more about some of their paths to success. On the following three pages, you'll find the stories of three such producers.

uidaho.edu/class/socanthro

Women in

Farmin�

ALL PROFILES BY AMANDA C AIRO

Spreading Roots Far and Wide in Moscow

etting their hands dirty is nothing new for Marci Miller and Greg Freistadt, both 2010 graduates of the University of Idaho. When Freistadt became ill a couple of years ago, he and Miller looked closely at what was in the food they ate. They decided they could do better. As conservation social sciences majors, they first got into organic farming as undergraduates. So going organic now—growing their own produce and getting back to basics by learning canning and preserving—was a natural step. That first step blossomed into Deep Roots Farm. In all, the couple cultivate an acre of land spread over five plots throughout Moscow. They grow 60 kinds of organic vegetables, while also tending 35 free-range laying hens and honeybees. For them, farming is about being sustainable and providing healthy food. “There’s a deep connection between sustainability and farming, especially in organic farming,” Miller said. “We’re really trying to minimize our impact as we farm.” They move among gardens in their backyard, friends’ backyards, a third-generation homestead, the Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute and an eighth of an acre leased from a neighbor. Customers purchase the farm's uncertified organic produce at the Moscow Farmer’s Market and through community supported agriculture, where people pay in spring for weekly boxes of produce in summer. Recipes for the more 16

Marci Miller and Greg Freistadt use space-saving horticulture techniques, like growing melons in suspended hammocks made from old T-shirts.

unusual veggies are tucked into the weekly shares. “Land is so expensive,” Miller said, adding that the pair started farming full time last year. “We do what we can since we’re just getting started. Our main focus right now is providing high quality, locally grown food.” While farming was always an idea of theirs, Miller and Freistadt decided to make a go of it after a trip to Southeast Asia. In Thailand they noticed small hillside farms, riverbank and urban gardens, and fresh markets. “It was really inspiring to see what people were doing with local food and how sustainable it was,” Miller said. Miller and Freistadt don’t just farm land though. They’ve also worked with homeowners and even the Montana Department of Corrections to help others learn about and plan organic gardens. “We're part of a young agrarian movement that's happening all over the world," Miller said. "We're excited by the possibilities.” deep-roots-farm.com

Mixing Up Frozen Treats with Flair

hen Amanda Hixson House and Keith House cranked up an old family ice cream maker to start their Sticky Fingers Farm ice cream brand in 2010, they wanted to focus on farm-fresh ingredients and unique, small-batch flavors. Now, with the addition of a professional kitchen and an industrial ice cream maker on a family-owned organic farm in Troy, the couple still hold true to their ideals, mixing each batch with a commitment to local, quality ice cream with distinction. While the idea began with ice cream, the couple soon added a non-dairy option made with organic coconut milk. It now makes up almost half of their freezer selection. “We wanted to start off with a dairy alternative since we have some vegan friends and a lot of people can’t do dairy,” said Hixson House. “We were surprised how quickly we’d sell out, so we started making more.” While Amanda and Keith highlight organic ingredients, for them, it’s knowing where, and who, the products come from that counts. “Buying local, homegrown is more important than organic sometimes. I know how they farm, I know the farmers and we have a great community here,” Hixson House said. “It’s nice when you know how that piece of produce got to you.” Sticky Fingers Farm uses fresh produce and ingredients from the family farm, as well as other local farms and businesses, to create unique and delightful flavors. Whether it’s adding lavender and honey or Moscow-based Sisters Cookies to their ice cream, or adding vegan marshmallows, almonds and cocoa or citrus colada to their coconut milk dessert, the couple's recipes bring out unique flavors—all while

being sustainable. “I’ve always appreciated nature, and as I got into my studies more and had a child, I really started taking an interest in how our food is produced and its impact on the land,” Hixson House said. The couple operates an ice cream and hummus stand at the Moscow Farmer's Market and the Moscow Food Co-op’s Tuesday Grower’s Market—and they've added their own homemade waffle cones. They also sell their hummus and pints of their desserts at the Moscow Food Co-op. This summer they branched out even more, setting up shop at the National Lentil Festival in Pullman and the Latah County Fair in Moscow.

sticky-fingers-farm.com

Amanda Hixson House and her husband, Keith, opened Sticky Fingers Farm after a chance stop in a New Zealand specialty ice cream shop.

Women in

Farmin� PHOTO BY ED GL A Z AR

Building a Natural, Quiet, Tractor-Free Life

ith her grass-fed lamb steaks and gourmet cheeses, Blue Sage Farm owner Laura Sluder has found her niche in the farming landscape of Southern Idaho. Having grown up on a cattle ranch, Sluder knew when she and her husband, Paul, bought a farm in Lincoln County that she’d stay close to her roots. But she wasn’t sure where to start. Because her husband’s family raised sheep, Sluder decided to try a new ranching challenge, while Paul worked a full-time job. “At first I didn’t know that much about sheep,” said Sluder, who put in many hours of research. “But I really liked working with them, and cheese-making has been an interesting process.” Sluder turned to the University of Idaho to help push her business forward while making it more sustainable and natural. She attended UI’s Lost River Grazing Academy to learn better and more sustainable grazing practices and tapped the UI Extension to help create a business plan that incorporated cheese-making on the farm. She increased her herd to 80 ewes, brought in a cheesemaking expert and added goats to increase product variety. Sluder focuses on the livestock and land. She has two lambing seasons, May and November, and she makes it a point to keep her lambs with the ewes during the day, separating them only at night so she can milk the ewes in

Laura Sluder invites visitors to her farm to see haying with horses, old-time threshing and her Halloween “farmival.”

the morning. “People love to see a ewe and a lamb out in the field together,” she said. “It’s more natural and healthier.” Using her grazing academy experience, Sluder tries to maintain fresh grazing areas almost year-round on her 80-acre property. She also uses draft horses to work the 25 to 30 acres she reserves for hay, pumpkins and potatoes. “I like the quietness of it all, the slower pace. You can’t hurry things along,” Sluder said of the horses, adding that as of this year, she no longer has a tractor for backup. “I love horses and farming with horses.” She sells her cheese largely in the Treasure Valley, at Boise markets, in Salt Lake City and local farmer’s markets. Her products include the manchego-style Borrego, the sheep’s-milk feta Del Verde, a sheep’s-milk ricotta, a chevre (made from goat’s milk) and a mozzarella she’s been perfecting.

bluesagefarm.com

Inspiring

Student Careers

Seth Pratt is a senior majoring in agricultural economics at the University of Idaho. Over the summer, he interned at a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., that focuses on agriculture, food security and rural issues. “The voice of agriculture needs to be heard on a national scale,” said Pratt, a student in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. “I loved working for our cause.”

For more information on giving to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, contact: Kim O’Neill (425) 359-2411 kimoneill@uidaho.edu Jen Root (208) 885-4087 jroot@uidaho.edu

A native of Blackfoot who grew up on his family’s ranch, Pratt credits his long-time FFA affiliation and his experiences at UI as key springboards to his exciting internship. His time at UI provided ample opportunities. In his sophomore year, Pratt won election as FFA’s western regional vice president. He spent the next year traveling the nation on the organization’s behalf. That led to a fourweek visit to Liberia to promote agriculture and 4-H. It’s through such internships and career experiences that students build confidence, widen perspectives and renew enthusiasm for their academics, Pratt said. Thanks to generous support from Vandals worldwide, Pratt said he and his peers are on their way to becoming leaders, thinkers and achievers. “Thank you for demonstrating your support for students and helping us on our future career paths,” Pratt said.

uidaho.edu/inspire 19

a Perfect Pairing Food science students get best of two schools in partnership with WSU BY TARA ROBERTS

hen Kathleen Momont majored in food science, she didn’t just study theory—she studied food. Before Momont graduated in December 2012 from the joint University of Idaho and Washington State University School of Food Science, she spent two summers interning at Darigold, working with milk, ice cream and other dairy products. During the school year, she conducted research in WSU’s Wheat Quality Lab while taking classes from professors at both universities. Now, her experience has led to a position in a management training program at Darigold, where she’s learning the production process “from the farm to the customer.” The UI and WSU School of Food Science is unique in the nation for its cross-border partnership that allows students to access each university’s best resources. The schools began working together in 1996, and merged their food programs in 2008. Students can learn about developing new food products, improving safety and quality, marketing and designing production processes. And they can apply their knowledge right on campus, from analyzing taste in a sensory lab to manufacturing cereal in a campus processing facility. “Being at both universities gave me a vast amount of hands-on lab experience with equipment that was shared between the two,” Momont said. “Having facilities like the creamery and wheat lab at WSU and the meat-processing facility at UI really provided opportunities for all students to get a variety of work and learning experience.” These opportunities lead to internships and jobs, said

school director Denise Smith. Demand for people skilled in food sciences is high nationwide, and starting pay averages about $55,000 a year. In recent years, program alumni have found positions with food-industry giants like ConAgra, Northwest leaders such as J.R. Simplot Co. and niche markets such as Nampa-based HB Specialty Foods. “Basically, any graduate who wants a job, gets a job,” Smith said. The program’s size attracts high-quality graduate students and faculty members as well, Smith said. “There’s a bigger base of expertise to work with.” Idaho and Washington taxpayers benefit, too—the partnership creates a larger, more prestigious and more productive school than each university would have alone, and the school’s graduates often stay to work in the Northwest’s multibillion-dollar food industry. The majority of teaching and research happens in Moscow and Pullman, but the school’s reach extends across both states. In Washington, food science researchers study wine at WSU’s Prosser Research and Extension Center, and the director of WSU’s viticulture and enology program is based in the Tri-Cities. In Idaho, the school runs the Food Technology Center in Caldwell, which has developed more than 160 new products for the state’s specialty foods market. The school will be expanding to Twin Falls with the addition of a dairy processing specialist who will serve the area’s growing dairy industry.

sfs.wsu.edu

Inspiring Families

Ken and Gail Kaaed

The association has raised more than $148,000 to help fund these efforts and other risk reduction initiatives. Parent involvement provides an inside appreciation for outside, private support of the university, its students, faculty and facilities.

The University of Idaho’s Parent Program supports the efforts of Idaho’s Parent Association. Members of the association, composed of volunteer parents, advocate for student success, leadership opportunities and help with alcohol education aimed at creating a healthy campus.

Here’s what parents Ken and Gail Kaaed had to say about their experiences in the program: “As a small-business owner and parents, we appreciate the overall emphasis on academics and student service at the University of Idaho. As funding by the legislature has steadily decreased since our first Vandal started in 2004, we feel it is important to support the university.”

Please join other parents, alumni and friends by making a gift to the area of your choice. Visit uidaho.edu/inspire.

For more information on the UI Parent Program, contact: Meghann Kolb Assistant Director Annual Giving meghannk@uidaho.edu (208) 885-5205

uidaho.edu/inspire

Hire a Vandal! Help fellow Vandals get connected to professionals in your industry, internships and full-time career opportunities. Recruiting Vandals is easy, and Idaho’s Career Center is here to help you find top talent. n Free online job and internship postings via Vandal CareerConnection n Annual job and internship fairs n Employer information sessions n Classroom speaking opportunities n Connections to student clubs and organizations

Contact the Career Center if you’re interested in hiring fellow Vandals. (208) 885-6121 careercenter@uidaho.edu uidaho.edu/careercenter

Take a Trip Through

From towering wheat silos to 20,000-cow dairies, a tour of Idaho’s major producers finds the “big” in big agriculture BY JOHN FOLT Z, Ph.D. DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTUR AL AND LIFE SCIENCES and BILL LOF TUS ILLUSTR ATION BY NOAH KROESE

ost people know Idaho for its potato crop. But how about malt, milk and trout? Big agriculture here is diverse, as a group of ag students learned firsthand during a weeklong spring break tour. While smaller producers certainly boost local economies and build knowledge of food production, the big ones not only put food on tables around the world, they’re a mainstay of the state’s economy. Roughly 11 percent of Idaho’s workforce labors in agriculture, food processing and related industries. Agriculture and agribusiness account for 14 percent of the state’s gross domestic product. Ag is such a big industry here that last year we decided to load up a bus with 19 students to see it up close on a 1,200-mile tour. We visited some of our state’s top commodities producers and processors, while meeting with industry executives and community leaders along the way. With 15 stops in 10 towns, we saw just how much our state contributes to the world food supply. Here’s a partial account of our discoveries—and some of the mouth-watering Idaho-grown products we enjoyed.

Download and print this map at: uidaho.edu/HereWeHaveIdaho

1 We started off at the Nancy M. Cummings Research, Extension and Education Center near Salmon. This UI research center is a 1,000-acre ranch that focuses on beef production. It helps cattle ranchers produce plentiful, safe, nutritious beef for U.S. consumers—enough to rank Idaho’s beef industry 13th nationally.

2 Our first stop here was Potandon Produce, part of the potato marketing arm of Green Giant. While Idaho is famous for its potato production, many people might not know just how big the crop is: Idaho growers raise one-third of all U.S.-grown potatoes, ranking the state No. 1 nationally. UI economists have estimated that one in 20 jobs in Idaho directly relate to potato production and processing. Next we headed over to the Anheuser-Busch malt facility, where the air was rich with the sweet scent of malted milk. The multi-million-dollar production plant is situated to take advantage of Idaho’s malt barley production. The state bounces between the No. 1 and No. 2 positions in annual U.S. barley production. Most of us on the tour had never seen the malt-making process, in which barley is mixed with water, then sprouts and is dried, all under exacting control. The malt—a wondrous bit of starch-to-sugar conversion wizardry—becomes the base for brewing beer. The plant is massive, its grain silos monumental. Our final stop in Idaho Falls was a nearby sophisticated grainhandling terminal operated by General Mills. It buys Idaho wheat to make Wheaties and Wheat Chex cereals and other foods. Idaho is the fifth largest wheat grower in the country.

5 An overnight stop in Twin Falls led us next to Si-Ellen Farms dairy, home to 20,000 milk cows. The dairy’s sheer scale inspired awe, and its technologically advanced milking parlor was so bright and bustling, it energized our group. The family operation, managed by Mike Roth, has been part of the rocket-like ascent of dairying in Idaho. In 1997, the state ranked ninth nationally in milk production. In 2010, Idaho outpaced New York to move into third place in national milk production. Again, UI research has helped boost the efficiency of Idaho’s dairies. In 1997, Idaho cows averaged some 19,000 pounds of milk annually. In 2012, the average jumped 20 percent to about 23,000 pounds. When Chobani decided to locate its new $450 million yogurt plant in Idaho, it chose Twin Falls—Idaho’s dairy epicenter— to tap into this veritable milk machine.

4 We capped off the day with a dinner made memorable by delicate, delicious rainbow trout raised by Clear Springs Foods—the largest trout processing company in the world. Did you know Idaho is the nation’s top producer of farm-raised trout? Dinner conversation centered on sustainable fish production and how UI researchers are helping trout farmers shift to grain-based feeds and away from expensive, less-sustainable, ocean-based fishmeal.

3 Next, we returned to potatoes, with a stop at the Liberty Gold Potato Co. Plant managers showed us some of the organization and technology that makes a modern packing shed hum with activity as countless spuds are cleaned, sorted and packed for market with factory precision. UI researchers play an instrumental part in Idaho potato production, and this is one of the places where that work literally comes together. From developing new varieties to improving storage and helping prevent potato diseases, UI researchers help ensure that packers get the high-quality potatoes buyers expect. 24

6 Agri Beef Co.'s corporate headquarters set the table—literally— for our next tour stop. The hearty meat revived our spirits and energy as the tour passed the halfway mark. Students heard from executives of the integrated beef production company on producing quality beef and marketing unique products to consumers and restaurant owners—including Kobe-style beef like the famed Japanese delicacy. We also toured the Agri Beef test kitchen—complete with fulltime chef—where cuts of beef and new products are introduced to restaurateurs, grocers and food editors from national magazines. Agri Beef has 85,000 head of cattle on feed at any given time. Idaho’s agricultural diversity produces other crops with national rankings: Sugar beets are No. 2; mint is No. 3; peas, lentils and hay come in at No. 4; and sheep are at No. 7. Idaho’s reputation for fine wine and winery vacations is also on the upswing. Many of Idaho’s wines are produced in the area between Caldwell and Marsing. In Caldwell, Ste. Chapelle Winery, one of Idaho’s oldest, invited us into its tasting room and showed us its vineyard, plus its grape-crushing and bottling processes.

9 On our fifth and final day, we circled back to Nampa to learn more about beef. Our host, Performix Feeds, a Nampa-based liquid feed supplement manufacturer headed by CEO Tim Bodine ’97, talked about the importance of cattle nutrition and providing superior customer service. We also took a close-up look at dairy cattle on a stop at Mann Farms, a large feedlot exclusively for dairy heifers.

Proceeding on to Parma, we met Jon Watson ’73, CEO of the J.C. Watson Co., an integrated onion producer and marketer. The company supplies Spanish sweet onions to Outback Steakhouse for its popular fried “blooming onions,” helping to land Idaho in the No. 4 spot in U.S. onion production. Two sights that stuck: the size of the onions and the complexity of an ingenious planter that laid down a line of water-absorbing gel with the onion seeds to keep them moist.

7 On day four, it was time to find our cheese. Sorrento Lactalis, a cheese manufacturing plant in Nampa, introduced students to its variety of cheeses, including its major product, mozzarella. Students donned protective coats and hairnets to watch milk move from a tanker truck all the way to becoming packaged cheese. To top it off, we sampled the finished product. The pizza staple was at once a production marvel and a familiar comfort food. It’s only natural, with the state’s swelling milk production, that cheese-making plants operated by Sorrento Lactalis, Glanbia and Darigold have earned Idaho the No. 3 position in U.S. cheese production.

8 A stop in Caldwell meant a visit to the J.R. Simplot Co., where students discovered that Simplot products reach beyond its signature French fries to potato cakes and many other potato products (which we sampled heartily), plus fertilizer, grass seed, cattle and retail sales of animal feed and health products. Nearby Black Cat Farms, a mint farm owned and operated by Drew Eggers ’76, offered a sweetly scented primer on producing mint and distilling mint oil for use in products ranging from gum and candy to hand lotion and perfume.

Our agri-tourists returned home with a new understanding of the hard work that Idaho agriculture demands, and the rewards it offers. The trip let us see Idaho’s agriculture as it is: exciting, diverse, efficient, important to the state’s economy and a key link in the U.S. food supply. These are all things I’ve come to know as a faculty member in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences for the past 22 years. But I now have a broader, deeper appreciation for Idaho agriculture. The tour was arranged by Katie Strittmatter, the college’s assistant director of academic programs for retention.

uidaho.edu/cals

Capital Campaign News $225 million

$193

Gifts from Alumni, Employees and Friends Push Fundraising Closer to Goal

M Through June 2013

our University of Idaho colleges, Vandal Athletics and Operation Education have reached or exceeded their respective campaign goals and are still going strong as the UI’s Inspiring Futures capital campaign approaches 2014, its final year. Giving as of June 30 totaled $193.6 million, or 86 percent, of the $225 million university-wide goal. Many other academic units and programs are close to reaching their individual unit goals. However Chris Murray, vice president of University Advancement, said donor support remains crucial as the fundraising campaign heats up.

students now and in the future receive the high-quality, hightouch education they expect and deserve.” Among the most significant donors thus far are the Seattle philanthropist couple Tom Alberg and Judi Beck. Others include the Idaho Wheat Commission, which has made a $5 million commitment that will help UI fill positions at its Aberdeen, Moscow and Lewiston research and extension sites, as well as provide additional support for students in graduate school.

“We’re enormously grateful for the support of our alumni and friends who have generously invested and continue to invest in the future of our students, faculty, programs and facilities at UI,” said Murray. These private gifts are the financial fuel that propels the university forward and provides the margin of excellence needed at public research universities like ours.

In addition, the Idaho Barley Commission has given $1 million to create the Idaho Barley Agronomy Professorship Endowment.

“I strongly encourage those considering a gift to please do so and join thousands of other donors to help ensure that our

Plus, the number of donors among our UI faculty and staff is at an all-time high.

Total number of donors since the campaign’s inception is 27,436 to date.

Welcome to the Vandal Family!

wo new senior staff members, each with several years experience, have joined the advancement team at UI as directors in their respective areas of expertise. Sharon L. Morgan is leading the Office of Estate, Trust and Gift Planning and Bobbi Hughes is leading the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations. Morgan is the senior director of trust, gift and estate planning. She comes to the University of Idaho from Washington State University, where she served for 13 years in gift planning for the WSU Foundation. She has over 23 years of experience in assisting university alumni and friends match their passions with the needs of a complex research institution. She has expertise in gift planning, marketing, board relations and volunteer management and is skilled in donor relations and stewardship for nonprofit organizations. She is proud to be a native of the Palouse. Her husband, Phillip, is on the faculty of Washington State University and coaches several sports in local high schools. He and Sharon have four children, ages 16 to 21. Aside from her work, Sharon enjoys reading (while working out), cooking (hence the need for working out!), traveling and spending time with friends and extended family. Sharon earned her B.A. in political science with honors from Washington State University and her J.D. from Willamette University College of Law. Hughes began work at UI in July. She has expertise in leadership, program development and grant writing, as well as experience in development and developing complex strategies in a university setting. In her role as executive director of career connections for Pacific Lutheran University, she organized and managed a focused team, created corporate partnerships and strategically developed a vibrant alumni and employer network. Bobbi received her MBA and a B.A. in womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s studies, global studies, and history at Pacific Lutheran University.

Campaign Cornerstone Goals

FA C I L I T I E S

$30.5 M

$62 million

F A C U L T Y

$63 million

$50.4 M

PROGRAMS $50.5 M

$54 million

S T U D E N T S

$46 million

$62 M

Capital Campaign News College Goals

$40

million

$40.7 M Limagrain’s Jim Peterson joins the Idaho Wheat Commission’s Cathy Wilson to examine wheat grown in a UI greenhouse in Moscow.

Agricultural and Life Sciences

million

$1.5 M

Inspiring Collaborative Research

$5 million plan by the Idaho Wheat Commission—along with innovative support from Limagrain Cereal Seeds—is boosting the University of Idaho’s efforts to serve the region’s wheat growers. The outside assistance has helped UI’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences fill essential wheat-related positions at UI's research and extension centers in Aberdeen, Moscow and Lewiston and provided funding for graduate student research. Tapping into UI’s research expertise is vital to a healthy wheat industry, said Ned Moon, chairman of the Idaho Wheat Commission. Limagrain and the university will share research and wheat seeds to greatly increase genetic diversity and wheat varieties available to growers in Idaho and the Pacific Northwest, said Jim

Peterson, Limagrain Cereal Seeds’ vice president for research. Ordinarily, it takes roughly 12 years to develop and test promising new grain varieties. But thanks to industry support, researchers hope to produce new variations in 8 years or less.

Art and Architecture

$27

million

$35.9 M Athletics

The collaboration brings a new international dimension to wheat research in Idaho and the Northwest. Limagrain Cereal Seeds is a new joint venture between the France-based Limagrain Group, the largest cereal seed company in Europe, and Arcadia Biosciences, a biotechnology company based in Davis, Calif. For more information on giving to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, contact Kim O’Neill at (425) 359-2411 or kimoneill@uidaho.edu; or Jen Root at (208) 885-4087 or jroot@uidaho.edu.

$18

million

$13.9 M Business and Economics

$15

million

$11.3 M Engineering

College Goals

million

$7.7 M Education

$6.5

million

From left, UI Interim President Don Burnett; John Foltz, dean of UI College of Agricultural and Life Sciences; and barley growers Dwight Little, chairman of the Idaho Barley Commission and Pat Purdy, commission vice chairman.

$4.8 M

Inspiring New Professorships

Law

$10.5

million

$8.9 M Letters, Arts and Social Sciences

$22.5

million

$23.8 M Natural Resources

million

$10.1 M Science

ollowing a nine-month feasibility assessment and unanimous vote of support, the Idaho Barley Commission recently entered into a joint venture with the University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences to create the Idaho Barley Agronomy Professorship Endowment. The $1 million endowment creates a position dedicated to barley agronomy at the university’s Aberdeen Research and Extension Center. Pat Purdy, the commission’s vice chairman and a barley grower in Picabo, strongly supports strengthening barley research at the University of Idaho and USDA Agricultural Research Service. “As Idaho barley growers, we are constantly faced with new challenges that put pressure on our bottom line,” Purdy said. “To help growers face these challenges, we need research efforts and field work that only a dedicated UI barley scientist can provide.”

Idaho’s barley growers increased their assessments to the commission from 2 cents to 3 cents per 100 pounds of yield. The University of Idaho values its special role in helping the state’s agricultural producers harvest greater yields, use water and other resources more efficiently and pioneer new crops. The university exists today, and was founded nearly 125 years ago, to assist agriculture, one of the state’s most important industries, said Don Burnett, UI’s interim president. This farsighted, voluntary effort by Idaho barley growers is a wise investment in an important crop, and in both our state’s and the barley growers’ futures, Burnett said. For more information on giving to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, contact Kim O’Neill at (425) 359-2411 or kimoneill@uidaho.edu; or Jen Root at (208) 885-4087 or jroot@uidaho.edu. 29

Capital Campaign News

Inspiring Others

Michael “Mike” Keller coached track and field at the University of Idaho from 1974 to 1999. He saw the team through some of its most successful times ever.

During his time on campus, he led the team to five Big Sky titles and a 1997 indoor title against Pac-10, Big West and WAC competitors. But he demanded excellence in the classroom, too. Of the hundreds of UI athletes he coached during his 25-year tenure, all but one earned a college degree. In addition, Keller also coached one of his team’s standouts, Dan O’Brien, to his 1996 Olympic gold medal in the decathlon. Coach Keller was inducted into the Vandal Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. His accomplishments don’t stop there. After retiring as coach, he launched a successful real estate business in Spokane, Wash.

Recently, Mike established The W. Michael Keller Men’s Track & Field Scholarship Endowment at the University of Idaho. The scholarship is fully endowed, but will be added to through Mike’s estate plan. Additional gifts from Mike and others can be made to the scholarship now. This way, Mike is able to take care of his family first and enhance his Vandal legacy in the future. “You work someplace for 25 years and your heart’s in it. This is my way of paying back the Vandal sports program and honoring the student-athletes I had the honor of coaching.” Thanks, Coach Keller, for inspiring the future of our Vandal track and field athletes for generations to come. For information on how to include the University of Idaho in your estate and participate in the university's Inspiring Futures campaign, contact: Sharon L. Morgan, senior director of the Office of Estate, Trust and Gift Planning, morgans@uidaho.edu, (208) 885-5760 or (866) 671-7041.

Inspiring Impact

axx Forde, junior student-athlete and defensive end for the Vandal football team, has become a leader on the gridiron. However, when he's not on the practice field, you’re likely to find Maxx in the library, studying to complete a double major in marketing and finance. He is making the most of three scholarships: the Reg Carolan Memorial Scholarship, the Glenn White Memorial Scholarship and the Vandal Booster National Board Endowed Scholarship. According to Maxx, scholarship support, “has allowed me to pursue my studies in a way that I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to. Rather than having to worry about the expenses of school, I’m able to focus on my classes and football with zeal.” And while he’s using that zeal to set his sights on the NFL, he knows that with a UI education, he’ll be prepared as a leader in the business world, too. The Integrated Business Curriculum, the signature program at the College of Business and Economics, is helping him develop into a well-rounded businessperson. The yearlong program lets students gain practical skills and

experience in a real business environment, emphasizing the kind of collaboration and teamwork needed to succeed after graduation. Maxx is particularly grateful for its emphasis on working in small-group settings. “I want to be able to take advantage of the opportunity I’ve been afforded with my scholarship,” he said. “To waste it by not giving my all would be disrespectful to those who believed in me enough to support my scholastic and athletic endeavors.” For more information on how to support Idaho student-athletes, contact: Tim Mooney, associate athletic director of External Affairs in Athletics, (208) 885-0258 or tmooney@uidaho.edu; Emily Adams, coordinator of internal operations in Moscow, (208) 885-0259 or emilya@uidaho.edu; Joe Church, regional development coordinator in Boise, (208) 334-2087 or josephc@ uidaho.edu; Ryan Gerulf, regional development coordinator in Boise & SE Idaho, (208) 364-4566 or ryang@uidaho.edu; Shelly Robson, regional development coordinator in Coeur d'Alene, (208) 651-7992 or shellyr@uidaho.edu. 31

UI alumna Angie Shaltry at Periple, her downstate Idaho winery.

A Toast to

Idaho Wine BY MARY ANN REESE

ngie Shaltry ’99, Boise, fermented her first fruit while a sophomore in Patricia Hartzell’s Microbiology 250 class at the University of Idaho. “During lab, we all had to ferment a fruit. I chose plum juice. It tasted horrid!” Shaltry recalls. “I don’t know if any of us made a palatable wine. It was embarrassing because both instructor Hartzell and Tim Steffans, who ran the lab, were wine connoisseurs. I’ve come a long way!” After earning her microbiology degree and interning with award-winning wineries in California, Shaltry established Périple, Meridian’s second winery, in 2007. The French name means odyssey, apt for her journey from UI student to winemaker/winery owner. Shaltry, who specializes in pinot noirs and syrahs, now sells her wine “all over the country.” Shaltry’s journey is one of many successes for Idaho’s wine industry, which is beginning to get noticed. The state’s winery total hit 50 in June—five in northern Idaho, five in southeastern Idaho and the rest in southwestern Idaho— and more licensees await approval. Nearly all the southern Idaho wineries are in the Snake River Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA), which became Idaho’s first federally recognized AVA in 2007. Idaho vintners are winning an impressive number of medals, too. Shaltry’s 2010 Hullabaloo Rhone blend won a gold medal the Great Northwest Wine Competition, and Wine Spectator has scored her Washington Syrah at 90 on a scale of 100 in blind tastings. Pinot Report scored the California pinot noirs at 90 and 91. The 2013 Great Northwest Wine Competition in Hood River, Ore., resulted in gold medals for Clearwater Canyon Cellars, Hat Ranch, Ste. Chapelle and Williamson

Vineyard. Silvers went to 26 labels from 10 Idaho wineries, and 22 bronzes went to another 10. “These wines are a well-kept secret. We want to get them the exposure they deserve,” says Jim Toomey, director of UI’s Agribusiness Incubator in Caldwell. “Idaho has fabulous wines available at about half the price as California equivalents. Idaho wineries get only 4 percent of Idaho’s wine market. We can do much better than that.” The Idaho Wine Commission and tourism businesses are increasingly marketing Idaho wines, which may help explain a recent spate of glowing press reviews. June’s Redbook Magazine declared Idaho No. 2 among “America’s Top 10 Wine Destinations,” beat only by Finger Lakes, N.Y. And at GreatNorthwestWine. com, Andy Perdue and Eric Degerman recently wrote, “Idaho’s wine industry is finally coming of age. It’s no coincidence that a growing number of Treasure Valley restaurants are embracing Idaho wines. The proof is on their wine lists.” The tourism potential is also gaining attention. “Now we get a lot more drop-ins interested in our wineries, many of them from Utah,” says Theresa Hardin, director of Caldwell’s Chamber of Commerce, whose website touts local wines—as does a billboard along Interstate 84. “We’re lucky to be a hop and a skip from Boise’s airport,” says Ron Bitner, a former UI Extension educator in Canyon County who now owns, with his wife, Mary, the award-winning Bitner Vineyards’ winery, B&B and 15-acre vineyard. “It’s not like California, where you have to drive hours to get to wine country. Idaho’s such an attractive destination anyway. Wineries are making for very attractive extra stops along the way.”

Many UI programs help support Idaho's wineries and vineyards, which are gaining recognition

University support

AVA—533 square miles slicing across northern Idaho and Washington. If granted, the zone will be called LewisUI doesn’t trumpet its support for Idaho’s wineries, but Clark Valley AVA. its fingerprints are everywhere. In addition, the UI-WSU Food Science Department The university’s godfather of wine-grape varietal tests includes a half-dozen faculty members who help with prois Esmaeil “Essie” Fallahi, director and professor of the duction research and assessment of tastes and aromas in Pomology and Viticulture Program at the Parma Research wine grapes. and Extension Center. Fallahi, The Caldwell and Parma who grew up on his grandresearch and extension centers father’s 1,000-acre fruit and have provided support for wine nut ranch in Iran, almost sinbusinesses for several decades. gle-handedly launched Idaho’s At Caldwell, three temperaresearch on growing wine grapes. ture-controlled metal bays make Skeptics considered Idaho launching a winery more ecowinters too cold for wine grapes. nomical for vintners on startAnd one in eight or 10 winup budgets. Vale Winery owner ters may be. But Fallahi, who John Danielson ’04 shares two says Parma reminds him of Iran, wine bays with the owners of knew about microclimates and Hat Ranch and Cellar 616 wintheir potential in agriculture. eries. The three vintners in 2012 From 1990 to 2004, he ran triproduced 17,500 bottles (1,500 als on nutrition and wine qualcases) of wine. ity at Symms Fruit Ranch near “We share space and equipCaldwell. ment,” Danielson says. “But we He also founded the universiuse different grapes, yeast and ty’s viticulture program, running different sugar levels that result trials for 52 red and white wine in different tastes.” grape varieties at the Parma R&E Danielson especially credits Center. The results paved the Washington Grown • 14.1% Alcohol by Volume UI for its “pioneering work, conway for today’s 1,700 acres of tinuing today, with wine grape wine grapes grown in the state. research. It is critical to keep Many others from UI have Merlot is one of four UI-brand Vandal Crest Wines. helping grape growers try to also helped. Beyond the alums understand what we can plant, what will survive our winwho own or run wineries, 16 UI architecture students of ters and what our best practices should be.” professor Wendy McClure this spring worked with Nez At Parma, two USDA Agricultural Research scientists Perce County planners to consider whether new codes are now examine today’s wine issues (see details at our online needed for wineries re-emerging in Lewiston and Juliaetta. version: www.uidaho.edu/herewehaveidaho). Wineries thrived there in the 1800s until Prohibition shut “We still have a lot of challenges,” Fallahi says, “but we them down. are very competitive. We have lots of room to grow.” UI students also drafted site plans for three winerAs GreatNorthwestWine.com’s Degerman, who is ies. “It was wonderful working with them,” says Coco based in Richland, Wash., notes, “A number of internaGardner Umiker ’04, Lewiston, who co-owns Clearwater tional wine experts are taking stock of what’s happening in Canyon Cellars with her husband, Karl ’00. “The stuthe Snake River Valley—both in the wineries and the vinedents’ insights and questions helped us think through yards. That’s important, and it shows that more attention is possibilities we hadn’t considered.” The Umikers are also headed to Idaho wines.” hoping that a petition succeeds to create Idaho’s second

vandal cRest Merlot

uidaho.edu/idaho-wine

vandal crest The University of Idaho Office of Alumni Relations has selected Camas Prairie Winery as the official producer of Vandal Crest Wines. Each wine label displays iconic images of the University of Idaho campus. A percentage of sales helps support student scholarships. For information or ordering: camasprairiewinery.com/vandalcrestwines

uidaho.edu/alumni

More Than Just a Great Butcher Shop BY L AUR A KROSS PHOTOGR APHY BY R AJAH BOSE 36

or many University of Idaho football fans, savoring game day means sinking their teeth into a Vandal Brand sausage. Celebrating its 25th year on campus, Vandal Brand Meats is within sight of Kibbie Dome. The sausages are among the most popular items in the full-service butcher shop. Yet despite its steady business, the shop’s existence still surprises many. The shop acts as the storefront for the Meat Science Laboratory operated by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. It offers students experience in all phases of meat processing, from cutting to curing to packing. Livestock you see roaming a hillside before kickoff one game might be steak for the grill when the next game rolls around. How’s that for homegrown? “One thing we can say is our product is local. The meats we use are top quality meats,” said Ron Richard, Vandal Brand Meats manager and UI instructor. “We have a philosophy of quality in, quality out.” Students run nearly the entire operation—and learn exactly how the sausage is made. The students are involved in all phases, from evaluating the animals to production and sales of the finished product, Richard said. James Nasados, a UI senior and student employee said: “It’s not the same old thing everyday—sometimes we get to cut beef or pork and other days we’re out making sausage product that’ll go to our retail front and some to the bookstore.” Vandal Brand Meats is a part of UI’s Department of Animal and Veterinary Science. Students learn the steps of meat production through courses like live animal and carcass evaluation. Local 4-H and FFA outreach programs also supply the shop with animals. “Students get a better understanding of what they’re seeing on the live animal as it relates to the production of the products,” Richard said. Sales have grown steadily, about 10 percent a year since Vandal Brand Meats’ founding in 1988. The growing focus on local foods adds a bit of sizzle. Some 80 percent of production goes to buyers in Moscow, Pullman, Lewiston and Clarkston. For Nasados, an agricultural education major, Vandal Brand Meats added an important dimension to his studies. “The unique thing is that we get to help with everything. It’s not just like we have to wait for someone to come do it for us. We get trained on what to do,” Nasados said. “You never really stop learning.”

Manager Ron Richard, left, and student Justin Pickard prepare beef and pork hot dogs at the UI meat processing facility.

Sharpened knives and meat prices hang behind the counter.

Pickard sells products he and his peers help process.

uidaho.edu/vandal-brand-meats

Dining-Room Diplomacy From curry to Jell-O salad, UI graduate from India finds community, understanding through food BY SAYANTANI DASGUPTA

On my first afternoon in America, I walked into the local Starbucks in my new hometown— Moscow, Idaho. I was determined to reward myself for surviving the 26 hours of airports, immigration, chaos and turbulence it took to arrive from New Delhi. But Starbucks stumped me with terms I’d never encountered on a coffee menu. Venti? Grande? Tall? Was I to master a new language just to order coffee? After I finally gathered the courage, I asked for a small mocha. The cashier replied, “Would you like whip with that?” I stared at her, in part terrified but mostly offended as images of whips and other torture devices flashed in my mind. Why was this young, pretty barista so keen to punish me? Granted, I was a graduate student and my meager budget was probably writ large upon my face. But still, I really did have enough money to afford this one coffee. Or perhaps it wasn’t just me. Perhaps whips and chains were complimentary with everyone’s coffee order? I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak, and quietly accepted my unwhipped mocha. It’s been seven years since that 38

encounter, and although I’ve made peace with “whip,” I still firmly believe that it has no place in my coffee. I’ve spent those seven years living in Idaho, completing my graduate degree at the University of Idaho and staying on at my alma mater to teach, while exploring America and understanding it—especially through food. Thanks to my American friends, I

For me and my American friends, the exploration of food has been a two-way street. have now celebrated foods associated with everything from St. Patrick’s Day to Thanksgiving. I have accompanied them to spring fairs and farmer’s markets, to backyard barbecues and summer picnics, where they have watched me sink my teeth into hitherto unfamiliar food. Some things, such as root beer floats, caramel apples, licorice and Jell-O salad, have proved to be outright strange, and one bite was enough for a lifetime. With others, such as meatloaf, barbecued ribs, cherry pies, and biscuits and

gravy, I’ve fallen in love so hard that I’ve tried cooking them in my own kitchen—with varying degrees of success. For me and my American friends, the exploration of food has been a two-way street. They now know that not everything Indian is a curry; that spicy doesn’t mean it must scorch your lips or throat; and that there is a great deal of etiquette involved when using your hands to eat and it’s not akin to shoveling food into your mouth like a toddler. And that is our legacy to each other—our friendships evolving around a dining table weighted down with food, and our warm conversations nourishing us with every bite.

Sayantani Dasgupta hails from the wonderfully chaotic Delhi, India. She teaches creative writing and South Asian history and literature at the University of Idaho. Her writing has appeared in several American and Indian journals. Her work has thrice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and her essay “On Seeking Answers” received a 2010 Pushcart Prize Special Mention. uidaho.edu/dasgupta

Basil, Feta and Tofu Pizza

Pizza: A Sneaky, Tasty Way to Deliver Tofu BY SEANNE SAFAII This great recipe incorporates tofu (a great protein source) into a pizza, without anyone noticing. I created this for my family and it was a big hit. It’s very easy and quick to prepare. Plus, it’s a great way to use up basil and peppers from the garden.

Ingredients: 1 unbaked 15-inch whole-wheat pizza crust ¼ cup super firm tofu, crumbled ¼ cup Italian herb feta cheese crumbles (I like reduced fat) 1 cup tomato sauce ¼ cup Parmesan cheese 2 green onions, sliced 1 cup mushrooms, sliced 6-7 fresh basil leaves, chopped ¾ cup green, red or yellow peppers, diced 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded Directions:   1. Bake pizza crust at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.  2. Mix together tofu and feta crumbles, tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.  3. When crust is ready, evenly spread the tofu mixture on top. 4. Sprinkle with green onions, mushrooms, basil and peppers, then top with mozzarella cheese. 5.  Bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until crust is done and cheese is melted.   Serves 6. Nutritional information per slice: Calories: 127. Carbohydrates: 7. Fat: 7. Sodium: 389. Sugar: 3.

SeAnne Safaii, a UI assistant professor, is a registered and licensed dietician. uidaho.edu/food-nutrition 39

From a Prayer to

Prosperity Litehouse Foods keeps close to its North Idaho roots, where bluecheese dressing helped a struggling chef send his children to UI

BY ERICA F. CURLESS | PHOTOGR APHY BY R AJAH BOSE

A polished piece of Litehouse Restaurant history still adorns the old Litehouse Restaurant building, now a family retreat.

Company co-founders and brothers, from left: Doug and Edward Hawkins.

he steaks, the fresh salad bar, even a flashing rooftop beacon couldn’t draw diners to the Litehouse Restaurant during North Idaho winters. In the summer, locals and tourists flocked to the famous stone restaurant—perched on a jutting rock point along Lake Pend Oreille. With a view of Hope, Idaho’s, stunning lakefront showcasing nearby islands and steep Green Monarch ridge, the restaurant was the place for a special meal. But winter was like everything else in the area—lonely, cold and poor. The decline of the logging industry caused even more hurt. Yet chef Ed Hawkins, who went to a trade school for cooks after the Depression, was determined to send his four children to university. So to bring in extra money during lean times, he began bottling the restaurant’s wildly popular homemade blue-cheese salad dressing and selling it to his restaurant customers. Often people brought their own jars. The recipe came to Hawkins after he prayed for a solution to poorquality blue-cheese dressing. The unorthodox answer: buttermilk in addition to a blend of mayonnaise, spices and crumbled blue cheese. That was 50 years ago. Today the Litehouse Restaurant business is a memory, but that bluecheese dressing, hard work and faith have turned Litehouse Foods into one of the top four employers in Bonner County and one of the largest refrigerated salad dressing producers in the United States with sales of $170 million in 2012. Litehouse Foods also is a large supporter of the University of Idaho, where all four of Ed Hawkins’ children graduated, along with nearly 20 other family members including most of his 12 grandchildren. “Some mighty things have happened,” said Edward Hawkins Jr. ’74, who, along with his brother Doug ’66, expanded the salad

dressing business out of the restaurant kitchen and into a Sandpoint processing plant in the late 1970s. The restaurant, not business acumen, was their father’s art, but the boys envisioned salad dressing as the future. It was a savvy decision that transformed the family business from near bankruptcy to a multi-million-dollar success. Although salad dressing—and the famous original blue-cheese dressing—is the company’s main focus, it has nearly 900 recipes and 1,200 products ranging from cheeses and freeze-dried herbs to apple cider and fruit and veggie dips. Litehouse sells in all 50 states and is currently focusing its growth in Mexico. It also sells in some Middle Eastern and Pacific Rim countries, Edward said. The company employs 782 people, with production plants in Utah and Michigan and a headquarters in Sandpoint that employs 335, including about 150 in non-production jobs. In 2006, Litehouse became employee-owned. Although somewhat retired, Edward and Doug stay involved. Doug is chairman of the board and Edward is the “keeper of the values.” Those values are a large part of why Litehouse Foods has kept its headquarters at home in Sandpoint, even if North Idaho is logistically lacking. And they’re why Litehouse gives generously to the community and region, including the University of Idaho. In 2011, the white-and-blue Litehouse logo graced the Kibbie Dome field after the company donated $1 million toward renovating the home of Vandal Athletics. It’s now known as the “Litehouse Center.” In 2009, the Hawkinses contributed funds for equipment in the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance’s Human Performance Laboratory. They’ve also received the University of Idaho Silver and Gold Award, which recognizes alumni who have a distinguished record of achievement and service. Edward is actively involved with the college of business. “I have a vision of this university becoming one of the strongest academic universities in the Northwest,” in addition to having a strong athletic program, Edward said. “That would be my dream.” He’s got another dream for UI, too: that it use Litehouse Foods products in its food courts and dining halls. “We’re working on it,” he said with a laugh.

litehousefoods.com 41

Eat with

Confidence BY TAR A ROBERTS

Microbiologist pursues ways to keep harmful E. coli out of our kitchens

ight now, a few billion E. coli bacteria are living in your intestines. But don’t panic. “There are many, many kinds of E. coli, just like there are many, many kinds of dogs,” E. coli expert Carolyn Hovde Bohach says. “There are a few bad E. coli, but the good E. coli are far more common than the bad ones.” The good E. coli are a normal, healthy part of human gut flora—the bacterial multitude residing in our digestive systems—and help to digest food, produce vitamin K and take up space where less beneficial bacteria might otherwise invade. A microbiologist, Bohach is a University of Idaho Distinguished Professor who works within UI and Washington State University’s School of Food Science. She specializes in one of the “bad” strains of E. coli—serotype O157:H7. E. coli O157 belongs to a group of toxin-generating E. coli strains that in humans cause abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea and, in extreme cases, life-threatening kidney failure and stroke. O157 and its siblings

have been behind some high-profile outbreaks of foodborne illness, including Jack in the Box hamburgers in 1993, spinach in 2006 and frozen food products earlier this year. While dangerous, O157 infection is rare. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that cases fell 50 percent between 1997 and 2010. Bohach emphasizes that the U.S. food system is well-regulated and exceedingly safe. “Our food is safer than any place on the planet,” she says. Her research and knowledge of E. coli help keep it even safer.

In the field To understand E. coli O157, Bohach and her research team start at the source: cattle. Dangerous E. coli most often enter the food supply through bovine waste. Fecal matter containing the bacteria reaches humans via undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized dairy products and fresh fruit and vegetables that have contacted contaminated water. But cattle carrying O157 aren’t sick.

“For cattle, E. coli O157 is one of those beneficial bacteria,” Bohach says. The bacterium comes and goes in individual animals and among herds. Bohach’s team investigates how and why. “Our belief is that if we understand this basic ecology, then we could develop the best interventions,” says Bohach, who also directs the Idaho INBRE Program (that stands for Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence), a network of higher educational institutions that helps the state increase its competitiveness for federal biomedical research grants. Recently, she’s been investigating seasonal patterns of E. coli presence in cattle, collaborating with WSU’s veterinary college on a study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In cattle, O157 levels peak in summer, but research indicates this has nothing to do with intrinsic changes in the animals. The research team is now investigating how environmental

factors may change their exposure. “Our recent findings suggest that focusing on environmental conditions may lead to interventions to reduce O157 carriage year-round,” Bohach says. Her team also has worked to develop a vaccine that would target O157 and similar strains in cattle. By keeping the dangerous-to-humans E. coli from ever gaining a foothold in cattle, the vaccine would eliminate the major source of E. coli entering the food system.

In the processing plant Researchers also are studying how to reduce E. coli risk at the food-processing level. In June, Bohach and co-investigator Scott A. Minnich, an associate professor of food science, partnered with industry associates from Agri Beef Co. and IntelliScience Corp. to win a grant from the Idaho Department of Commerce IGEM, or Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission, to develop a system for identifying cattle infected with E. coli O157 at beef processing plants.

Processers “do everything possible to keep the fecal contamination out of the meat,” Bohach says, and the majority of animals entering the plants are not carriers. However, some cattle are occasionally “super-shedders”—releasing large numbers of O157. Bohach, Minnich and the imaging experts at IntelliScience hope to analyze bacterial cultures at a plant to rapidly identify super-shedders. An automated camera system will take pictures as the bacteria grow, recognizing O157 by its signature dark color. “The software can identify it way earlier than the human eye,” Bohach says, giving plant managers the chance to specially process this beef and cut the risk for contamination.

In the kitchen But what should consumers do to keep E. coli that manages to sneak through the system out of their food? Bohach is reassuring: “It’s all safe if it’s cooked properly.” She recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of

165 degrees Fahrenheit. To estimate, leave no pink and watch for clear juices. Avoiding cross-contamination is also vital. Thoroughly wash dishes and utensils that come in contact with raw meat. “If raw meat touches a plate or a spoon or the countertop or your hands, now you have the potential to have O157, salmonella or other pathogens on those surfaces,” Bohach says. Also, she strongly warns against anyone consuming unpasteurized dairy or juice, especially children. Though no amount of washing will eliminate bacteria from fresh fruits and vegetables, Bohach says water or produce washes can somewhat reduce the risk. And when you’ve done everything you can? Don’t panic. “Eat with confidence knowing that the risk of becoming ill is so low,” Bohach says. “Remind yourself that you get in your car every day—that’s probably the most dangerous thing we do.” uidaho.edu/bohach 43

Alumni Class Notes UI Alumni Honor Frank A. Shrontz for Legacy of Leading The University of Idaho bestowed its highest and most prestigious leadership award to Frank A. Shrontz at a spring gala in his honor held in Boise. The Legacy of Leading Award honors an individual who exemplifies the University of Idaho’s leadership qualities. Shrontz served as chairman of The Boeing Company from 1988 to 1997 and as its CEO from 1986 to 1996. “Thank you to the University of Idaho for this shared honor with my wife Harriett, who passed away last year,” he said. “I’m not sure I’m worthy of the recognition, but I know she was.” In 1973, Shrontz was appointed assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations and logistics; in 1976 he was named assistant secretary of defense. He is part of the Seattle Mariners ownership group and sits on the team’s board of directors. Shrontz grew up in Boise and earned a law degree from the University of Idaho in 1954. Following a successive two-year commission and service in the U.S. Army, he attended the Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA degree in 1958. “The University played a very instrumental role in the business success I achieved, and to a great deal, the quality of my life,” he said. “I believe it is incumbent upon all of us who benefitted from the excellence found there, to help financially ensure the university’s future,” he said.

44 idaho Fall 2013

Event updates and specifics www.uidaho.edu/idahovandals

50’s

70’s

Hal Pickett ’50 is still working as a dentist in Boise and “I have no desire to retire.” At age 86 he is one of the oldest health care professionals in the state. The City of Boise declared his 87th birthday as Dr. Hal Pickett Day in Boise on April 14, 2013.

John Canning ’70 is internationally-recognized in the autonomous use of robotic weapons. His work includes the OSD “Unmanned Systems Safety Guide for DoD Acquisition” and DoD Directive 3000.09, “Autonomy in Weapon Systems.”

Three generations of Vandals are pictured. They include Dick ’59 and Patty ’61 Kerbs, Scott and Shana ’86 Kerbs, and Blake ’12 Kerbs. David Youmans ’59 has written a book titled “Morning Mists.” In this book an emeritus academic renders a third account of life and times in many lands.

60’s Nick Purdy ‘62 received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Agriculture 2013 for Environmental Stewardship. Recipients were selected from applications submitted by various agriculture agencies, organizations and individuals across Idaho. Randy Swedburg ’67, ’75 has been inducted into the Bemidji State University Professional Education Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honors alumni who demonstrate excellence in teaching students or managing schools. Swedburg is a professor emeritus and former department chair in the Department of Applied Human Sciences at Concordia University in Montreal.

Bob Dixon ’70 retired in September 2012 after 22 years as a Deputy Assistant Director of the Division of Engineering & Architectural Services for the State of Washington. He passed the Washington State Architectural Licensing requirement in 1977 and opened a private architectural firm in 1980. During his time with the State of Washington he managed a biennial budget of $500$650 million in capital projects for various state agencies. Kerry Foresman ’73, ’77 retired after a 35-year teaching career first at the University of Rhode Island and then, for the past 29 years, at the University of Montana. He served on both the Biology and Wildlife Biology faculties while at UM and for the past 15 years conducted research throughout Asia from the Tibetan Plateau to Taiwan and most recently the country of Bhutan where he continues to work. He recently published the second edition of his Mammals of Montana book which is now widely used by both agency biologists across the state as well as the general public. This book was recognized as one of the top 5 books published by a Montana author in 2012 receiving an Honor Book award. He now holds an emeritus position in the Division of Biological Sciences.

To be profiled, mail information, including reunion/graduation year, to Annis Shea, Office of Alumni Relations, 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 3232, Moscow, ID 83844-3232 or email information to alumni@uidaho.edu. Photos can be emailed in a .jpg format. Please limit your submission to no more than 35 words.

80’s Richard Christensen ’82 has been appointed 1st District Court Judge in North Idaho. Guy McPherson ’82 is featured in the documentary film “Somewhere in New Mexico before the End of Time.” Four years after leaving his tenured position at the University of Arizona, McPherson has become a well-known public figure. David Davies ’85 has been appointed to the Ada County Historic Preservation Council and will serve a 3 year term beginning April 2012. Greg Bailey ’86, ’09 is the new district superintendent for the Moscow (ID) school district. He has been the superintendent of the Mountain View School District in Grangeville, ID for the past five years. Richard Colburn ’87 and two other Vandals, forward deployed with Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa at Camp Lemonnier near Djibouti City, Djibouti, took a minute to take a photo. Pictured left to right are: Captain Richard Colburn, US Navy, the Task Force CJ-5 Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans; Lieutentant Colter Menke ’03, US Navy, Task Force CJ-59 Strategic Communications Desk Officer; and Colonel Mas Kuwana ’79, US Army, the Task Force Joint Force Land Component Commander. GO VANDALS!!!!

Jeanne Higgins ’88 was appointed to serve as Deputy Regional Forester for the Southwestern Region of the USDA Forest Service in September 2012 in Albuquerque, NM. Dawn Gray ’89, ‘98 is shown holding the banner sent to her in Iraq. There are banners from a lot of schools and professional sports teams hanging all throughout the facility – but none from UI. When she got the banner, she convinced the Pakistani kitchen workers that (the unnamed school’s) banner holding the prime real estate spot right above the salad bar represented a school that went out of business. So they took it down and put up the UI banner in its place. It’s still hanging up in the Camp Liberty Dining Facility! James Mickey ’89, Principal and Vice President of Architecture at WorthGroup Architects, has been appointed by the Governor to the Nevada State Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Residential Design.

90’s Tony Harrison ’90 and his firm COMMposition Public Relations have joined PRConsultants Group as its Idaho representative. PRCG is a national consortium of seniorlevel public relations counselors representing every major U.S.

market. Harrison has worked in PR for 26 years at renowned agencies in New York City, Phoenix, and Boise. He focuses on clients in the technology, food and beverage, healthcare, building products, and travel and tourism industries, as well as the public sector. Visit www. COMMposition.biz for more details. Tanja Rankin ’91 is merging her real estate staging business with her new role as Realtor for Latah Realty LLC in Moscow, ID. Timothy Magnuson ’92, ’96 has received the 2013 Outstanding Researcher award from Idaho State University where he is a microbiologist and associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. Luisa Barahona Havens ’93, ’99, ’08 has been appointed Vice President for Enrollment Services at Florida International University in Miami, FL. Sian Griffiths ’95 is the Director of the Creative Writing Program at Weber State University where she has been working for the past two years. She also has her first novel coming out in October titled Borrowed Horses that is set in Moscow and was influenced by her experience working with the United States Equestrian Team from 1999-2000.

Derek McGee ’96 was promoted to Audit Manager – Eastern Region for the Washington State Department of Licensing, Business and Professions Division, Prorate and Fuel Tax Services Section based in Spokane, WA. Dennis Galinato ’98 was named Boise Office Manager for Murray, Smith & Associates, Inc. (MSA). Dennis helped establish MSA’s Boise office in 2007 and he has assisted in growing the office to 15 employees. Chuck Lowman ’99 earned a Masters in Divinity in 2007 with a double major in Theology and Pastoral Counseling at Multnomah Theological Seminary. He became an Army Chaplain and was awarded the Bronze Star during his first of 2 tours of duty in Iraq. Ruthanne Keenan Orihuela ’99 is the new academic dean for the Center for Language, Arts and Behavioral Sciences at the Community College of Denver. Ruthanne lives in Aurora, CO with her husband Luis and their five-year old twins Matthew and Isabella.

ALUMNI class notes 45

Alumni Class Notes 00’s Alicia Carlson Vanderschuere ’01 has launched rosieMADE.com, an online gift retailer specializing in USA made products from women friendly companies. She was featured on the cover of the Idaho Women’s Journal as well as included in their list of Who’s Who of Idaho Women. She left behind a successful career as a management-level buyer and took a leap of faith to start her own business in order to shine the spotlight on products made in the USA by women. Tyrel Stevenson ’02, ’05 has been appointed by Moscow Mayor Nancy Chaney as the next Moscow (ID) City Attorney. Previously he was a public defender for Canyon County and an assistant attorney for the Coeur d’Alene tribe. Janel Falk Chin ’03 began accepting new clients in her role as a lawyer with Matrium Law Group in Missoula, MT. She enjoys being able to offer low-cost, high-quality legal services in the areas of estate planning, family law, elder law and probate. Matt Sorensen ’03 was selected as the new Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Club of the Western Treasure Valley. For the previous seven years, Matt served as Unit Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Ada County.

46 idaho Fall 2013

Tom Foust ’04 is the National Bioenergy Center Director for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. C. Scott Carlson ’05 is currently assigned to the Desert Warfare Program with the U.S. Marine Corps at 29 Palms, CA. He also received his fourth Navy/ Marine Corps Commendation medal for meritorious service in March 2013. Sara Ferrell ’06, ’07 has relocated to the Denver office of CSHQA. Responsibilities include marketing and document preparation efforts as well as on-site construction observations. Eva Gut Gillham ’07 has been designated a Certified Consultant by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, the international professional organization of sport and exercise psychology. Dr. Gillham is the Assistant Director of Research and Analytics at Educational Services of America and adjunct faculty at the University of the Rockies. Robert Blair ’08 received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Agriculture 2013 for Technical Innovation. Recipients were selected from applications submitted by various agriculture agencies, organizations and individuals across Idaho. Gordon Lemmel ’08, ’11 is the new Executive Director at the Klamath Lake Land Trust located in Klamath Falls, OR.

Event updates and specifics www.uidaho.edu/idahovandals

Penelope Borden ’09 owns and runs two successful businesses in Moscow, ID with her husband. One is a software company, DataWedge, and the other is a diesel conversion company called BioFuels Technologies. Ashley Hinson Mahaffy ’09 is an administrator at The Good Samaritan Society in Alma, Nebraska.

10’s Austin Folnagy ’10 accepted a job with the Oregon Employment Department as a Business and Employment Specialist after graduation. Since moving to Oregon he has become involved with Service Employees Union International (state employees union) and Democratic Party of Oregon. Austin has also been accepted into the Oregon Labor Candidate School, is a Union Steward, involved in the Labor Management Committee with Oregon Employment Department, is a part of the Oregon Democratic Party Labor Caucus, and is running for Klamath Community College Education Board. Mark Mahaffy ’11 is a Production Supervisor at Becton Dickinson.

Shane Honeycutt ’12 was hired by Seahorse Corral in Tampa, FL. He is raising Seahorses in a recirculating aquaculture system at a local marine fish farm. The company raises, reproduces and sells Seahorses for aquariums to both wholesale and retail buyers around the world. This job is directly related to some of the courses I took in my degree (Fishery Resources) at the University of Idaho. Thanks U of I! Madeline Kroll ’12 joined Idaho Senator Crapo’s staff following the completion of her internship in December 2012. She is being promoted to senior Staff Assistant and Assistant Scheduler for Senator Crapo. Kyra Maples ’12, currently a Staff Assistant, is joining the communications team as Deputy Press Secretary for Idaho Senator Mike Crapo.

Marriages Casey Deleissegues to C. Scott Carlson ‘05 Ashley Hinson ’09 to Mark Mahaffy ‘11 Linda Lillard ’04 to Todd Jones ‘03 Cami Upshaw ’10 to Patrick Dixon ‘05

Future Vandals

University of Idaho Retirees Association extends a welcome to retired faculty and staff. 3

5 Please consider joining the University of Idaho Retirees Association (UIRA). Enjoy social connections with former classmates and meet new friends with a lifetime membership available at no cost. UIRA supports student scholarships through funding and hosts various social and informative programs throughout the year.

1. Sawyer William, son of Joshua ’03 and Morgan Pence ’04, ’05 Barnard 2. Taylor, Tabitha, and Trey, children of Trevor ’04, ’06 and Tasha Marcum ’06 Brittsan 3. Cody Patrick and Avery Sue, children of Ben ’03 and Amy Rysdam ’03 Calabretta 4. Henry, son of Pete ’05 and Emily ’05, ‘14 Flynn 5. Addison May, daughter of Brian ’00 and Andrea Huettig 6. Kelly Martha, daughter of Mike ’03, ’11 and Andrea Critchlow ’05 Locke 7. Samuel Robert, son of Patrick (PJ) ’02 and Bronwyn Clark McDaniel * Nicolas, son of Greg ’95 and Yasmin Vance, grandson of Bob ’69 and nephew of Jeff ’94 and Gary ’01. Nico’s greatgrandfather, Bob Sr. ’33, also graduated from the U of I. * Meeghan Maureen, daughter of Heidi Brandvold ’04 Wallace 8. Jonah Owen, son of Justin ’06 and Holly Owings ’07 Wuest with cousins Brianna and MacKinsey, daughters of Nicholas ’00 and Beth Cavalieri ’03 Owings, grandchildren of Keith ’73 and Vickie Kinsey ’75 Owings and greatgrandchildren of Henry ’49 and Betty Bellaire ’48 Kinsey

For free lifetime membership sign up online at uidaho.edu/alumni/uira/join. For additional information: University of Idaho Office of Alumni Relations Phone (208) 885-6154 uira@uidaho.edu Bookmark our website, uidaho.edu/uira, for information on upcoming events.

* No Photo

ALUMNI class notes 47

Alumni Class Notes

Event updates and specifics www.uidaho.edu/idahovandals

Jacqueline McConnell Carlson ’64 was incorrectly reported as deceased in the last issue due to a university error. She is still very much alive. Vivian Swiger Watt ’42, Buhl, Apr 25, 2013

50s

Wayne Anderson ’53, Moscow, Jan 16, 2013

Volney Fleischman ’43, Boise, Feb 9, 2012

Herbert Booth ’50, Los Gatos, CA, Jun 19, 2013

Stuart Knapp ’53, Bozeman, MT, May 25, 2013

30s

Edgar “Fred” Siegfriedt ’43, Louisville, KY, Apr 23, 2013

Kenneth Briggs ’50, Langhorne, PA, Jun 10, 2013

Joan Madison ’53, Seattle, WA, Jun 5, 2013

Donald Equals ’32, Mount Vernon, WA, Apr 7, 2013

Mabel Ayres Dahlstrom ’44, Sacramento, CA, May 1, 2013

Milford Faylor ’50, Nampa, Apr 27, 2013

Mark McCarroll ’53, Boise, Jun 11, 2013

Bernice Brill Lewis ’33, Sandpoint, Apr 25, 2013

Jack Eakin ’44, Santa Rosa, CA, Apr 16, 2013

Ernest Gerber ’50, Boise, May 12, 2013

Samuel Treves ’53, Lincoln, NE, Jun 10, 2013

Glenn Beck ’36, Kansas City, MO, Oct 30, 2012

Frances Frei Kinsey ’44, Tucson, AZ, Oct 26, 2012

John Hartigan ’50, Seattle, WA, Apr 4, 2013

Nancy Livingston Hessel ’54, Savannah, GA, Apr 22, 2013

Madaline Gerry Queener ’38, Spokane Valley, WA, Mar 22, 2013

Ronald Getty ’45, Meredith, NH, Oct 7, 2012

Finas Harvey ’50, Boise, May 15, 2013

Joyce Kiilsgaard Hindman ’54, Baker City, OR, Apr 19, 2013

Margaret Dunn Hill ’47, Salem, OR, Apr 7, 2013

Kathleen Jane Blakely Knowlton ’50, Boise, May 20, 2013

Theodore Katseanes ’54, Blackfoot, Apr 24, 2013

Joseph Robinson Jr. ’47, Boise, May 25, 2013

Seymour Levy ’50, Tucson, AZ, Feb 28, 2013

Bettye Judd Meinecke ’54, Lewiston, Jun 5, 2013

Phyllis Swayne Thomas ’47, Gilbert, AZ, Apr 25, 2013

Allen Derr ’51, ’59, Boise, Jun 10, 2013

Elizabeth Winegar Molina ’54, Surprise, AZ, Apr 15, 2013

Barbara Thompson Bell ’48, Sacramento, CA, Feb 5, 2012

John Engwer ’51, Coeur d’Alene, Mar 26, 2013

Phil Weitz ’54, Caldwell, Mar 24, 2013

Harold Granlund ’48, Spokane, WA, May 17, 2013

Burton Humphrey ’51, ’52, Tucson, AZ, Mar 20, 2013

Richard Gast ’56, Katy, TX, Jul 22, 2012

Calvin McIntyre ’48, Twin Falls, Jun 6, 2013

Shirley Gregory Mead ’51, Concord, CA, Jun 20, 2013

Leah Nanninga Ferrazzi ’57, Tempe, AZ, May 8, 2013

Mildred Elde Niebauer ’48, Bellevue, WA, Apr 29, 2013

Thomas Trees ’51, Milwaukie, OR, Apr 1, 2013

Robert Gregg ’57, Lewiston, Feb 18, 2013

Garnet Storms Benjamin ’49, Vancouver, WA, Mar 5, 2013

Patrice Gray White ’51, Boise, Nov 15, 2012

Harold Martin ’57, ’64, Vancouver, WA, May 17, 2013

Douglas Ellis ’49, Boise, Apr 22, 2013

Henry Gandiaga ’52, Castleford, Jun 17, 2013

Jerry Reeve ’57, Idaho Falls, Apr 27, 2013

Roy Schoeppach ’49, Pasco, WA, Apr 24, 2013

William Simmons ’52, Grantsville, UT, Apr 14, 2013

Richard Zisko ’57, La Habra, CA, Jun 4, 2012

Frances Walters ’52, Houston, TX, Mar 30, 2013

Irvin Iverson ’58, Lewiston, Apr 13, 2013

Thomas Wharton ’52, Salt Lake City, UT, Apr 5, 2013

Clead Karren ’58, Issaquah, WA, May 18, 2013

In Memory The University of Idaho extends its condolences to the family and friends.

Bill Taylor ’38, Vista, CA, Mar 30, 2013 Gertrude Gnaedinger Turley ’38, Seattle, WA, Mar 18, 2013

40s Isamu Abo ’40, Arvada, CO, Apr 25, 2013 Werner Iller ’40, Washington, OH, Mar 5, 2012 Elsie Munsterman Lathen ’40, ’42, Moscow, Jun 9, 2013 Naomi Vogel Nicoles ’40, Spokane, WA, May 19, 2013 Dorothy Peebles Griffin ’41, Seattle, WA, May 2, 2013 Doran Kennedy ’41, Keyport, WA, May 18, 2013 Mary Bowell Rathbun ’41, Boise, Mar 25, 2013 Helen Glindeman Rogers ’42, Concord, CA, Jun 12, 2013 Rosemarie Janssen Van Slyke ’42, Central Cove, Jun 18, 2013

48 idaho Fall 2013

Linda Williams Root ’58, Salt Lake City, UT, Feb 19, 2013

Carol Leonardson Felsted ’66, Provo, UT, Apr 8, 2013

Mark Calnon Jr. ’75, ’78, Moscow, Jun 15, 2013

David Thielges ’88, Emmett, Apr 2, 2013

Donald May ’59, ’60, Beaverton, OR, May 7, 2012

Thomas Tuttle ’66, Seaside, CA, Dec 23, 2012

Madeleine Pepin Keys ’75, ’79, Albuquerque, NM, Jun 19, 2013

Veronica “Roni” Fortune Fenn ’89, Cochise, AZ, Mar 31, 2013

Wade Patterson ’59, ’61, Walnut Creek, CA, May 1, 2013

Dorothy Browning Todd ’67, ’73, Moscow, Jun 22, 2013

Kelly Koenig ’75, Madison, WI, Jun 2, 2013

90s

Richard Peterson ’59, Idaho Falls, Feb 25, 2013

Richard Barnhart ’68, ’72, Marion, IN, Apr 25, 2013

Rose Drake Jabbora ’76, Lewiston, May 20, 2013

Stanley Rhodes ’90, ’07, Moscow, Apr 21, 2013

60s

Donald Riffle ’68, Lihue, HI, Jan 3, 2013

Kevin Nathan ’76, Seattle, WA, Nov 26, 2012

Brian Kantola ’92, Eugene, OR, May 21, 2013

William Ewing ’60, Texarkana, TX, May 3, 2013

Phil Robinson ’68, ’70, Tucson, AZ, May 1, 2013

John Sipes ’76, Plumas Lake, CA, May 16, 2013

Coaina Jackson Olson ’92, Moscow, May 25, 2013

James Graban ’60, Boise, Apr 26, 2013

David Taylor ’68, Hood River, OR, Mar 30, 2013

Loyle Washam Jr. ’76, Boise, Jun 17, 2013

Sara Watkins Clinton ’93, New Plymouth, Nov 13, 2012

Patricia Kelly Schuette ’60, Richland, WA, May 15, 2013

Luther Cheek ’69, ’75, Fairbanks, AK, May 20, 2013

Steven Hutchison ’77, Dillon, MT, Mar 30, 2013

Mary Hayter ’94, Morristown, NJ, Apr 12, 2013

Richard Clery ’61, Tampa, FL, Nov 15, 2012

Charles Holt ’69, Rathdrum, Jun 18, 2013

Josie Thorson Keener ’77, Lewiston, May 12, 2013

Blaire Rios ’94, Nashville, TN, Apr 1, 2013

Wiley Hurst ’61, Yakima, WA, Jan 3, 2013

70s

Brian Ayers ’79, Spokane, WA, May 24, 2013

James Weisel ’95, Sacramento, CA, May 15, 2013

William Sutton ’61, ’64, Anchorage, AK, Jan 2, 2013

Doug Abromeit ’70, McCall, May 19, 2013

80s

Diana Helms ’97, Salem, OR, Mar 26, 2012

Melvin Johnson ’62, Ada, OK, Apr 19, 2013

George Lostra ’71, Salt Lake City, UT, May 15, 2013

Brad Dingee ’80, Prescott Valley, AZ, Apr 20, 2013

Sara Meade ’97, Vancouver, WA, Apr 15, 2013

Frank Kasunic ’63, Las Vegas, NV, Oct 2, 2012

John Nickerson ’71, Augusta, ME, May 26, 2013

John Sherrod ’80, Sitka, AK, May 26, 2013

00s

Larry Loughmiller ’63, Valencia, CA, Apr 11, 2013

Robert Bush ’72, Palmer, AK, Mar 21, 2013

Richard Christopherson ’82, Boise, May 30, 2013

Mark Emerson ’02, Nampa, Apr 9, 2013

William Cockrell ’64, Tustin, CA, Mar 29, 2013

Douglas Owens ’72, Bonners Ferry, Oct 13, 2012

Roque Nalley ’82, Spokane, WA, Jun 8, 2013

Micah Haugland ’04, Idaho Falls, Apr 25, 2013

Janice Thompson Dahlgren ’64, Vista, CA, Jun 9, 2013

Ronald Smith ’72, Baton Rouge, LA, Jun 6, 2013

Norris Young ’83, Lewiston, May 7, 2013

Tamara Thompson ’06, Blanchard, Mar 9, 2012

Victoria Seibert Patterson ’64, Boise, Apr 1, 2013

Larry Tominaga ’72, Paul, Apr 7, 2013

Phil Druker ,84, Lewiston, May 28, 2013

10s

Lois Holes Hodgson ’65, Placerville, CA, Jan 4, 2013

Scotte Hecht ’73, Moscow, Apr 1, 2013

Donald Barr ’85, Reno, NV, May 24, 2013

Laura Shook McIntosh ’65, Boise, May 30, 2013

Franklyn Types ’73, Lapwai, Apr 21, 2013

Roger Kassens ’85, Boise, Mar 15, 2013

Bradley Huffman ’12, Moscow, Jun 14, 2013 Grant Willis ’12, Granville, OH, Apr 11, 2013

ALUMNI class notes 49

Alumni Class Notes

Event updates and specifics www.uidaho.edu/idahovandals

University of Idaho Alumni Association Inc.

2013-2014 Officers President Annie Averitt ’00 To update your email and mailing addresses and submit career success, birth announcements or marriages simply visit: uidaho.edu/alumni/update-info

2013

DADS’ WEEKEND N OV E M B E R 1 -3

50 idaho Fall 2013

Vice President/President Elect Pat Sullivan ’73 Treasurer Travis L. Thompson ’97 Past President Lou Aldecoa ’76

Steve Johnson ’71, UI Alumni Relations Director, and his, wife, Claudia will lead an Office of Alumni Relations sponsored 11day “Grand Tour” of Europe, June 15-25, 2014. Travel begins in Zurich and proceeds through Switzerland, France, Germany and The Netherlands, cruising the most scenic sections of the fabled Rhine River. Details available at

uidaho.edu/alumni/travel

Vandal Brand Meats_FULL_13_Layout 1 8/13/13 4:04 PM Page 1

Our bone-in and boneless hams are cured, dry aged, slow cooked, and smoked right here on the University of Idaho campus. Order by December 2 for holiday delivery. â&#x20AC;˘ Holiday gift boxes â&#x20AC;˘ Sausages, jerky, dry-aged beef steaks Find more products online at web.cals.uidaho.edu/vbm.

Vandal Brand Meats To place an order call 208.885.6727 A holiday tradition for over 40 years.

Football in the Family BY BECK Y PAULL

att Linehan and Zach Cable have more in common than just being freshmen on the University of Idaho football team. Both their dads played for the Vandals, coached for the Vandals and now are National Football League assistants. Tom Cable is with the Seattle Seahawks and Scott Linehan is with the Detroit Lions. So what is it like to be born into the game—and the Vandal family? “It was definitely different compared to living around other kids who just had a normal life,” says Matt Linehan, a quarterback for the Vandals whose dad, Scott, also quarterbacked the Vandals. “But it was also a blessing because we had a lot of advantages other kids didn’t.” Among the biggest advantages is learning the game inside and out, a foundation that helped both develop into college athletes who not only have the physical tools but also inside knowledge of the game. Another part of their lives might not always have seemed like a blessing but, in the end, was. It was moving. Ultimately seven times for each in 18 years. “When I was younger I hated it; but now that I’m older, I’m more mature,” Cable says. “It was probably the best

thing for me because I have so many friends around the country now. I don’t have one specific home. I have lots of them.” Cable, a defensive end, was a grade-schooler when his dad, Tom, coached at Idaho. Little has changed in his former hometown, he says. “As soon as I got off the plane, I was like, ‘Nothing has changed. I love that. I’m back home now.’ ” Linehan hadn’t previously lived in Moscow but he knew about the community from hearing his dad’s stories. “We used to talk about his time with the Vandals,” the younger Linehan said. "My dad visited me here over the summer. He said, ‘Moscow is the same place it was in my day. Moscow is timeless.’” Tom Cable was an offensive lineman when Scott Linehan was the quarterback for the Vandals in the 1980s. But the new Vandal football players say their fathers didn’t push them to play for their alma mater. But Cable remembers his dad’s words after he called home to announce that Vandal football coach Paul Petrino had offered him an athletic scholarship. “My dad told me: ‘I didn’t want to say anything but I always wanted you to be a Vandal,’” he said with a smile.

So what is it like to be born into the game— and the Vandal family?

Top: Zach Cable, Vandals defensive lineman, left, and Matt Linehan, Vandals QB Bottom left: Tom Cable both played and coached Vandal football. Bottom right: Scott Linehan was a Vandal QB and coach, too.

govandals.com 53

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Bolingbrook, IL Permit No. 374

Moscow, ID 83844-3232 ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED

Inspiring Success

A native of India, Tushar Jain set his sights on the University of Idaho for his doctoral degree in engineering. “UI has a very good reputation in bio-fuel research,” he said. Now four years later, he’s invented a breakthrough, proprietary fermentation process with potential to save ethanol producers and breweries significant amounts of time and money. To make a go of it, he knew he needed a business plan. Enter Josh Riley, a senior in business last spring. He worked with Jain to write a plan for his College of Business’ capstone class.

Their plan won prizes on campus in both business and engineering competitions in May. Using it as a blueprint, Jain and Riley recently launched their own startup, Ruckus Fermentation Co. Based in Boise, it has attracted angel investors and many potential clients. ”None of this would have been possible without the guidance and connections we made through the VIEW Business Plan Competition,” said Riley. “We’re both extremely excited about our new venture.”

For more information about the College of Business and Economics, or how you can support students like Jain and Riley, contact: Toni Broyles tbroyles@uidaho.edu | (208) 885-2634 Chandra Ford chandra@uidaho.edu | (208) 364-9908

uidaho.edu/inspire