Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 2, 1993 TAG: 9304020427
SECTION: FOUNDERS DAY PAGE: FD-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WILMOUTH HONORED FOR 30 YEARS' WORK
Rober R. "Bud" Wilmouth, agricultural supervisor at the Southern Piedmont Agricultural Experiment Station, has been selected to receive a President's Award for Excellence.James L. Jones, director at the station speaks highly of Wilmouth's contribution to the station, and 30 years of service to the university.
Wilmouth "has been the backbone of our technician staff at Southern Piedmont since transferring here at the closing of the Southside Virginia Research Station in 1975. He has exceptional knowledge of field plot techniques and an extraordinary sense of dedication and commitment to excellence. He has given much solicited advice and provided invaluable assistance to research scientists" during his nearly three decades of dedicated service to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Jones said.
During the days of the former Southern Virginia Research Station in Charlotte Court House, Wilmouth was a new technician when the superintendent died of an attack. A new superintendent was not chosen, and Wilmouth directed the station through the agronomy department from 1967 until 1975, assuming responsibilities that normally would have been those of a faculty member.
When the Charlotte Court House station was closed, all research was consolidated to the Blackstone station, and Wilmouth transferred to Blackstone.
At both stations, he was given responsibilities above the level required by his position. "As a supervisor . . . he was asked to manage a station, a position normally held by an associate professor."
Research associate W. B. Wilkinson III, described Wilmouth's responsibilities as managing and conducting field and greenhouse research in crops grown in southside Virginia, generating and collecting scientific data to support that research, and supervising various aspects of the Experiment Station operations.
Wilmouth has contributed to the development of new varieties of numerous crops, and has helped pioneer many cultural practices and fertility regimes that are common practices among Virginia's agricultural producers today.
Throughout his tenure as a research supervisor/manager, Wilmouth supported and worked with many research scientists within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
"Each of these scientists depended on Bud as a resource person who had production expertise on the crops they researched", Wilkinson said. Wilmouth "functioned as a project leader in their absence in addition to managing the daily operation of the station."
Not only is he well versed in production and research of the 25 crops we research, he also possesses that unique personality, manner and leadership style . . . to supervise his peers." He has "responded superbly out of a sense of duty and dedication, never asking nor expecting the recognition he deserves," Wilkinson said.
Edward W. Fender, an employee at the station for 21 years and current Agricultural Supervisor said of Wilmouth's early years at the station, "Never had I seen a person more dedicated than Bud."
Another colleague noted, "In his 30 years of service, responsibility has reatedly sought him out, he has always responded."
Wilmouth and his wife, Brenda, reside in Keysville.