Food industry leaders meet at OSU to support FAPCʼs mission
By Mandy Gross
FAPC Communications Services
(Stillwater, Okla. – March 30, 2011) Members of the Industry Advisory Committee of Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center met with OSU administration to reinforce the importance of the FAPC.
Virgil Jurgensmeyer, John Williams and Dick Davis met with Robert Whitson, vice president, dean and director of OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, on March 21, 2011, and discussed various topics pertinent to the FAPC.
Roy Escoubas, FAPC director, said the members of the Industry Advisory Committee are appointed by the highest positions of Oklahoma state government—the governor, the speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate–and the vice president, dean and director of OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
“All three, Virgil, John and Dick, were appointed by the DASNR vice president, dean and director,” Escoubas said. “The purpose of the meeting was for the Industry Advisory Committee members to sustain their relations with the dean and to communicate the importance of maintaining the strengths of the FAPC.”
Virgil Jurgensmeyer, chief executive officer of J-M Farms in Miami, Okla., and one of the founding members of the FAPC, said he was pleased with the outcome of the meeting.
“The Industry Advisory Committee is concerned about the future funding of the center,” Jurgensmeyer said. “Dean Whitson understands our concern and knows the FAPC has unique needs. The dean is really on our side.”
The FAPC was placed on the OSU campus because of the resources available at the university.
“The FAPC can interact with faculty and staff with different talents and disciplines as various projects come to the center,” Jurgensmeyer said. “As a stand-alone entity, it would be much more difficult to offer the resources needed to help the food and agricultural industries.”
John Williams, president and owner of Chef’s Requested Foods in Oklahoma City, said it is essential to utilize the FAPC with the disciplines of the university.
“It is important for the FAPC to fully enhance the attributes of OSU to incorporate in the market of the food and agricultural industries,” Williams said.
Williams said the meeting was beneficial in sharing the Industry Advisory Committee vision of the FAPC with the dean. The need for state-of-the-art technology, enhancement of marketing programs in order to create demands for products and providing a food safety specialist to interact with small- and medium-sized businesses are just a few of the topics discussed during the meeting.
Dick Davis, retired administrator of the Agri-Services Division of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, is the newest member of the committee.
“I felt the dean was receptive to our goals,” Davis said. “He understands what we are trying to do and where we want to go.”
The FAPC works with food industry leaders around the state to support the growth of value-added food and agricultural products and processing in Oklahoma.
“The Industry Advisory Committee offers counsel, makes decisions and takes leadership action to ensure the FAPC makes sound short- and long-term plans to accomplish its mission and objectives,” Escoubas. “The FAPC is fortunate to have a group of leaders who support our mission and vision and provide their services to our committee.”
For more information about the FAPC or Industry Advisory Committee, visit www.fapc.biz, email fapc@okstate.edu or call 405-744-6071.
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Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system that cuts across disciplines to better prepare students for a new world. Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. OSU has more than 32,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 19,000 on its Stillwater campus; with students from all 50 states and about 110 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 200,000 students who have made a lasting impact on Oklahoma and the world. CREATE - INNOVATE - EDUCATE - GO STATE!
