The third annual NDSU Distinguished Alumni Award Program is scheduled for this month. Sponsored by each of the colleges at NDSU, the program is an opportunity to educate students by introducing them to successful alumni and a chance to recognize the accomplishments of outstanding alumni.
Distinguished alumni will share career-related experiences and knowledge while visiting NDSU. Each alumnus will have an opportunity to meet and give presentations to students, faculty, alumni and the NDSU community. The classroom presentations and seminars listed are free and open to the public.
College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources
John Nordgaard is the executive vice president of operations for Black Gold Farms, the largest supplier of fresh potatoes for potato chip production in the United States. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in plant pathology from NDSU in 1975 and 1976. He began his career as the director of field research for AGVISE Laboratories in 1976. From there, he was promoted to vice president and managing director and then vice president of marketing and research. In 1997, he joined Black Gold Farms, with headquarters in Grand Forks, N.D., as general manager, a position he held until 2008, when he was named vice president.
Nordgaard is involved in several professional organizations, including the American Phytopathology Society, the Potato Association of America and the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants Association. He also serves on the Zebra Chip Research Steering Committee and the Frito-Lay Varietal Innovation Team. He maintains a strong relationship with NDSU by serving as a member of the Grower Advisory Board for potato breeding, Team Makers, President’s Circle and Theta Chi Alumni Association.
Nordgaard will present a seminar on Thursday, April 16, at 3:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Arikara room.
For more information, contact Patti Sebesta at patti.sebesta@ndsu.edu or 1-8524.
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Leon Carroll Jr., technical adviser on the hit television show, “NCIS,” earned his bachelor of arts degree in economics in 1972. While attending NDSU, he also was a member of two national college-division football championship teams.
Following graduation, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. He served on active duty for six years and held assignments with the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and onboard the USS Ogden (LPD-5) home ported in San Diego. Following release from active duty, he served an additional five years in the active reserve, attaining the rank of major.
Subsequent tours included assignments to the Special Projects Division of the Counterintelligence Directorate at National Criminal Investigative Service Headquarters in Washington, D.C.; Senior Special Agent afloat USS Ranger (CV-61); Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Foreign Counterintelligence in Los Angeles; Special Agent in Charge for Central and South American operations from the Republic of Panama; Assistant Regional Director for Foreign Counterintelligence for the National Criminal Investigative Service Eastern Region in Norfolk, Va.; and Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Foreign Counterintelligence at the Norfolk Field Office Norfolk, Va.; Special Agent in Charge of the Northwest Field Office in Bremerton, Wash.; and Assistant to the Director at National Criminal Investigative Service Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he retired. He came out of retirement following the 9/11 attacks and was responsible for recruiting and processing candidates for consideration as National Criminal Investigative Service special agents in the western United States.
The Secretary of the Army recognized Carroll for his outstanding counterintelligence support to the XXIII Olympiad held in 1984 in Los Angeles. In addition to his official assignments with the National Criminal Investigative Service, he served two terms as agency president for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and had an active role in the National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives. In 2003, Carroll left the real National Criminal Investigative Service for a second time and became the technical adviser on the television show “NCIS.”
Carroll will give a presentation on Tuesday, April 28, at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. in the Criminal Justice and Public Policy building, room 102.
For more information, contact Keri Drinka at keri.drinka@ndsu.edu or 1-6131.
Due to recent flood-related events, several colleges will honor their Distinguished Alumni in fall 2009. Following is a list of those colleges and names of their honorees:
College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences
Kandace Matzek, BS ’77, botany; BS ’79, pharmacy; and MS ’82 pharmacy
College of Business
John D. Erickson, BS ’80, agricultural economics
College of Engineering and Architecture
Gene C. Jackson, BS ’71, civil engineering
College of Science and Mathematics
Mark Kiemele, BS ’69 and MS ’70, mathematics
Watch for more details about these honorees and their days of recognition in the fall.