The fourth annual NDSU Distinguished Alumni Award Program is scheduled for April. Sponsored by each of the colleges at NDSU, the program recognizes accomplishments of outstanding alumni and educates students by introducing them to successful alumni in their respective fields of study.
The distinguished alumni will share career-related experiences and knowledge and will meet and give presentations to the NDSU community. All classroom presentations and seminars are free and open to the public.
College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources
Steve Edwardson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural mechanization. He began his career as an Extension agent for the NDSU Extension Service in 1987. He spent 12 years with Minn-Dak Growers Ltd. starting as a crop management specialist, advancing to station manager, director of research and development and director of information technology. He was promoted to vice president of general operations in 2002. Following his tenure with Minn-Dak Growers, he worked for Watts and Associates, a private insurance developer in Billings, Mont. In 2004, he joined the North Dakota Barley Council as executive administrator.
Edwardson is a member of several organizations, including the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Society of America and Association for Advancement of Industrial Crops. He has experience in international trade and has conducted business in Japan, Taiwan, Argentina, Germany and England with projects ranging from specialty crop contracting and supply chain management to crop production management for non-agricultural procurement personnel.
He maintains a strong relationship with NDSU as a member of agriculture advisory boards and faculty search committees as well as collaborating with administrators in support of advancing the research and outreach missions of NDSU agriculture.
Edwardson will present a seminar on Wednesday, April 7, at 3 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
Michael Krueger earned a bachelor's degree in speech education. He was a member of Blue Key Honor Society, Board of Student Publications, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and Air Force ROTC. He is president of the NDSU Alumni Association and past member of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Advisory Board.
Following three years in the U.S. Air Force, he held management positions with Cargill Inc. He is founder and president of The Money Farm, a grain marketing advisory service, located near Fargo, that works with farmers, country elevators and others associated with agriculture. He also is a senior analyst for World Perspectives, a Washington, D.C., based international agricultural consulting company. He has traveled extensively internationally as a speaker at farm and grain industry meetings and seminars, including the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America. He also worked on consulting projects in the U.S. and overseas. He is a licensed commodity broker clearing through ADM Investor Services and is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. Krueger was selected the National Agri-Marketing Association Ag Communicator of the Year for the Northern Prairie Chapter in 2000.
Krueger has hosted a daily syndicated radio and television program called "The Money Farm" that was carried on 35 upper Midwest radio stations and six North Dakota television stations. He is the host of "The Money Farm Minute" on AM 1100 in Fargo, and has been a frequent guest on the nationally syndicated television programs "Ag Day" and "Weekend Update."
Krueger will be on campus Wednesday, April 14. For more information, contact Keri Drinka at keri.drinka@ndsu.edu or 1-6131.
College of Human Development and Education
Carol Disrud earned a bachelor's degree in interior design. She owns and is principal designer with Disrud and Associates, Healdsburg, Calif., which she opened in 1993 after 25 years in the commercial design business. In 2006, her firm received the Honor Award in the commercial category in the Northern California Chapter of International Interior Design Association Competition for its design of the Lake Sonoma Winery Tasting Room in Healdsburg. Disrud and Associates is a member of the Green Building Council.
Before opening her own firm, Disrud was vice president and project director for the Gensler, an international design firm in San Francisco. For 13 years, she was principal director for large-scale national and international projects, requiring travel to projects in the U. S. and Asia. In 1989, her team won the National Institute of Best Designers Best of Competition Award in Chicago for design of the Apple Market Center in Dallas.
Disrud has served as international vice president of professional development for the International Interior Design Association. She was named a fellow in 1998.
Disrud will give a presentation on Thursday, April 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in FLC, room 116. For more information, contact Nancy Gress at nancy.gress@ndsu.edu or 1-8216.
College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences
Jim Normark earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from NDSU in 1972, master’s degree in counseling and human development from Troy State University in 1981 and master’s degree in pharmacy practice from the University of North Carolina in 1983.
Normark served for 26 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring with the rank of colonel. He is senior consultant for Cooper Thomas LLC in Washington, D.C. Other positions he has held include operations manager for Outpatient Pharmacies at St. Luke’s Health Systems/Mountain States Tumor Institute, Boise, Idaho, and vice president at the World Health Monitor Program, PUMA Systems, Falls Church, Va.
Normark’s professional affiliations include Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, American Pharmacists Association, Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute, Society of Air Force Pharmacy, Rho Chi Pharmaceutical Honor Society and NDSU College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences National Pharmacy Advisory Board.
Normark’s will give a presentation on Monday, April 19. For more information, contact Kristi Weston at kristi.weston@ndsu.edu or 1-7751.
College of Engineering and Architecture
Donald D. Powell earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from NDSU in 1953. Following graduation, he served as an officer in the U. S. Air Force Research and Development Command, followed by a Fulbright Traveling Fellowship in Europe. He then joined the Chicago office of the prominent architecture firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. In 1976, he and Robert D. Kleinschmidt established Powell/Kleinschmidt Interior Architecture, based in Chicago. The firm, specializing in creating interior spaces of outstanding buildings, has been notable for its designs in the extremely high-end office, retail and residential market. Powell was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame in 1989.
As a strong supporter of the NDSU architecture program, particularly the Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library, Powell has donated much of his personal collection of rare architecture books.
Powell will return to campus in the fall to accept his award. For more information, contact Nancy Rossland at nancy.rossland@ndsu.edu or 1-7994.
College of Science and Mathematics
Christina (Tina) Keller earned a bachelor's degree in 1984, master's degree in 1987 and doctorate in 1988 from NDSU. She joined the faculty at the University of South Dakota in 1989 and is an associate dean of administration in the College of Arts and Sciences and associate professor of physics. She teaches calculus-based introductory physics, modern physics and experimental modern physics. She also has taught the algebra-based physics course, astronomy and many upper level courses including classical mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics and optics. Her research interests lie in theoretical physics. She is involved in promoting physics education, having presented several summer workshops and courses for high school teachers.
Prior to being named associate dean, she was chair of the Department of Earth Sciences and Physics. She has served on university task forces and committees, including the Mathematics Task Force, the University Scholarship Committee, the Gender Equity Oversight Committee and the Athletic Board of Control. She was co-chair of the Athletic Review Task Force, appointed by President James Abbott in 2006.
At NDSU, Keller was a four-year letter winner in women’s basketball. A three-year starter, Keller was twice named Academic All-North Central Conference.
Keller will give a presentation on Thursday, April 29, at 9:45 a.m. in the Construction Management Auditorium in the Civil and Industrial Engineering building. For more information, contact Keri Drinka at keri.drinka@ndsu.edu or 1-6131.