2001 Outstanding Recent Alumni Award

James R. Day is the product evaluation team leader for the Hay and Forage Global Product Line at New Holland, a division of CNH Global N.V. He supervises the field and lab testing of all hay and forage products. Since beginning in 1995, Jim has moved up the ranks at New Holland from field test analyst in disc cutting, to field test analyst in research and development, to site-specific farming product specialist, to his current position as product evaluation team leader. Jim is a member of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers; the alumni associations of Penn State, Alfred State College, and Phi Kappa Theta; and the National Boat Owners Association. He earned his bachelor's degree in agricultural mechanization from Penn State in 1991, with a minor in business administration. He also holds an associate degree in agricultural engineering from the State University of New York College of Technology at Alfred.

Aimee Taylor is a senior research scientist at Hershey Foods, formulating new confections. As part of a team, she participates in the development process, from working out the formula for a new candy to making it in the plant. Aimee holds key leadership positions both regionally and nationally for the Institute of Food Technologists, the major professional society in her field. She also serves on the board of directors of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences Alumni Society. As a Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Agricultural Sciences graduate, she serves as a director of the Center for Excellence in Education. She also volunteers as a Girl Scout leader and recently received the Gem of a Leader award. Aimee earned a Penn State bachelor's degree in food science with honors in 1994 and a master's degree in food science from Cornell University in 1996.