Alumni

2005 Outstanding Recent Alumni Award

The Outstanding Recent Alumni award was established in 2000 to recognize outstanding alumni who have graduated within the last ten years and provide opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to interact with them. Honorees have distinguished themselves through significant career advancement and diverse service to their communities.

Thomas H. D'Alfonso
As the Danisco Corporation's regional director for the Americas in animal nutrition, D'Alfonso is accountable for the profitability of the animal nutrition firm throughout North America, Central America, and South America. He is also responsible for employees, sales agents, distributors, and sales and marketing for the region and is a key member of the global management team. D'Alfonso graduated in 1991 with master's degrees in industrial engineering and poultry science and operations research and in 1994 received a doctoral degree in agricultural and biological engineering and operations research from Penn State.

Russell C. Redding
As an employee of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for the past 10 years, Redding is currently the executive deputy secretary of agriculture. He established the Pennsylvania Crop Insurance Assistance Program, which he currently manages. Other responsibilities include the administration of all employees for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the oversight of a $200 million-plus operational budget. He also oversees the department's Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite, a package that protects farms against low revenues due to natural disasters and market fluctuations. He received a master's degree in agricultural and extension education from Penn State in 1999 and also completed the Agribusiness Executive Program at Penn State in July 2000.