The Irrigation Association recently announced awards for Irrigation Association Partner of the Year, Person of the Year, Industry Achievement Award and a special achievement award. Here are the details on the winners:
CIT Named Irrigation Association Partner of the Year
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The Center for Irrigation Technology has been named Irrigation Association 2006 Partner of the Year for its support of irrigation education, certification and standards.
“They are huge supporters of the IA," said Brian Vinchesi, chair of the IA Awards Committee. "Everything we do they support.”
The award, established in 1995, will be presented Nov. 6 at the Keynote Breakfast during the 27th Annual International Irrigation Show in San Antonio.
The Center for Irrigation Technology, an independent research and testing facility at California State University, Fresno, developed testing protocols and conducts product tests for the Smart Water Application Technologies program.
The center also provides support to the IA certification program. It provides representation to the International Organization for Standardization, and has increased the IA profile at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif., by coordinating an irrigation pavilion and seminars. CIT took a lead role in the review and recommendation of guidelines for urban landscape water use in California.
CIT also brings its mobile pump demonstration trailer to IA events, including a trek cross country to the first IA-sponsored solution center at the Golf Industry Show. The trailer helps demonstrate concepts of pump performance, specifications and maintenance.
Researcher Named Irrigation Association 2006 Person of the Year
Eugene W. Rochester Jr., whose research increased uniformity of irrigation with hard-hose travelers, has been named 2006 Irrigation Association Person of the Year.
Established in 1952, the Person of the Year honor recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions toward the acceptance of sound irrigation practices. The award will be presented Nov. 6 at the Keynote Breakfast during the 27th Annual International Irrigation Show in San Antonio.
“Gene has devoted a career to teaching, research and consulting in the field of irrigation,” said Ron Sneed, irrigation consultant.
Rochester’s research on hard-hose travelers prompted traveler manufacturers to adopt speed compensation as a standard feature to provide uniform irrigation application.
Rochester has done extensive volunteer and professional work for the Irrigation Association by serving as an instructor and as a member of the Education Committee and on the Certification Board.
While serving on the faculty at Auburn University, Rochester developed the textbook, "Landscape Irrigation Design." He helped rewrite portions of the IA Irrigation reference manual, developed the Glossary of Irrigation Terms, created the first teaching module for Irrigation Association Education Foundation, and contributed to updates of the "Principles of Irrigation" manual and other IA course materials.
Rochester also creates the formula sheets for IA certification exams, and he reviewed equations in the upcoming Sixth Edition of Irrigation, known as the bible of the irrigation industry.
Rochester is a registered professional engineer, has a doctorate in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from North Carolina State University and is an IA Certified Irrigation Designer and Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor.
Supply House Founder Receives IA Industry Achievement Award
Les Jochens, credited with designing a network of irrigation supply houses to meet the needs of local communities, is the recipient of the 2006 Irrigation Association Industry Achievement Award.
Established in 1966, the Industry Achievement Award recognizes individuals within the industry who have contributed to the advancement of irrigation. The award will be presented Nov. 6 at the Keynote Breakfast during the 27th Annual International Irrigation Show in San Antonio.
Jochens, a professional engineer, was praised by leaders throughout the irrigation industry for his technical knowledge, practical approach and commitment to teaching effective irrigation practices. He is recognized for establishing a system to provide irrigation dealers with easier access to custom sprinkler packages and other parts for center pivots and designing a network of supply houses as a founder of the Western Irrigation Supply House.
"His ideas and concepts literally changed the face of the pivot sprinkler packaging business," said Bart Nelson, president of Nelson Irrigation Corp.
Jochens, with a degree in agricultural engineering from University of Nebraska, started in the irrigation industry in 1949 as a pump expert for a Colorado company. He was co-owner of Rocky Mountain Irrigation in Denver and worked for Rain Bird Corp. for 17 years. In 1982, he established Western Irrigation Supply House.
"Les has been a positive influence on our industry and thousands of individuals associated with it," said Mike Stephens, president of Equipment Supply Co. "He has always been there to lead, guide, explain and teach proper irrigation practices and product application."
"Les Jochens' combined abilities to appreciate the circumstance of the irrigator, understand the technical realities of irrigation engineering, and provide solutions that make business sense are a model for our industry,” said irrigation engineer Ken Solomon.
Irrigation Association Honors Chapin For Making a Difference With Drip Irrigation
Richard Chapin, creator of a simple drip irrigation kit that can help grow food to feed a family on 10 gallons of water a day, is being recognized with a special Irrigation Association humanitarian award.
Chapin, a pioneer in drip irrigation, developed drip irrigation bucket kits, which are distributed at low cost around the world through Chapin Living Waters. The organization has provided thousands of kits in more than 150 countries through partnerships with more than 2,000 organizations.
The award will be presented Nov. 6 at Keynote Breakfast at the 27th International Irrigation Show in San Antonio.
Chapin's basic bucket kit includes a filter, two 50-foot drip lines and instructions for making raised beds using local materials. Farmers supply a bucket, which is hung from a post, and water flows down from the bucket through the filter into the drip line.
“He contributes a great deal of his personal time to help so many people become self sufficient growing their own crops,” said Gary Underhill of Underhill Corp.
The kits, which can be landed in most countries for a few dollars each, have been used as long as 10 years.
