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Chairman's Award
2010 Recipient

Keith Bjerke

Keith Bjerke has a long history of public service in North Dakota, serving as administrator of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, executive vice president of the Commodity Credit Corporation and adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard. Since 2001 he has been the vice president of University Relations at NDSU, responsible for university relations, legislative affairs and community outreach. His leadership and support have lead to the expansion of the UGPTI's research and education programs, particularly the Masters in Managerial Logistics program.

Bjerke attended the Northwest School of Agriculture in Crookston and then earned a BS in animal husbandry from NDSU in 1961. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1961 to 1964 and in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve from 1964 to 1969 when he joined the North Dakota Air National Guard. He has served on the board of directors of the Pioneer Mutual Life Insurance Co., Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and Minneapolis Grain Exchange; was a delegate to three U.S. European Community Conferences on Agriculture; has been a member of Greater North Dakota Association since 1975, and chairman between 1985 and 1986; was president of the Outstanding Farmers of America from 1982-1984; and is a member of North Dakota Farm Bureau, Greater North Dakota Association.

NDSU Dept 2880P.O. Box 6050Fargo, ND 58108-6050
(701)231-7767ndsu.ugpti@ndsu.edu