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Honored Alumni Awards

For 60 years, the Honored Alumni Award has served as the highest honor bestowed upon Cal Poly alumni. The awards recognize alumni from each of the university’s six academic colleges, Cal Poly Athletics and the Cal Poly Alumni Association. Through their contributions to their fields, to Cal Poly, and their impact in their communities and beyond, our Honored Alumni represent the best of Learn by Doing.

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Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Tracy Pezzini

Agricultural Business, '86


2024 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Ronald M. Caird

(Ornamental Horticulture, '65)


2023 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Dennis Stroud

(Crop Science, '75)

Stroud has been instrumental in the success of Cal Poly's Wine and Viticulture Department and is passionate about the industry and supporting student success.

2022 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Walter J. Ruzzo

(Natural Resources Management, '78)

During Ruzzo's long and successful career, he was a leader in environmental health and safety in the mining and biopharmaceutical industries. He retired as Director of Security, Gilead Sciences.

2021 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Karen Carey Watts

(Ornamental Horticulture, B.S., 1979)

Watts is the Market Manager at Nutrien Ag Solutions, the retail division of Nutrien Ltd., the world’s largest crop inputs company. Nutrien helps growers achieve the highest yields with the most sustainable solutions possible.

2020 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Kirk Messick

(Agricultural Business, B.S., 1983)

Messick made a name for himself as a leader in the global rice industry. Messick, his wife and three of their children graduated from Cal Poly in agricultural business.

2019 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

David Gill

(Crop Science, B.S., 1972)

A fourth-generation farmer, Gill and his brother Steve (also an alumnus) founded Rio Farms and Gill Onions – one of the largest and most innovative fresh-cut onion processing plants in the world.

2018 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Paul Burkner

(Agricultural Engineering, B.S. 1964)

Burkner is known for his innovations and inventions in the field of custom agricultural machinery. The owner of several patents, Burkner co-founded Ag Industrial Manufacturing Inc. (AIM) in 1979.

2017 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Cotton Rosser

(Animal Husbandry, H.C. ScD, 1952)

Captain of the Rodeo Team at Cal Poly, Rosser is responsible for establishing the traditional Poly Royal Rodeo event in 1951. In 1956 he purchased the Flying U Rodeo Company and since then his name has become synonymous with rodeo.

2016 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Charles F. Walton

(Ornamental Horticulture, B.S., '66)

Walton has had a long and accomplished career in the horticulture and floriculture industries. He served 16 years on the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council.

2015 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Peter Oppenheimer

(Agricultural Business, B.S., '85)

Oppenheimer is a former CFO of Apple, Inc. and ADP, former longtime board member of the Cal Poly Foundation, and current member of the Goldman Sachs board of directors.

2014 Award Recipient Video

Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Charles L. Harrington

(Agricultural Engineering ‘81)