MEMPHIS, Tenn. — February 13, 2023 — Andy Jordan, a long-time employee in the National Cotton Council (NCC) Technical Services Department who now works as an agricultural engineering consultant, received the 2022 Harry S. Baker Distinguished Service Award.

Jordan was recognized during the NCC’s 2023 annual meeting held February 10-12 in Dallas, Texas.

The award, named for the late California industry leader and past NCC President Harry S. Baker, is presented annually to a deserving individual who has provided extraordinary service, leadership and dedication to the U.S. cotton industry.

In presenting the award, outgoing NCC Chairman Ted Schneider said Dr. Jordan served 31 years in the Council’s Technical Services department, first as manager of Marketing and Processing Technology before being named as that department’s director and later its vice president.

Schneider said that while serving in these positions, “Dr. Jordan provided exceptional leadership in managing a diversity of technical issues affecting the industry. Much of his success resulted from his skillful direction of a Council staff that included professional experts in safety and health environmental sciences, engineering, textile processing, plant physiology/agronomy and plant breeding.”

Jordan, who earned engineering degrees from the University of Georgia and Clemson University, joined the NCC in 1976 after working for Western Electric and Lockheed Georgia Aerospace and serving a previous stint as an instructor at Clemson.

During his time at the NCC, Jordan also served several years as executive director for The Cotton Foundation where he directed program development. That included raising funds from the private sector and the administration of Foundation research and education programs valued at more than $1.5 million annually.

Today, Jordan is an advisor to Cotton Council International, Cotton Incorporated and the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, the cotton industry’s sustainability initiative. He works with agricultural research scientists, conservation groups, and food and trade organizations to develop sustainability metrics for agriculture.

Jordan also currently serves as executive director of the Cotton Growers Warehouse Association, is co-owner/science director for Secure Food Solutions, an advisor to AgLaunch, an agribusiness technology accelerator, and a director for Agricenter International, a 1,000-acre agricultural research, conservation, and education center in Cordova, Tennessee.

He and his wife, Susan, are active in design and installation of drinking water treatment systems for the underserved in five countries.

Posted February 14, 2023

Source: National Cotton Council

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — February 13, 2023 — The late Kenneth Hood, a former National Cotton Council (NCC) vice president, treasurer, vice chairman and chairman, received the Oscar Johnston Lifetime Achievement Award for 2022. He was honored at the NCC’s 2023 annual meeting held February 10-12 in Dallas, Texas, with outgoing NCC Chairman Ted Schneider presenting the award to Hood’s daughter Lou Ann Petro.

The annual award, established in 1997, is named for Oscar Johnston, whose vision, genius and tireless efforts were foremost in the shaping and organization of the NCC. The award is presented to an individual who served the cotton industry, through the NCC, over a significant period of his or her active business career. The award also recognizes those who exerted a positive influence on the industry and who demonstrated character and integrity as well as perseverance and maturation during that service.

Hood, a Mississippi native and Mississippi State University graduate, was active in local, state and national cotton organizations. He served on numerous NCC committees and chaired multiple committees, among them the Farm Program and Economic Policy Committee, Cottonseed Segment Representation Study Committee, its Bale Moisture Task Force, and the Beltwide Cotton Conferences Steering Committee. He continued serving as an advisor to the NCC until his death.

A former Delta Council president and chair of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s cotton committee, he also played a key role in Mississippi’s boll weevil eradication effort.

Hood was a partner in Perthshire Farms in Gunnison, Mississippi. He also was founder and board chairman of InTime, Inc., a precision agriculture consulting firm, was president of Hood Gin Company and Hood Equipment Company, and was a Board member of Staplcotn.

Schneider said Hood had a positive influence on his producer peers through his willingness to embrace cutting edge technology.

“Kenneth’s willingness to adopt new technology was unmatched as was his eagerness to work with researchers on projects aimed at improving farming efficiency,” Schneider said. “He inspired others to do the same.”

In addition, Hood was an active leader in ginner organizations. He was a former president of the National Cotton Ginners Association and the Southern Cotton Ginners Association.

A recipient of the NCC’s Harry S. Baker Award in 2008, Hood was honored over the years with many awards, among them Cotton Farming Magazine’s Farmer of the Year, Cotton Grower magazine’s Cotton Achievement Award, Progressive Farmer Magazine’s Man of the Year in Service to Mississippi Agriculture, Farm Progress’ High Cotton Award, Delta Council’s Outstanding Conservation Farmer, Delta Business Journal’s Ag Profile Leadership Award, and the New York Cotton Exchange Cotton Marketer of the Year. He also was ginner of the year for both the Southern Cotton Ginners Association and the National Cotton Ginners Association and recently was selected to Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton Research and Promotion Hall of Fame’s 2022 class.

“Despite these many accolades,” Schneider said, “Kenneth remained humble and was always willing to give of his time whether it was for neighboring producers and researchers or association staffers and journalists. He was an energetic and innovative producer and ginner as well as a tireless servant and leader.”

Posted February 14, 2023

Source: National Cotton Council