Dr. W. Bernard Lester was born in Havana, Florida, and grew up on a “shadeback farm” that produced the tobacco plants that provided the outer wrappers for cigars. Lester was involved in Havana High School’s Future Farmers of America, earned an Eagle Scout designation and received the Service Award from the American Legion. Following his...

Born in Nashua, New Hampshire, Dr. Charles F. “Chip” Hinton grew up in Pensacola. He attended the University of Florida, obtaining a B.S. and M.S. in Agriculture and a Ph.D. in Poultry Products. Later, while on sabbatical at NCSU, he completed an ABD (all but dissertation) for an Ed.D in Education Administration. Through his strong leadership...

As an agent with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Dr. Bruce Christmas was known for his research in poultry science as well as his work as an educator.  Christmas spent the bulk of his career as director of the University of Florida’s Poultry Evaluation Center in Chipley, conducting field trials and keeping local...

Rudy Hamrick was a major force in North Florida agriculture for nearly three decades.  As director of the Madison County Extension office from 1951 to 1977, his impact on the county’s economy was dramatic.  When Hamrick first came to Madison, the tobacco industry was declining all across Northwest Florida.  Farm incomes were shrinking, along with...

A leader in state and national poultry associations, John Powell Wallace is one of Florida’s poultry pioneers and the first chairman of the American Egg Board. He founded Wallace Hatchery Inc., in 1948 and Wallace Chicks Inc., in 1956 for the purpose of exporting chicks, hatching eggs and breeding stock to Latin America and the...

Miles Edward Groover A tireless educator, successful farmer, country storeowner and agricultural extension agent, the late Miles Edward Groover transcended racial barriers at a time when Florida was still segregated. Born on a Jefferson County plantation on March 16, 1887, Groover grew on his grandparents’ rented 60-acre farm and raised hogs, cows and chickens, along...

Dr. Tony J. Cunha joined the animal science faculty at the University of Florida in 1948 as associate professor. After being selected chairman of the department, Cunha gathered an outstanding group of faculty whose work contributed significantly to improving the Florida livestock industry. He was in charge of the coordination of teaching, extension and research...