Beef Briefs Pelanda Named new Director of Ohio Department of Agriculture
Dorothy Pelanda was sworn in as the 39th Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture by Governor Mike DeWine on January 14, 2019. Pelanda is the first woman to serve as Director in the Department’s history. Pelanda lives on the small family farm on which she grew up in Union County. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2011-2019, serving on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Pelanda practiced law in private practice for nearly 30 years, where she represented hundreds of clients from Union County and the surrounding area. Food and agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Ohio, adding more than $124 billion to the economy each year. In addition to providing leadership for the agricultural industry, the Director of Agriculture administers numerous regulatory, food safety, and consumer protection programs for the benefit of all Ohioans.
Mertz Named new Director of Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Mary Mertz was appointed as the new Director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources by Governor Mike DeWine. Mertz is the second woman director of ODNR. She was formerly the First Assistant Attorney General under Attorney General Mike DeWine where she oversaw both the legal and administrative operations of the office. Prior to her appointment at the Attorney General’s Office, Mertz practiced law at a large, multi-national law firm. She also served as chief of staff to Mike DeWine while he was Lt. Governor; in the office of legislative 66 | Ohio Cattleman | Expo Issue 2019
affairs in the White House; and worked with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, while working for Ohio Gov. George V. Voinovich. Mertz is an avid sailor and outdoorsperson. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources owns and manages over 590,000 acres of land including 74 state parks, 21 state forests, 136 state nature preserves, and 117 wildlife areas. The department also has jurisdiction over more than 120,000 acres of inland waters, 7,000 miles of streams, 481 miles of the Ohio River, and over 2 million acres of Lake Erie. The department also licenses all hunting, fishing, and watercraft in the state, among other responsibilities.
Stevenson named new Director of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Laurie Stevenson was sworn in as the new Director of the Environmental Protection Agency by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. Stevenson was most recently the deputy director for business relations at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Stevenson has worked at Ohio EPA for 20 years, previously serving as the director’s industrial liaison and chief of the Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention (OCAPP). Previously, Stevenson managed Ohio EPA’s Small Business Assistance Office for six years. She also held positions in Ohio EPA’s Division of Hazardous Waste Management, starting in the Southeast District Office as a hazardous waste field inspector. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1972 to consolidate efforts to protect and improve air quality, water quality and waste management in Ohio. Since then, air pollutants dropped by as much as 90 percent; large rivers meeting standards improved from 21 percent to 89 percent; and hundreds of polluting, open dumps were replaced with engineered landfills and an emphasis on waste reduction and recycling.
Select Sires hires new Director of Genetic Research and Technology
Dr. Mehdi Sargolzaei was hired as director of genetic research and technology for Select Sires, Plain City, OH, on January 11, 2019. As director of genetic research and technology, he will lead cooperative efforts in research and development of innovative genetic technologies to enhance breeding strategies for genetic improvement programs. “We are excited to have Mehdi join our dairy sire development team. He adds new capabilities to our staff and he’ll be extremely valuable in continuing Select Sires’ reputation as the premier provider of superior dairy genetics,” says Chuck Sattler, vice president of genetic programs at Select Sires. Sargolzaei obtained his master of science in animal breeding and genetics from Isfahan University of Technology in Iran before earning his Ph.D. in animal breeding and genetics from Niigata University in Japan. Since receiving his Ph.D. in 2016, Sargolzaei has been an integral member of the research community at the Center for Genetic Improvement of Livestock (CGIL) and Department of Pathobiology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.
Japan Prize goes to CFAES soil scientist Rattan Lal
Rattan Lal, a soil scientist at The Ohio State University, has been awarded the 2019 Japan Prize, considered one of the most prestigious honors in science and technology. Lal, whose career in science spans five decades and five continents, was honored for his research on sustainable soil management and its role in improving global food security and mitigating climate change. Lal is the first Ohio State scientist and the first soil scientist to ever receive the prize. He is Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science at the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).