A group of College administrators, friends and supporters gathered Jan. 21 at the N.C. State University Club to launch the new North Carolina Agriculture and Life Sciences Research Foundation. Designed to support research in agriculture and the life sciences, the foundation also is the first at N.C. State dedicated solely to the support of research at the university.

The foundation's inaugural endowment - an unrestricted research fund for the College - will be initiated by the transfer of nearly $400,000 gained from the sale of land adjacent to Castle Hayne Research Station.

"This transfer represents a significant commitment on behalf of the College to research . and to the concept of creating a foundation that will ensure that funding for research will continue to flourish at this university," said Dr. Steven Leath, College associate dean and director of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service (NCARS).

Joining Leath in the endowment signing were Dr. Johnny Wynne, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Keith Oakley, executive director of college advancement and president of the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc.

"I am very pleased to be a part of the celebration of this new effort, which I know will positively impact not only our College and state, but also scientific innovation in agriculture and the life sciences far beyond our borders," Wynne said.

The celebratory luncheon also served as the inaugural meeting of the foundation's steering committee, which will tackle several immediate priorities, including creating mission and vision statements, as well as setting preliminary goals and defining marketing strategies. Catherine Maxwell, director of development for NCARS and executive director of development for the College, will guide the committee's work.

Leath commended the committee for its dedication to university research and the role research plays in supporting industry and economic development, saying, "Today, we are beginning to build a foundation that will indeed impact our industries, our economy, our environment and the health, well-being and quality of life for all citizens of North Carolina."

- Suzanne Stanard

N.C. Agriculture and Life Sciences Research Foundation Steering Committee

Dr. John R. Anderson, Jr.
Monsanto Company
Raleigh, N.C.
*Mr. Roger R. Black
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Dr. Jon A. Brandt
Head, N.C. State Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
Dr. Dennis T. Brown
Head, N.C. State Department of Biochemistry
Mr. Eugene R. Charville
East Carolina Farm Credit
Raleigh, N.C.
Dr. William K. Collins, Sr.
N.C. State Agricultural Research Service, Tob0p3acco Programs
Mr. William H. Culpepper, Jr.
SePRO Corporation
Carmel, Ind.
*Mr. David L. Davenport
Greenville, N.C.
Monica Doss
Council for Entrepreneurial Development
Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Dr. Nicholas M. Hamon
Bayer Environmental Science
Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Mr. Joe K. Hampton
NCDA Piedmont Research Station
Salisbury, N.C.
Mr. Kendall Hill
Tull Hill Farms, Inc.
Kinston, N.C.
Dr. Julia L. Kornegay
Head, N.C. State Department of Horticultural Science
*Dr. Michael A. Luther
GlaxoSmithKline
Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Dr. Roger L. McCraw
Head, N.C. State Department of Animal Science
Dr. Samuel L. Pardue
Head, N.C. State Department
of Poultry Science
Dr. Catherine Ricks
Embrex Inc.
Durham, N.C.
Dr. Damian Shea
Head, N.C. State Department
of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology
Dr. H. Thomas Stalker
Head, N.C. State Department
of Crop Science
Dr. Mark D. Stowers
MBI International
Lansing, Mich.
Dr. Charles W. Stuber, Sr.
Raleigh, N.C.
Dr. Kenneth Tindall
North Carolina Biotechnology Center
Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Dr. John G. Vandenbergh
Raleigh, N.C.

* subcommittee chairs