Endowed and Distinguished Professors

Endowed Professors

Al and Mary Agnes McQuinn Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurial Leadership

Alvin E. (Al), BS Ag 1954, and Mary Agnes McQuinn established the Al and Mary Agnes McQuinn Chair in Entrepreneurial Leadership to develop a teaching, mentoring and research program designed to support and facilitate the advancement of entrepreneurial endeavors in the rapidly growing field of life sciences.

  • Open

Boyd L. O’Dell Professorship in Biochemistry

Established by a confidential donor in 2019 to honor Dr. Boyd L. O’Dell, BS 1940, MS 1940, PhD 1943. Dr. O’Dell dedicated his life to the betterment of the human condition through scientific studies at the University of Missouri, and the Boyd L. O’Dell Professorship in Biochemistry serves to advance research and instruction in the Division of Biochemistry.

  • Open

C. Alice Donaldson Professorship in Bioenergy Crop Physiology and Genetics

Catherine Alice Donaldson, BS Ed 1943, MA 1949, PhD Communication 1967, was the first tenure-track female professional in the Communications Department at Purdue University. In 2001, she established a living trust to support University of Missouri programs for agriculture and engineering purposes in connection with conservation of natural resources and conservation in building homes and cars. The C. Alice Donaldson Endowed Professorship in Bioenergy Crop Physiology and Genetics was created to enhance research in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

  • Felix Fritschi, C. Alice Donaldson Professorship in Bioenergy Crop Physiology and Genetics

D. Howard Doane Professorship

D. Howard, BS Ag 1908, MS 1909, LLD 1953, and Nancy Walthall Doane’s gift established an endowed fund to support and strengthen the farm management teaching and research program in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. The named professorship was intended to recruit a faculty member who could contribute to the development and maintenance of an unparalleled teaching and research program in the field of farm management and inspirational leadership. The Doanes’ endowment also funds a lectureship and a fellowship focused on farm management.

  • Corinne Valdivia, D. Howard Doane Professorship

David M. Haggard Missouri Soybean Breeder Professorship

A joint gift from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, the Missouri Seed Improvement Association and Dr. Sam Anand established the David M. Haggard Missouri Soybean Breeder Professorship in 1999. The donors partnered with the State of Missouri and the University of Missouri to fund a professorship honoring David Haggard, BS Ag 1965, which provides a means for enhancing the educational and research stature and productivity of MU’s Fisher Delta Research Center, the Missouri soybean industry and the state of Missouri.

Frank Miller Professorship

Friends and former students of Frank Miller established the Frank G. Miller Professorship of Agricultural Economics upon his retirement from the University of Missouri. Donors aimed to perpetuate Dr. Miller’s lifelong interest in the welfare of students, farm families and the institutions which serve them.

  • Open

Fred V. Heinkel Chair in Agriculture

Established by MFA (Missouri Farmer’s Association) to honor the unique contributions of Fred V. Heinkel, LLD 1967, in the development of agriculture in Missouri. Mr. Heinkel became involved in the local MFA Farm Club in 1917 while farming near Robertsville, MO. From then on, he filled a variety of leadership roles for MFA and eventually was elected president of MFA in 1940. Under Heinkel’s leadership, MFA had more than 155,000 members in 1964 as well as broad cooperative activities in grain, livestock and poultry marketing, feed and fertilizer manufacturing, seed processing, meat packing, and the distribution and retailing of a long list of farm supplies.

  • Open

H.E. Garrett Endowed Chair

Named for Harold E. “Gene” Garrett, professor emeritus of forestry.

  • Open

Howard Cowden Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics

The Howard A. Cowden Agricultural Education and Research Fund for Cooperatives was established by Farmland Industries to support the development of an outstanding program of teaching and research in the field of cooperatives. This gift also honors the unique contributions of Howard A. Cowden, a southwest Missouri native and founder of Farmland Industries. Throughout his career, he was driven by his passion to give farmers a better economic advantage in the marketplace.

  • Pat Westhoff, Howard Cowden Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics

J. Michael Dunmire Professor

The J. Michael Dunmire Professorship was established to support research, teaching or outreach activities in aquatic ecology and water quality in the School of Natural Resources.

  • John R. Jones, J. Michael Dunmire Professor

MFA Chair in Agribusiness

MFA and the University of Missouri have developed a strong partnership over many years jointly serving farmers and citizens in rural Missouri. In order to maintain the caliber of Mizzou’s Agribusiness program and continue recruiting outstanding faculty to educate Missouri’s future leaders in agribusiness, MFA Incorporated, MFA Oil and MFA Foundation collectively established the MFA Chair in Agribusiness in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

  • Open

Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council Soybean Biotechnology Professorship

The Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council established the Soybean Biotechnology Professorship to advance research and instruction in biotechnology as it relates to the soybean industry.

  • Open

Robert D. Partridge Chair of Cooperative Leadership

Various donors generously endowed a chair in cooperative leadership at Mizzou in honor of Bob Partridge, BS Ag 1938, ScD 1985, Executive Vice President and General Manager of National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). Partridge served NRECA for 23 years before retiring in 1984.

  • Keri Jacobs, Robert D. Partridge Chair of Cooperative Leadership

William A. Albrecht Distinguished Professor in Soil Science

In 1992, an anonymous donor established the William A. Albrecht Faculty Recognition Award in Soil Science to honor Dr. Albrecht’s research and teaching legacy. Additional gifts from Dr. Albrecht’s daughter, Barbara Ann Albrecht Peret, and her family, have elevated the award to the William A. Albrecht Professorship in Soil Science.

  • Stephen Anderson, William A. Albrecht Distinguished Professor in Soil Science

William J. Rucker Professorship in Wildlife

William J. Rucker, BS BA 1939, established the William J. Rucker Education Fund in 1944. Mr. Rucker wished to expand the University of Missouri’s wildlife conservation activities and encourage students to pursue education in that area. The fund has evolved into the William J. Rucker Professorship in Wildlife.

  • Charles Nilon, William J. Rucker Professorship in Wildlife

Wurdack Chair of Animal Genetics and Wurdack Chair of Biochemical Sciences

Hugo and Evelyn Wurdack established the Wurdack Natural Resources Research Fund through an estate gift received in 1998. This fund supports the Wurdack Chairs in Animal Genetics and Biochemical Sciences as well as the Wurdack Scholarship for CAFNR students.

  • Michael Chapman, Wurdack Chair of Biochemical Sciences
  • Jared Decker, Wurdack Chair of Animal Genetics

Curators’ Distinguished Professors

  • Jack Jones (Emeritus)
  • Ron Mittler
  • Randall Prather
  • Robert Sharp
  • Michael Smith
  • Thomas Spencer
  • Gary Stacey
  • Jerry Taylor (Emeritus)
  • Judith Wall (Emerita)
  • Gary Weisman

Chancellor’s Professors

  • R. Michael Roberts
  • Robert Sharp