2010 Distinguished Service Award

Joe Klein

Joseph B. Klein was born on April 27, 1946 in Sparta, Mich.  His parents were Royal and Bernice Klein.  Joe graduated from Sparta High School in1964 and attended Michigan State University before returning to the family farm.  He and his wife, Sharon, have been married for 41 years. His son, Joe, works with him on the family farm. Joe and Sharon also have a daughter, Kara, and 4 grandchildren. 

His father, Royal, started planting apples in the ‘40s with 50 acres of standard apple trees. His farm has grown to 170 acres of semi-dwarf and dwarf apples. His acreage also includes six acres of pick-your-own and picked sweet cherry trees. In 1957, his father built a CA room that held 5,000 bushel crates. Today that has expanded to 4 CA rooms that hold about 75,000 bushel with state-of-the-art technology.

During his farming career, Joe has been involved in a number of organizations and committees over the years. He served on the MSHS Board and was president in 2004. While serving on the MSHS Board, he also served on the Great Lakes EXPO Board. He has served on the Kent County Farm Bureau Board, the MACMA Board, and the Farm Credit Association Board. He also has been involved in several committees, Clarksville Experiment Station Advisory Committee and Farm Bureau Fruit and Vegetable Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the Midwest Pomesters.

Joe has been very active in Christ Lutheran Church serving as an Elder and a co-chair of the Building Committee. He has been president of the Mamrelund Lutheran Church Council. He has served for over 35 years as Secretary/Treasurer of Jack Brown Produce and was recently appointed to the U.S. Apple Association Board.

One of Joe’s greatest pleasures in life has been working with his father, and now his son, Joe Jr. Joe looks forward to his grandson helping grandpa on the farm as well.

The Michigan State Horticultural Society is pleased to present the Distinguished Service Award to Joseph Klein for his many years of service to the Fruit Industry.

Dr. Randy Beaudry

Randy Beaudry was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1958. His father, Norman was a carpenter at the University of Toledo. His mother, Peggy was a homemaker. He earned his BS in Horticulture from Ohio State University and his PhD from University of Georgia. Randy started his career at MSU as a postharvest physiologist in 1989. He and his wife, Becky, have a daughter, Zoe, who currently attends Kalamazoo College.

Dr. Beaudry is a professor at Michigan State University and recently served for two years as Acting Chairperson for the Michigan State Horticulture Department. His research activities focus on preserving the postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables. Specific areas of expertise include modified atmosphere packaging, controlled-atmosphere storage, non-destructive quality assessment, apple postharvest disorder physiology, the molecular and biochemical control of aroma biosynthesis, and use of volatiles to inhibit decay. Spin-offs from research have lead to the development of a number of practical devices or methods for which patents have been awarded.

Much of Dr. Beaudry's research is service-oriented as he works closely with the apple and sugarbeet industries. Current emphasis for the Great Lakes apple industry is placed on the development of successful controlled atmosphere storage protocols for the variety ‘Honeycrisp’. His Extension assignment is with the Michigan Apple Maturity Program, designed to improve quality of Michigan apples. Information is shared on a weekly basis with Michigan shippers, packing houses, storage operators and growers. Dr. Beaudry is also responsible for organizing and conducting the bi-annual Controlled Atmosphere (CA) Storage Clinics. Operators are kept up-to-date on recent changes in CA and packinghouse regulations, methods for increasing efficiency of CA operations and techniques for improving their ability to maintain high fruit quality.

The Michigan State Horticultural Society is pleased to present the Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Randy Beaudry.

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