During its 21st annual meeting held in Florida, in September, RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment)® honored one of its long-time volunteers for his exemplary leadership to the specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry.
Jim Armbruster, PBI/Gordon Corporation, was honored as the third recipient of the E. Allen James Leadership Award that annually recognizes the outstanding contributions of a RISE volunteer leader. The award is named after RISE’s former president of 20 years, Allen James, who retired in 2010. RISE’s annual meeting keynote speaker Michael Durant, a master pilot and inspiration for the movie Blackhawk Down, presented the award to Armbruster during the opening session attended by approximately 100 RISE members.
Armbruster has volunteered on RISE committees since 1998, most recently serving as chairman of the RISE Science & Technology Committee. He’s invested time and expertise on numerous issue management teams, including those working in the Northeast.
“RISE volunteer leaders are the backbone of our association and play a vital role in the work we do,” said RISE President Aaron Hobbs. “Jim Armbruster is a thoughtful, knowledgeable expert who’s made many outstanding contributions to science and advocacy that are at the heart of the RISE mission. He is much deserving of this year’s award.”
As PBI/Gordon’s vice president of research and development and regulatory and technical services, Armbruster will retire this year after working with the company since 1988. Besides his volunteer efforts with RISE, Armbruster’s expertise in the areas of pesticide chemistry, weed science and patent law was also invaluable to The Industry Task Force II on 2,4-D Research Data, Chemical Producers and Distributors Association and the American Society of Agronomy, among others.
Nominations for the E. Allen James Leadership award are taken from peers who have worked directly with the nominee and have personal knowledge of the RISE member’s exceptional leadership contributions to the industry and RISE initiatives during the current year. For more information or to nominate someone, please contact RISE’s Karen Reardon, kreardon@pestfacts.org.