Sonny Beck has earned many titles in his life, none of which are more dear to him than president of Beck's Superior Hybrids in Atlanta, the company he co-founded with his father. Beck's Hybrids is the largest family-owned seed company in the U.S.
His awards started early, winning the GA Ross Award for top male student at Purdue. He was also later named a Master Farmer by Indiana Prairie Farmer. His father, Lawrence, and his son, Scott, have also been named Master Farmers.
Now he has one more title and responsibility to add to his list of accomplishments. Governor Mike Pence recently appointed him to the Purdue Board of Trustees.
Pence recognized his prowess in the business world and variety of experiences on various boards in making the announcement of Beck as a trustee to Purdue.
He has already served on the Purdue Ag Advisory Council, the Purdue Executive Council and the FarmHouse Fraternity Scholarship and Foundation Boards. Beck's Hybrids was the major sponsor on the Beck Agricultural Center, a state-of-the art research, teaching and meeting facility located at the Purdue Agronomic Research Center near West Lafayette.
So that the current chairman of the trustees, Ketih Karach, can transfer leadership smoothly, he will accept a new appointment and chair the July meeting, then resign. Beck, his successor, will begin his three-year term at the conclusion of the July meeting of the board of trustees.
Pence reappointed Don Thompson as a trustee. He is president and chief operating officer of McDonald's, based in Oakbrook, Ill. His new term begins today. The Student trustee on the board will be Kelsey Quinn, who serves a two-year term also beginning July 1. Quinn, not an ag student, was named Indiana's Outstanding Young Woman in 2011.