MSU Research Station names new director

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Cherries by Mike FieldThe Leelanau Enterprise reports that the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station has named a new director to replace retiring and long-time station head Jim Nugent. On January 1, 2007, Nikki Rothwell will take the reins of the MSU Extension’s Leelanau center for fruit research. According to the article:

At 33, she is one of the youngest people and the first woman to be named to the post. Charles Kesner, the first to serve as both the district horticultural agent and research station director, was 32 at the time of his appointment in 1973.

“I have some big shoes to fill,” the Kingsley native said of Nugent, under whom she’s worked for the past two years as the district fruit Integrated Pest Management educator. “One of my goals was to have my Ph.D. by age 30 and I did that. But I didn’t think I would be in this position.”

Read ‘I have big shoes to fill’ in the Enterprise and visit the NWMI Hort Station site.
Photo credit: Cherries by Mike Field