Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman recently presented ATA First Vice Chairman Charles “Shorty” Whittington with the state’s AgriVision Award in recognition of his commitment to Indiana agriculture. The AgriVision Award is presented annually to a Hoosier who demonstrates exemplary leadership and contributes to maximizing Indiana’s agricultural potential and securing the state’s future as a world leader in agricultural production.
“I’m pleased that this award was presented to Shorty in honor of his dedication to an industry that he is so passionate about,” says Bill Graves, ATA president and chief executive officer. “Shorty is a testament to what we can achieve through hard work and determination.”
“The AgriVision Award is a way to say ‘thank you’ to one person each year who exemplifies the work of so many,” Skillman says. “Shorty is truly a leader in agriculture, and he exemplifies what the award is about – impacting Indiana agriculture through innovation, technology and new business approaches.”
As president and CEO of Grammer Industries, Whittington is a leader in the agriculture, commercial trucking transportation and biodiesel renewable fuels industry. He is a founding member of ATA’s Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference and has served as chairman of the AFTC board of directors for more than five years. Whittington founded one of Indiana’s first soy-biofuels plants, Integrity BioFuels, which is considered a model plant and has been visited by biofuels leaders from across the country.
