Kevin Hackett has worked for the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service for 32 years and recently was named Distinguished Educator for 2010.

Kevin has been involved with the national Land & Range Judging Contest for more than 20 years.  On contest morning he helps park vehicles at the contest site, then acts as a runner, gathering cards to deliver for tabulation.  He then assists with tabulation, grading thousands of contest cards through the years.

In his position with the Extension Service as the 4H northwest District Program Specialist, Kevin provides expertise in volunteer and staff development and management, program evaluation, management of events and activities, most agricultural project areas, farm safety, communication projects, State Fairs and 4H project record books and recognition.

He also coordinates programs including Oklahoma Junior Wheat Improvement Contest, Farm, Tractor, and Ag Machinery Safety, and numerous Northwest District 4H and invitational youth and volunteer activities.  He participates in the National Land & Range Judging Contest along with other Extension Service staff.

Kevin lives in Enid where he serves as deacon of the First Baptist Church, and he has two grown sons.

"Thanks to Mr. Altom's leadership and commitment to conservation, the Noble Foundation has been a longtime supporter of the National Land and Range Judging Contest that OACD hosts annually in Oklahoma City," Herriman said.

Trey Lam, current OACD president added, "Wadell has shared his expertise in soil management and fertilization issues with farmers for over 40 years at the Noble Foundation.  So it is particularly fitting that we recognize him for his support of the National Land and Range Judging Contest."

Wadell graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1965 with a degree in agronomy, worked for a grain and fertilizer company in Texas before going to work for the Texas A&M Extension Service as an assistant area agronomist.  In June 1966 Wadell joined the Noble Foundation as a soil fertility specialist and continued to work for the Foundation until his recent retirement with almost 43 years of service.

Wadell and wife Sheila reside in rural Ardmore where he serves on the rural volunteer fire department.  They have two daughters and one son and two very special grandsons.