New Faces in the Department

We are pleased to welcome Gary Crawford as the department's new chief administrative officer. Gary came aboard at the end of April. He has more than 25 years of managerial and leadership experience with the U.S. Air Force, where, as a Colonel, he was chief of the Logistics Division at Travis Air Force Base. He holds B.S. and M.A. degrees in public administration and brings to the position a strong background in financial analysis and personnel management. Gary administers the extensive business affairs of the department, managing the financial, personnel and physical resources as well as general administration. Because of the variety and scale of operations in the department, his activities include comprehensive planning, innovation and creative approaches to complex and unusual administrative problems. Gary and his wife Jay have two sons and two daughters and a granddaughter, Ashley, “the joy of our eyes.” 

Cynthia Stillwell joined the business office staff to do purchasing in mid-May, replacing Joyce Max. Raised in Winters, Cynthia left home after high school but returned to Winters with her husband Carl to raise their two boys, Jerrod and Brandon. She came to our department from Central Storehouse, where she worked for a year and a half. She has over 10 years in customer service. Cynthia enjoys reading, watching a good movie and outdoor activities. Her husband has a race car, and they can be found at the races during the season.

Rachel Messer has also joined the business office, assisting with purchasing, after several months as a temporary employee. Originally from Hot Springs, Arkansas, she moved to California in 1994 after completing her B.S. in education at the University of Central Arkansas.  She currently lives in Davis with her partner of four years, Kristine Olsen. She enjoys cycling, camping and hiking and her cats Sage and Simon.  

Sharlie Cunningham joined the department as a senior animal technician, working as the dairy assistant. Sharlie started as a student assistant at the department's feed lot, graduated in June from the Animal Science and Management program and became a full time employee in mid-April. Besides covering for milkers on vacation, she does animal work (breeding, treatments) as well as maintenance and repair, which may include welding, milking machine repair and construction. She lives in Vacaville.

New Show Team Trailer Purchased

The Department of Animal Science recently took delivery of a 17-foot aluminum stock trailer as well as a "topper," a pick-up canopy for small animal transport. Six departmental student show teams and staff and faculty will use the new equipment to transport animals to shows and industry events. The trailer is an aluminum Alum-Line trailer, capable of being double decked to haul sheep, swine and goats or cattle and horses when single decked. It has a loading chute for the top deck, roof rack for hauling hay and supplies, and rubber-matted floor. It can safely transport everything from feeder pigs to draft horses.
Purchase of the trailer was made possible through generous donations by the following friends and alumni of the department.

Animal Science Memorial Fund
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
T. S. and K. D. Glide Foundation
Old UC Davis Hog Barn Equipment Sale
Bardson Ranch
Edwin D. Witter Jr.
Les Oesterreich
Stephen and Helen Percy
Gordon and Karen Rasmussen
Larry Slade