Don Franco Distinguished Service Award
Nomination Form

Deadline: August 22, 2024

Award Information
Since 2015, The Don Franco Distinguished Service Award has recognized exceptional contributors to the rendering industry. The award pays tribute to Dr. Don Franco’s enduring impact on the North American rendering industry.

The Don Franco Distinguished Service Award highlights our industry’s most dedicated innovators and leaders. NARA’s Executive Committee reviews nominees and honors the selected recipient, if one is chosen, in person at the NARA Annual Convention. The award recognizes truly remarkable service and may not be awarded every year.

Criteria
The contributions of nominated individuals should be milestone improvements or have prevented serious disruptions in the rendering industry in Canada and the United States. Individuals should have demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence. Examples are:
• Communicating sound science to advocate for the industry
• Facilitating new market segments for rendered products
• Developing new technologies to improve sustainability or efficiency
• Political and regulatory guidance to grow the industry

Dr. Don Franco – The Man and His Legacy
Dr. Don Franco had a distinguished and lengthy career in government and the private sector, including in the rendering industry and agriculture. He cared deeply about the rendering industry and the plight of poverty in third-world countries. Franco passed away in January 2015.

Prior to his service with NARA, Dr. Franco served as Director of Slaughter Operation for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Services.

The Don Franco Distinguished Service Award reflects Dr. Franco’s legacy of excellence by recognizing exceptional service to the rendering industry in areas of science, policy, marketing, or communications.

To submit your nomination fill out the form below or click here to fill out a PDF form and email it to awilkinson@nara.org 

Don Franco Distinguished Service Award Nomination

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NARA's VP of Communications, Anna Wilkinson, will review all nominations before submission to the NARA Executive Committee. We may contact you should your nominee be selected to receive the Don Franco Distinguished Service Award. To have your nomination submitted anonymously, please check the box below.
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As a participant in USDA programs, we share the commitment to comply with all federal, state and local civil rights laws and those of the USDA. More about this commitment is available on the USDA website page here.

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