FORT ATKINSON, Wis. — The National Dairy Shrine has announced names of recipients of its prestigious Pioneer Award. They are: Dr. Joseph Lineweaver, the professional photographers of Agri-Graphics, the late Dr. David Selner, and the groundbreaking geneticists Dr. Paul VanRaden and Dr. George Wiggans. This award honors individuals and teams whose lifelong contributions have shaped the future of the dairy industry.

The late Dr. David Selner was a visionary in genetics, education, and youth leadership. Raised on a Wisconsin Holstein farm, Dr. Selner held key roles in the artificial insemination industry, spearheading efforts in genetic evaluation, sire development, and global promotion of U.S. genetics. He helped launch the first Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer (MOET) program and served as a genetic consultant to organizations across the globe. One letter of recommendation notes that although he was a Ph.D. geneticist, he had the gift of talking to breeders about good cows and breeding programs in a cowman’s language.

Beyond his technical achievements, Dr. Selner’s legacy lies in his passion for youth development and show ethics. He helped found the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge and served as superintendent of the National Intercollegiate Dairy Judging Contest for many years. His voice became synonymous with World Dairy Expo, where he was announcer and ethics advocate.

Dr. Selner also played a significant role as executive director of National Dairy Shrine. During his 9-year tenure, he worked tirelessly to support and grow membership in the organization. He established new scholarships and expanded the reach of existing scholarships to serve more dairy industry youth. He was also committed to enhancing the experience at the National Dairy Shrine Museum, working to digitize the museum’s historical archives, ensuring dairy history is accessible for generations to come.