William Niemeyer and Michael Wagner of Nasco
Receive AAFCS “Friend of the Family” Award
(Alexandria, Va. – June 20, 2008) — William P. Niemeyer, president, and Michael J. Wagner, executive vice president, of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin-based Nasco, were honored at the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) 99th Annual Conference & Expo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on June 19. The team was recognized with the AAFCS 2008 Friend of the Family Award for their leadership and ingenuity in developing high-quality educational resources for family and consumer sciences and healthcare professionals, volunteering to support youth and society, and for breeding frogs that researchers use to study how to eliminate diseases.
Bonnie Braun, CFCS, AAFCS president, presented the award during the Association Recognition and Celebration event on Thursday morning. The conference theme is Evolving Technology: Impact on Individuals, Families and Communities.
Established in 1984, the Friend of the Family Award recognizes national or international individuals or organizations whose work has significantly and positively shaped policies that affect the family. Past recipients of the award include former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle and movie director Rob Reiner.
“This is Nasco’s 58th year of working with family and consumer sciences
teachers and AAFCS to improve education in life skills,” said Wagner. “Their efforts have improved the lives of individuals and families in many ways over their 100-year history. For us to be recognized for our part in such efforts is a real honor.”
“In my way of thinking, schools must prepare students for the real world. The real world includes daily living and most likely raising a family,” said Niemeyer. “Where in the school system is information on nutrition, family living, household budgeting, and all of the other things we do on a daily basis taught? Only in family and consumer sciences classes is this critical part of education addressed.”
Both Wagner and Niemeyer have led Nasco’s volunteer efforts to help their local community and communities abroad. Nasco recently donated $10,000 to the technical college in Fort Atkinson for the education of healthcare professionals and paraprofessionals. They have also provided significant support to the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation, United Way of Jefferson and North Walworth Counties, and American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Internationally, they have provided donations and hands-on work to link citizens-to-citizens through the Wisconsin/ Nicaragua Partners of the Americas, Inc., as well as donated school supplies to children in Iraq.
Nasco was started in 1941 by a vocational agriculture teacher who developed several teaching aids to use in his classes. Today, Nasco is comprised of a central office, warehouse facilities, production facility, and plastics manufacturing plant with more than 540 employees. They offer over 65,000 products to meet the needs of teachers, farmers and ranchers, and industry.
About AAFCS
Founded in 1909, the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) is the only national not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides leadership and support to FCS students and professionals across multiple practice settings. FCS professionals help individuals, families, and communities make informed decisions about their well-being, relationships, and resources to achieve optimal quality of life. AAFCS’ 7,000 members are elementary, secondary, and post-secondary educators, researchers, and administrators; Cooperative Extension educators; and other professionals in business and industry, not-for-profit organizations, and government. With national headquarters based in Alexandria, Va., AAFCS has 52 affiliates located across the United States and Puerto Rico.
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Gwynn Mason at 703-706-4600, ext. 4621 or gmason@aafcs.org.
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