Celebrating a Lifetime of Dedication: Jerry Wright Receives IAM Lifetime Achievement Award

A Storied Career in Minnesota

Jerry Wright’s journey in Minnesota began in 1976 when he joined the University of Minnesota as an Area Extension Irrigation Engineer and assistant professor housed in Brooten, MN. For nearly 34 years, until his retirement in January 2010, Jerry, dedicated himself to advancing the fields of Irrigation Water Management via agricultural engineering and extension education and research. His expertise and passion for agriculture have left a lasting impact on countless farmers, consultants and industry contractors.

In the early 80s, Jerry started to contribute articles to the IAM newsletters from his new office at the West Central Experiment Station in Morris.  In 1999, he became co-editor of the newsletter assisting the IAM Executive Director and the printing company editor.  Since 2001, Jerry has served as IAM’s Membership Secretary, managing the newsletter’s 2,700-member mailing list with unwavering dedication. In this role, he has not only demonstrated his commitment to the organization but also played a key role in ensuring timely member renewals. His meticulous work in tracking irrigated acres by county from DNR’s annual water permit data and organizing data by county and crop types —has been instrumental in supporting IAM’s initiatives and ensuring that the agricultural community has access to reliable, detailed information.