This national award is presented to an evaluator that exemplifies the qualities that make SMS known world-wide as the premier mating program in the industry that helps dairy producers develop genetic business plans. The recipient must have years of superior service, a history of high-quality evaluations and the ability to build and maintain successful relationships with dairy producers.

The key to designing genetic business plans on today’s dairy operations starts with skilled, experienced evaluators. "Tom Pearson receives this recognition due to his dedication to the dairies he services, his knowledge of bloodlines and all the great results from his efforts," says Lon Peters, vice president dairy sire product services manager for Select Sires. "Whether in his own herd in the past or his customer’s herds, he has developed more Excellent cows than anyone in the mating business. Tom’s motivation each and every day, his aspiration to help dairy producers create the type of herds they desire and the remarkable results prove correct sire selection along with proper mating breeds profitable herds."

Spending 14 years as a dairy cattle photographer, Pearson pictured cows in 21 states and three continents. He has judged numerous state fairs, state black and white shows and local shows throughout the Midwest and is a member of the All-American judging panel. Pearson has also bred and/or developed 10 All-American-nominated animals and more than 400 Excellent cows, including 40 scored Excellent (93) or higher. In addition, he has sold more than 40 sires to A.I. organizations throughout the world.

Pearson’s 1979 dispersal averaged $6,230, a record that was soon surpassed. His 1982 dispersal averaged more than $36,000 per head and featured Ivy, the world’s first million dollar cow. This was the highest grossing complete dispersal and highest averaging dispersal, both records that still stand. The Breed Age Average was 112.9 percent, which was the highest in the United States at the time. Later, he achieved a BAA of 116.1 percent, which remains the record for a single herd.

Pearson is a past winner of the Wisconsin Distinguished Younger Breeder Award and is the recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award from Illinois State University. He received his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University, Normal, Ill., where he participated on the dairy, livestock and soils judging teams. He earned his master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., with a thesis titled "Variation and Repeatability in Type Classification."

Since 1973, SMS has provided dairy producers with a labor saving, user-friendly approach to mating programs. Professional SMS evaluators work with herd managers to understand breeding objectives, evaluate each animal individually and use research and computerized analysis to develop matings.