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Name: Merrill, Thomas A. Title: Professor E-mail: Department: Communications Organization: LSU AgCenter Address 1: 109 Knapp Hall Address 2: Baton Rouge, LA 70803 Phone Number: (225) 578-5896 Fax Number: (225) 578-4524

Education/Training University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.) Master of Arts in Journalism and Communication degree conferred "with distinction" in April 1984 Newspaper reporting and management program Northeast Louisiana University (Monroe, La.) Bachelor of Arts degree awarded "summa cum laude" in May 1982 Journalism major / accounting minor

Areas of Specialization/Research   Tom Merrill serves as managing editor for the LSU AgCenter’s news services. His routine duties include writing and editing, electronic distribution of news releases, maintaining contact with Louisiana’s 100-plus weekly and daily newspapers and building Web sites with news and other information. A 20-year veteran in land-grant communications, he previously worked for weekly, daily and special-interest newspapers as a reporter, bureau chief and editor. Professional/University Activities: Association for Communications Excellence (ACE) Regional Director (and Director-elect) – 2004-2007 ACE Member – 1986-present ACE Professional Development Committee – 2003-2006 ACE State Representative – 1999-2004 USDA/CSREES National Impact Writing Team Member, 2004-2005 LSU AgCenter Diversity Council Member – 1999-present LSU AgCenter Diversity Initiative Senior Trainer – 2000-present Gamma Sigma Delta, The Honor Society of Agriculture, member – 1999-present

Professional Experience LSU AgCenter professor in communications – July 2002 to present Serving as managing editor for print news service for university campus; accomplishing variety of editing and media relations tasks; handling 800 or more news releases per year; writing average of 100 or more news releases a year; managing Internet site for news, writing, editing and designing other material for the Web; editing and designing electronic newsletter; writing and editing other promotional materials LSU AgCenter specialist in communications – July 1994 to June 2002 Serving as news editor for all print news releases; media relations; writing and editing for the Internet; designing Web pages; designing and maintaining systems for electronic distribution of news; editing internal newsletter; and writing and editing other publications LSU AgCenter associate specialist in communications – July 1989 to June 1994 News and feature writing; editing newsletters; writing for other publications; desktop publishing; media relations; communications training; photography; and providing technical support on computer systems LSU AgCenter assistant specialist in communications – December 1985 to June 1989 News and feature writing; designing systems for computerized dissemination of news; maintaining computer databases; writing computer programs to aid in communications administration; providing technical support/training to computer users; and serving as computer equipment and software coordinator General Aviation News editor – April 1985 to November 1985 Broad range of experience in writing, editing and supervising production of two aviation-related newspapers Monroe News-Star court reporter, bureau chief – January 1984 to April 1985, November 1981 to August 1982 Experience in news and feature writing, covering parish and local government, reporting about court cases and other legal news and managing news bureau for seven parish area University of Florida graduate assistant – August 1982 to December 1983 Richland Beacon-News reporter/photographer – August to November 1981

Awards/Grants Association for Communication Excellence Critique and Awards Program silver award for media relations, 2007 ACE Outstanding Professional Skill Award (Integrated Communications Programs), 2006 ACE Critique and Awards Program gold award for media relations, 2006 Metropolitan Community Church Of Baton Rouge Outstanding Steward Award, 2005 Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Regnal Wallace Ag Communicator of the Year Award, 2004 ACE Critique and Awards Program silver award for newspaper writing, 2004 ACE Critique and Awards Program silver award for non-credit educational project, 2004 UFMCC South Central District Dr. Tom Reveley Memorial Award for Excellence in Lay Ministry, 2002 LSU AgCenter Diversity Program Outstanding Service Award, 2001 Krewe of Apollo-Baton Rouge Captain's Award, 2000 UFMCC Commission on Laity Award for Faithfulness, Service and Leadership, 1997 ACE Critique and Awards Program gold award for specialized color publication, 1994 ACE Critique and Awards Program honorable mention for computer program, 1989 Louisiana Associated Press honorable mention for 12-part series, 1985 "Best of Gannett" honorable mention for series on rural health care, 1985 Scripps-Howard Foundation graduate fellowship, 1982-83, 1983-84

Publications/Presentations/Patents “What If Soybean Rust Was Found In Your Backyard,” Agricultural Communicators In Education International Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, June 2005 "Media Relations Made Easy," Agricultural Communicators In Education Superworkshop, News Orleans, September 2003 (served as conference logistics coordinator/planner and helped to produce training manual) "Designing A News Web site That Attracts The Media" and "Get It Growing Sweeping Louisiana," Agricultural Communicators in Education International Meeting, Savannah, Ga., August 2002 "Meeting With Newspaper Editorial Boards As A Media Relations Tool," Agricultural Communicators in Education and National Extension Technology Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 2001 "Writing, Editing and Production of `Focus on Louisiana,'" Poster Session, Agricultural Communicators in Education International Conference, Moscow, Idaho / Pullman, Washington, July 1994 "Computer Delivery of News Stories," Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, Communications Section, Nashville, Tenn., February 1987