Mark Nemec — 2010 CCOY winner

Mark Nemec, a veteran cotton consultant from Waco, Texas, recently received one of the industry’s highest honors when he was recognized as the 2010 Cotton Consultant of the Year (CCOY). He and his family were the guests at a special reception and dinner at the Aquarium Exhibit Hall in Atlanta during the Beltwide Cotton Conferences.

The CCOY award is co-sponsored annually by Cotton Farming and Syngenta. On hand to join in the celebration were Nemec’s wife Carol and daughter Cassidy as well as Carol’s parents, Tom and Lynda Lowery.

Others in attendance included producers, consultants and Syngenta representatives. Cotton Farming Publisher Lia Guthrie and several Syngenta officials presented gifts to Nemec as well as the traditional Syngenta jacket given to each year’s CCOY winner.

Several former CCOY winners delivered remarks at the event, including Roger Carter (Louisiana), Tucker Miller (Mississippi) and Billy McLawhorn (North Carolina).

Nemec becomes the first recipient of the CCOY award to be a second-generation winner. His father Stanley won the award in 1987.

“This is easily the highlight of my consulting career, and it is very humbling to be in the same room with so many previous winners,” said Mark during the awards presentation.

“A lot of people helped me along the way, including everybody in my family, and that includes my father, wife and daughter. I will definitely cherish this award for the rest of my life.”