Six visionary leaders will receive the highest honors from the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) this year. The 2026 Honorary Recognition awards celebrate extraordinary contributions to agriculture, science, and public service.
CALS will honor Chris and Susan Salm with the Honorary Recognition Award. Brian Holmes will receive the Distinguished Service Award. Sharon Brantmeier and Dennis Keeney will accept the Distinguished Alumni Award. Kristin Kohlmann will receive the Distinguished Recent Graduate Award.
These awards represent the highest honors. The Honorary Recognition Award, now in its 117th year, celebrates individuals who significantly impact their professions, communities, and the university. The Distinguished Service Award began in 1994 to recognize meritorious service by CALS faculty and staff. The Distinguished Alumni Award was launched in 2009 and honors the lifetime achievement and service of CALS graduates. Finally, the Distinguished Recent Graduate Award, established in 2024, recognizes alumni who earned their degree within the last 20 years, and have made extraordinary professional or public service contributions.
CALS will host the Honorary Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, October 29, in the Memorial Union. Visit cals.wisc.edu/honorary for more information and to register.
2026 Honorary Recognition Awardees
Christopher (BS’75) and Susan (BS’76) Salm lead with integrity, service, and a deep commitment to the Wisconsin Idea. They build trusted relationships and develop new technologies to better feed the world. Chris and Susan provided transformative leadership in meat science, animal agriculture, and research commercialization. They served on the committee that re-envisioned the UW Meat Science Program. This work catalyzed the program’s expansion into the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery (MSABD) program and its new building. The couple brought rigorous science into the industry. They founded Ab E Discovery to advance the commercialization of UW-based research in animal agriculture and human health.
Chris serves on the WFAA Board of Trustees and previously served on the CALS Board of Visitors. Both Chris and Susan advocate for CALS at the federal level. They champion food and agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs. In 2022, they established the Salm-Bray Distinguished Chair. This chair honors the late Robert Bray and recognizes exceptional cross-disciplinary scholarship in human or animal health. Their work deeply impacts the college, the university, the state, and beyond.
2026 Distinguished Service Awardee
Brian Holmes served as a professor and extension specialist in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering for 34 years. Between 1979 and 2013, he built collaborations across multiple departments. He also co-taught the livestock housing course for the Farm and Industry Short Course. Holmes served two terms as interim associate dean of extension and outreach. He and his wife, Mary, created a professorship in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. This gift continues to support research and education in the field.
Holmes dedicated his extension career to educating farmers and agricultural professionals. He offers broad expertise in forage storage, energy, dairy free-stall barn design, and manure management. He identified producer needs and created materials to solve them. Throughout his career, Holmes developed farm-friendly educational guides and decision-making software. He completed highly adaptable farm research projects and generously shared his expertise with anyone needing help.
2026 Distinguished Alumni Awardees
Sharon Brantmeier (BS’85, MS’86) founded Eventus Wealth Advisors in 2001. She led this private Ameriprise Financial wealth practice as chief executive officer until retiring in 2024. Brantmeier is a respected financial services leader and a dedicated advocate for agriculture. She earned many national awards during her tenure as CEO, including the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor title. She built her successful firm on client-centered planning and long-term relationships.
Brantmeier grew up on a dairy farm. Her agricultural roots remain central to her life and leadership. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in dairy science from CALS, she continues to give back. She supports the community through mentorship, philanthropy, and volunteering. Brantmeier served on the CALS Board of Visitors from 2020 to 2025. She also actively supports agricultural education and women in the industry through organizations like the Daughters of Demeter and the Association of Women in Agriculture (AWA).
Dennis Keeney (MS’61) earned his master’s degree in soil science from UW–Madison. He later advanced foundational research on soil nitrogen cycling and the environmental impacts of conventional farming. He served on the UW–Madison faculty, chaired the Department of Soil Science, and chaired the Land Resources Graduate Program. Keeney worked tirelessly to address overdevelopment, environmental neglect, and food system limits. His constructive engagement helped establish the UW–Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems.
Keeney played a pivotal role in elevating agricultural sustainability. He provided federal testimony and advocated for systems-based approaches to improve the environment. As the founding director of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, he established a nationally recognized model. This model integrated science and policy, drove meaningful change in agricultural systems, and promoted Aldo Leopold’s concept of land health. Keeney boasts a long record of public service, leadership, and environmental advocacy regarding groundwater contamination and fertilizer misuse.
2026 Distinguished Recent Graduate Awardee
Kristin Kohlmann (BS’13) earned her degree in genetics alongside a certificate in global health. After graduation, she worked to improve nutritional outcomes for people living in poverty in Ghana and Malawi. She later served as a Community HealthCorps Member in Milwaukee, distributing essential medications. At the International Rescue Committee, she developed the Health Mentor Program to pair volunteers with refugee families. Kohlmann also worked as a clinic coordinator for Project Peanut Butter. There, she created feeding programs for mobile nutrition clinics using ready-to-use therapeutic food.
Kohlmann earned her medical degree from the UW–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 2025. She currently works as a medical resident in the UW Health Department of Pediatrics. Her long-term goal is to build an international career as an academic pediatrician. She plans to combine clinical medicine with global child health research. This work will help her understand the problems children face in resource-limited settings and develop practical, targeted solutions.
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