MANHATTAN, Kan. – Albert Rudge thought he was just going about business as usual Thursday at Kansas State University, teaching 20 international visitors about shipping commodities across the world. The day, however, turned out to be anything but ordinary.

Rudge, the President of Greenwich Marine in Basking Ridge, NJ, admitted he was surprised when K-State officials took the podium midway through his workshop to present him with a Distinguished Service Award in Extension and International Agriculture.

"It’s absolutely wonderful; I didn’t expect it," said Rudge, who has been teaching ocean transportation economics to participants in K-State’s International Grains Program for 19 years.

"I’ve been doing this for 19 years now and I know it makes a difference because on trips with other organizations, I have found people who had earlier been in these sessions at K-State," he said. "Often, they say they are now managing a mill, or things like that."

The Distinguished Service Award was announced by Dick Wootton, the associate director of Extension at K-State, and Bob Hudgens, the assistant dean for international agricultural programs.

The award recognizes Rudge’s 19-year service to K-State’s International Grains Program, and his numerous contributions to international shipping the last 35 years.

Marc Johnson, Director of K-State Research and Extension and Dean of K-State’s College of Agriculture, said Rudge’s work "has helped maintain the value and availability of U.S. agricultural products...[in] locations around the world."

As a workshop presenter at K-State, Rudge has taught students from 70 countries over 19 years. He also presents at other U.S. universities and professional organizations.

"We treasure the fact that he gives of his time to participate in our programs and, in essence, helps us [to assist] grain producers promote and market their products overseas," said Brendan Donnelly, director of the International Grains Program. "He views his participation as a service to U.S. agriculture."

Greenwich Marine is a division of Cargill Marine and Terminal, an arm of the Ocean Transportation division of Cargill International which charters 70-80 million tons of freight for customers, and 10-15 million tons of freight in its own trading business.

Rudge has been president of Greenwich Marine since 1985.

He deflected credit for his accomplishments, saying that he’s "most proud of the group of people that I work with. They’re absolutely a first-rate group of individuals, both in my office and around the world."