AACC International Charles Becker Endowment

The Charles Becker Endowment supports a graduate fellowship of $2,500, permanently endowed since 2001.

Perhaps it was the lessons he learned playing guard on a championship football team, his triumph over dyslexia, or simply his good-natured optimism. Whatever it was, it made Charles A. Becker a believer. He believed in people. He believed that with the right support and teamwork a person could accomplish anything.

His own life was a testament to this belief. He didn’t let the added difficulties of dyslexia prevent him from getting both B.S. and M.S. degrees in dairy science. He went on to become a respected scientist and valued colleague. He held positions at Sheffield Chemical Division of National Dairies, Monsanto Company, and Mallinckrodt Inc. and in 1977 joined Roland Industries as vice president and manager of the Specialty Foods Division. He became president of Roland Industries in 1983 and held that position until his retirement in 1996.

He was also a tireless supporter of AACC International. His contributions were many. A member since 1960, Charlie was active in the Central States Section and the Milling & Baking Division. He was secretary/treasurer for the Central States Section from 1968 until 1970, program chair in 1970, and chair of the section in 1971. He was also local arrangements chair for the 1982 Milling & Baking Division Conference and served as chair of the division in 1983. He was a director on the AACC International Board from 1992 until 1984 and in 1993 was awarded the prestigious AACC International William F. Geddes Memorial Award in honor of his zeal and unselfish commitment to the work of the association.

But perhaps his most significant and enduring contribution was the creation of the AACC International Foundation, which provides scholarships to students in cereal science. His vision led to the establishment of the AACC International Endowment/Scholarship Committee in 1989, which he chaired. After two years of hard work, the committee, under his leadership, established the AACC International Foundation. Charlie served as chair of the Foundation from 1991 to 1994, and by the end of his term, the Foundation had awarded a cumulative amount of $77,000 in scholarships.

It seems only fitting that among the many scholarships offered through the AACC International Foundation there should be one named in Charlie’s honor. Not long after his death in October of 1999, the Charles Becker Scholarship Fund was established with the goal of raising an endowment amount of $50,000 from which an annual scholarship of $2,500 would be awarded.

Hundreds of students have already benefited from Charlie’s vision and dedication; hundreds more will no doubt do so in the future, and hopes are that many of them will receive funds named in his honor. The AACC International Foundation is a strong testament to the power of one person’s beliefs and the impact our contributions can make well into the future.