Greene County’s Tower of Fame Award winner was recently announced.

Roy Bardole of Rippey is this year’s recipient of the award that recognizes an individual, who is living or who has lived part of their life in Greene County and received international, national or state recognition for their professional and/or civic efforts.

Bardole has dedicated his life to the betterment of the soy industry in agriculture.  He graduated from Iowa State University in farm operations.  In 1984, he was a director with the Iowa Soybean Association before becoming president in 1990.  By 1991, he was elected as a board member of the American Soybean Association and eventually became vice-president of the organization.

In 2002, the United States Secretary of Agriculture appointed Bardole to the United States Soybean Board, where he helped farmers invest money for research, domestic and international marketing and new use creation for the national checkoff group.  He was then elected to the board of directors for the United States Soybean Export Council and then took over as chairman in 2010 and served two years.

He lives with his wife Phyllis on a Century farm near Rippey.  They have three sons: Tim, Peter and Jason.

Roy will be honored at the opening ceremonies of the Bell Tower Festival on Friday, June 12th at 7pm on the Bell Tower Plaza.  A public reception will follow in the rotunda of the Greene County Courthouse.