en William L. Brown (geneticist)

William Lacy Brown (July 16, 1913 – March 8, 1991) was an American geneticist notable for breeding programs in maize, sorghum, soybeans and wheat.^[1]^[2] He was president, chairman and chief executive of Pioneer Hi-Bred International.^[2] He was also a director of the Rockefeller Foundation's advisory committee on maize.^[2] Brown was elected to the National Academies of Science.^[2]^[3] The National Academies Press said that Brown "made significant and lasting contributions to increasing and stabilizing food production worldwide".^[1]

Career and life

Brown received his Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 1941. For almost his entire career of 40 years, he was with Pioneer Hi-Bred International, one of the world's largest manufacturers of hybrid seed corn.^[2]

Fellow, American Society of Agronomy, 1970
Fellow, Iowa Academy of Science, 1970
Fellow, Drake University, 1970
Agronomic Service Award, American Society of Agronomy, 1979
Distinguished Fellow, Iowa Academy of Science, 1980
Distinguished Alumni Award, Bridgewater College, 1980
Member, National Academy of Sciences, 1980
Honorary Phi Beta Kappa, Drake University, 1981
President, Crop Science Society of America, 1982
Distinguished Economic Botanist, Society for Economic Botany, 1982
Distinguished Alumni Award, Washington University in St. Louis, 1983
Genetics and Plant Breeding Award for Industry, Crop Science Society of America, 1986
Henry Shaw Medal, Missouri Botanical Garden, 1986
Honorary D.Sc., Drake University, 1987
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1989
Honorary Ph.D., West Virginia University, 1989