Dr. Bartley Cardon

Inducted in 2011

Mar 1

Tucson - Pima County

Inducted in 2011

Dr. Bartley Cardon was a charismatic man, well-liked among his peers, and highly respected by those who benefited from his expertise in agriculture. To quote from his bio: Throughout his distinguished and varied career, he counseled countless students, government officials, and businessmen. His work embodied that the history, law, and politics that formed the immutable relationship between water and food production were crucial for understanding and interpreting how natural resources relate to families, food supply, markets, imports, and exports.

Born in 1913 in Tucson to Louis Paul and Irena Pratt Cardon, Bart was the middle son of five brothers and four sisters. His parents were Mormon pioneers who came to this country from the colony of Dublin in Sonora, Mexico. The family moved to Chandler in the 1920s but returned to Tucson when their children reached college, wanting them to attend university. Bart had a strong affinity with nature. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts in chemistry and soil sciences in 1939. He earned his doctorate at the University of California.

His education was interrupted when he was called into military service just four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. With the rank of lieutenant, he was assigned to the 115th Cavalry, which was attached to the Wyoming National Guard. Bart served four and a half years with the unit, including time in Germany during the occupation at the University of Munich's Agricultural School in Neustadt.

After the war, he helped establish a university for GIs in Europe. After returning home, he went back to the University of California, where he earned his doctorate in enzyme chemistry and microbiology. In 1946, he joined the faculty of the U of A as an assistant professor of animal pathology. By 1954, he had risen to the rank of professor but left the university to take a position in the private sector, becoming the research director of Arizona Feeds. He moved up through the ranks quickly. By 1962, he had attained the title of CEO and became the company's chairman and CEO in 1973. He was responsible for breakthrough innovations in cattle feeding, livestock management, and the marketing of animal products.

Chuck Lakin tells the story of one encounter with Dr. Cardon that left a lasting impression. "In about 1973, when Arizona Feeds and Lakin Milling Company were both marketing pelleted horse feed products, I once remarked to Bart that it was too bad that he and I had to be competitors. He answered with a typical Cardonism. 'Oh, we're not competitors; we're just workers in the vineyard together."

Bart Cardon was always available to share his knowledge with others in the industry, often consulting with U.S. firms and those in Asia, Australia, and Europe. In 1980, he returned to the University of Arizona as the dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and retired in 1987. In his letter of nomination, Eugene G. Sander, former vice president and dean of the Office of Agriculture and Life Science, said, "In 1980, as dean of the College of Agriculture, Dr. Cardon gathered a group of influential agribusiness leaders and founded the Arizona 4-H Youth Foundation. In addition, he established the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center, which has become an internationally acclaimed semi-arid land agricultural research center.

In addition to his work as an educator, he was also interested in water issues in Arizona, being heavily involved in the legislation that created the water laws that still serve Arizona today. Over the years, Dr. Cardon served on numerous committees, boards, and institutional groups. He was named to the Governor's task force that crafted the landmark 1980 Groundwater Management Act governing water use in Arizona. Bart received many honors during his lifetime, including the Distinguished Service Award from the American Feed Manufacturers. In addition, he was made an Honorary Fellow of the American Society for Animal Science, received the Progressive Farmer's Man of the Year Award, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He was given an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Arizona. He was inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame as one of twenty significant contributors to the 4-H development movement.

"Bartley Cardon, whose research, teaching, and private sector experience formed a unique career tapestry, stands not only as a testament to educational achievement but also to the food industry's links to quality higher education."