ASI announces 2025 award winners

The American Sheep Industry Association’s (ASI) annual awards recognize the efforts of three American sheep producers, one researcher and a writer who raises sheep on the side at the ASI Annual Convention. 

The Awards Luncheon took place on Jan. 17 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz.

McClure Silver Ram Award

Peter John Camino is a third-generation Wyoming rancher whose grandfather settled in Wyoming as a Basque sheepherder in 1908. The family operation is transitioning to the fourth generation as Camino’s son moves into a leadership role.

“I was really surprised and really honored to hear about this award,” Camino said of winning the McClure Silver Ram Award. “I had no idea I was even being considered. My wife and I had talked about the convention, and I had decided not to go this year. But then she came back and said, ‘You really need to go.’ So, I got my reservation made.”

The same week in mid-December, Camino got the call from ASI President Brad Boner – a fellow Wyoming rancher – about the award.

Camino runs a 2,700-head, commercial range flock of Rambouillet ewes and was lucky to not have lost any of his sheep in devastating wildfires which swept through Wyoming last summer. 

He did, however, lose some grazing lands which were producing more grass than ever in recent years during the spring and early summer. One lightning strike changed all of this, and he’s been forced to lease additional land for his flock this winter.

A former chairman of the American Lamb Board, Camino has held a variety of leadership positions in the American sheep industry at both the state and national levels and currently serves on ASI’s Predator Management Committee.

At a time when getting wool sold has been a constant battle for many producers, he’s developed a relationship with Mountain Meadow Wool, which buys one-half or more of his annual clip to use in a variety of products.

Industry Innovation Award

Utah’s Tom Boyer has channeled his passion for the American sheep industry into working on a handful of projects designed to push the industry forward technologically, which is why he was an obvious choice to receive the Industry Innovation Award.

“I’m still in shock,” he said shortly after being informed of his selection. “What an honor this is for me. I’ve always had a passion for the industry, and this led to looking for ways to move it forward.”

Boyer is a founding member of Sheep Genetics USA and worked extensively several years back on the Mickel project, which was funded in part by an ASI Let’s Grow grant. He’s continued this collaboration with Dr. Ron Lewis on the current Sheep GEMS Project, as well. 

He was also part of a team effort to restart the National Ram Sale in his home state.

Peter Orwick Camptender Award

While Dr. James Miller’s involvement with ASI has been minimal through the years, his influence on the American sheep industry cannot be overlooked. 

During his 32 years as a veterinary parasitologist at Louisiana State University (LSU), he worked tirelessly to research parasite control and educate producers in the Southeast. This is why he was recommended by a handful of researchers and Extension specialists around the country to receive the Peter Orwick Camptender Award.

Miller was a founding member of the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control, and during sabbaticals from LSU, he spent time on molecular genetic research in parasites in sheep at Utah State University, where he worked with Dr. Noelle Cockett on various projects.

“I was very surprised to hear I would be receiving this award,” said Miller, who now calls Oklahoma home. “I’ve always worked a bit outside of the American sheep and goat industry as one of the last small ruminant parasitologists in the U.S., but it was always my goal to help improve those industries with my research.”

Distinguished Producer Award

New York’s Keith Stumbo has been involved with sheep for most of his life. Add this to his countless volunteer efforts within the industry, and he was an easy choice for the Distinguished Producer Award.

Stumbo served on both of ASI’s Wool and Lamb councils at various times during his tenure on the ASI Executive Board. About two decades ago, he accepted what appears to be a lifetime appointment as president of the Empire Sheep Producers Association – ASI’s affiliate in the state of New York.

Stumbo raised sheep as a kid, took a break in early adulthood and then found his way back to the industry when his daughters were old enough to get into showing sheep.

Getting back into the industry allowed Keith another opportunity to get involved – something he’s always done, whether it was on local boards and committees or national groups such as ASI.

While he was busy traveling with a full-time sales job and his volunteer duties, his wife Kathy kept things running at home. 

“She was the head shepherd and the one who had to do a lot of the work around the place,” Stumbo said.

Shepherd’s Voice Award

As editor of Ohio’s Country Journal, Matt Reese has been a supporter of the sheep industry in the Buckeye State and surrounding areas. 

Just as importantly, he’s a member of the industry. He and his family live on a small farm in Fairfield County, Ohio where they raise sheep, rabbits and chickens.

In addition, Reese’s staff regularly produces the Charles Boyles Master Shepherd Award video for the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, which nominated him for this award for his “education and promotion of the sheep, lamb and wool industry.”

Wool Excellence Award

Additionally, longtime ASI Wool Consultant Barry Savage has been chosen by the Wool Roundtable as the winner of the 2025 Wool Excellence Award for his two decades of dedication to marketing American wool in international markets.

“This is quite a surprise and very much appreciated,” said Savage, who officially retired from ASI in December 2023, from his home in Boston. 

But, he’s found it difficult to walk away from the industry. He was appointed to a three-year term on the board of the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center in 2023 and was already planning to be at the ASI Annual Convention in this capacity.

Savage received his award during the Wool Recognition Lunch on Jan. 16 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort. 

“It’s definitely hard to walk away after 21 years with a company,” Savage said. “With the exception of Anodyne, most of the American wool companies didn’t have a lot of experience with other countries outside of Mexico when I started working with ASI. I’m glad I was able to bring my connections to the industry.”

“Working with ASI allowed me to utilize my knowledge of these other countries and their technical capabilities,” he added. “The thing I enjoyed the most about working with ASI was it allowed me to keep up all of these international connections I’d made through the years.”

Many of those connections came when Savage was previously employed by G.H. Michell and Sons in Australia, a major, early-stage wool processor and sheepskin and leather tanner. He began his career in Sydney, Australia in production management in the scouring, carbonizing, topmaking and fellmongery facilities of Michell before becoming the general manager of Woolscourers in Melbourne, Australia.

He subsequently became the general manager of Penny’s Knitting Mills, a worsted spinning and knitting operation in Adelaide, Australia and a Michell Group subsidiary – before moving to the United Kingdom where he acted as Michell’s manager for Eastern Europe, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Scandinavia Region. 

He then moved to Boston where he was Michell’s manager of the Americas Region.

After 30 years with Michell, Savage moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as the sales director at Clicktex, a textile internet marketing company. He then joined ASI and worked to market American wool until his retirement.

During his time at ASI, Savage was a regular attendee on trade missions introducing international buyers to American wool.

ASI is the national organization representing the interests of sheep producers located throughout the U.S. From East to West, pasture-based flocks to range operations, ASI works to represent the interests of all producers. This article was originally published in ASI’s January edition of Sheep Industry News.