Bud Purdy wins distinguished service award

Purdy was honored June 18 at McCall during the 25th annual convention of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (IACI).

The Harwood Award is the highest honor IACI bestows on Gem State business people.

It is named for Pat Harwood, who died in 1997. Although he battled multiple sclerosis, Harwood served 10 fruitful years as IACI president. The association grew in membership during his term in office and became known as "The Voice of Business in Idaho."

"Bud Purdy was a natural for this award," said IACI president Steve Ahrens. "Bud was a close personal friend of Pat’s, and Bud’s career exemplifies the qualities of Pat’s life that led us to create this award.

"Those qualities are leadership, service, courage, dignity, political knowledge, sense of humor and integrity."

Ahrens called Purdy "an important figure in the history of IACI, in the Idaho cattle industry, and in environmental protection."

Purdy, 81, has managed the family ranch since 1939, when he was 21. That ranch was carved out of sagebrush and greasewood trees by Purdy’s grandfather before the turn of the century.

Over the intervening 60 years, the Purdy ranch grew to some 12,000 acres of deeded land, as well as 50,000 acres of leased private and government lands.

Several years ago, Purdy signed a conservation easement agreement with The Nature Conservancy that protects some five miles of Silver Creek, the famed trout fishery, which cuts across the Purdy ranch.

Purdy chaired the IACI in 1982-83. Under his leadership, IACI launched the Idaho Task Force on Higher Education, a privately financed, nearly two-year-long study of Idaho’s university system.

He also served for several years on the IACI’s Board of Directors, and has remained active in the organization’s activities.

The success of Picabo Livestock Company has brought state and national honors to Purdy, including:

Idaho Cattleman of the Year in 1987; president of the Idaho Cattlemen’s Association in 1977-78; president of the University of Idaho Foundation in 1984-85; Soil Conservation Service’s 50th anniversary award in 1985; and U.S. Forest Service’s 75th anniversary award in 1980; and member of the National Bureau of Land Management Advisory Council from 1980-92.

Previous Harwood Award winners included Pat Harwood himself in 1993.

Also, Jim McClary of Boise, former chief executive officer of Morrison-Knudsen Co.; Lloyd Haight, retired chief legal counsel for J.R. Simplot Co.; and John Clute, former senior vice president and general counsel for Boise Cascade Corp.