Jim Luzar retiring from Purdue Extension service

Friday, October 19, 2018

After more than 30 years in Purdue Extension service, Putnam County resident Jim Luzar is retiring.

Luzar, a former Putnam County ag Extension agent, is retiring from the Parke County Office of Purdue Extension.

Jim Luzar

After serving nine years as an Extension professional in Kentucky as an area farm management agent and the past 23 years an Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources in Indiana, Luzar has retired, effective Friday, Oct. 19.

His Indiana service has been in the counties of Putnam, Montgomery and Parke with added duties as county Extension director in Vigo County.

“Although each county is unique, the one common factor I experienced is the strong support for Purdue Extension,” Luzar commented.

Luzar holds an undergraduate degree from DePauw University and graduate degree in farm management from the University of Kentucky.

He has been a member of the Parke County Plan Commission and served as president of the Parke County Learning Center board.

Jim and his wife Ella reside on the Luzar family farm near Cloverdale.

Looking back on his career, he noted, “I saw one of the first crop plots with glyphosate resistant corn. I was able to go to Russia, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Vietnam with Purdue Extension programs.

“I have been so blessed to work with so many wonderful clients over the years,” Luzar added. “It has been a fast period of time in my life. I even met my wife as she volunteered to teach a Master Gardener program in Vigo County, and according to Ella, it was not love at first sight.”

After retirement Jim plans to enjoy catching up on deferred maintenance of a 424-acre farm and do some consulting work. He extends his thanks to everyone who in some way contributed to his career and personal development.

Luzar can continue to be reached through email at luzar@purdue.edu after retirement.

Purdue Extension has appointed Parke County 4-H/Youth educator Christie Jacob as the new county Extension director effective upon Luzar’s retirement.

Also retiring at the same time as Luzar is Parke County Extension secretary Diane Smith, who has worked eight years for the Extension office after teaching in the Southwest Parke Community School Corporation for 33 years.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: