Dr. Donald Beitz earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, in agricultural science in 1962 and dairy science in 1963, from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. degree from Michigan State University in 1967 in the fields of study of dairy nutrition and biochemistry. Dr. Beitz began his professional career at Iowa State University in 1967 with a joint faculty appointment in the Department of Animal Science and the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology. He holds the title of Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture. In addition to research collaboration with colleagues on the Iowa State University campus, he has maintained a long-term collaboration with colleagues at the USDA National Animal Disease Center. His research has been published in 290 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 341 abstracts, incorporated in nine patents, and described at about 250 off-campus professional presentations. He has held leadership positions in the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), American Society for Nutrition (ASN), American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), Federation of Animal Science Societies, Council of Agricultural Science and Technology, and National Academy of Science. His research and teaching activities have been recognized by numerous university and professional society awards. Moreover, he has been named a Fellow of ADSA, ASAS, ASN, the Iowa Academy of Science, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.