Jan. 5, 2004

COLLEGE STATION--After helping create a scholarship at Texas A&M University more than a decade ago in tribute to his parents, one area former student is being honored in the same way by his own children.

Monroe Fuchs, chairman of Ideal Poultry Breeding Farms Inc. in Cameron, was the guest of honor at a recent surprise luncheon at Texas A&M to announce the Monroe H. Fuchs '56 Endowed Scholarship. Established by his children, Gary Fuchs, Janet Crouch, Teri Adcox and Laurie Robinson, the $50,000 endowment will benefit deserving Aggies pursuing degrees in the department of poultry science.

"As a family, we've supported the poultry science department in a lot of different ways over the years, from supplying chickens for judging teams to creating scholarships for students," said Gary, who originally suggested the idea to his sisters. "We thought it was the appropriate time to establish one in Daddy's name."

Monroe earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in poultry science from Texas A&M, specializing in genetics and statistics for the latter. Three of his four children - Gary, Teri and Laurie-followed in his footsteps, graduating in 1978, 1990 and 1992, respectively.

Much like attending Texas A&M, joining the family business has become a bit of a Fuchs family tradition. Gary currently serves as Ideal's president, while Janet and Teri are vice presidents. Together, the three have helped Monroe turn the company - founded in 1937 by his parents, Leo and Edna Fuchs - into the largest supplier of exotic poultry in the United States, shipping close to 4 million chicks annually.

In establishing the scholarship, the Fuchs children are carrying on a tradition of poultry science support that Monroe started shortly after he took over the business in 1973. To promote Ideal's expansion from a White Leghorn cross line to various exotics, Monroe commissioned a series of paintings depicting perfect specimens of various breeds and varieties of chickens. He later donated the collection, valued at $75,000, to the department, where it is prominently displayed in the main conference room.

Dr. Willie F. Krueger, an endowed professor of poultry science who served as Monroe's major professor as a master's candidate, describes him as an outstanding student whose past excellence in the classroom is overshadowed only by his present-day dedication to his community, university and industry.

"Monroe is very community-minded and does a lot of things for Cameron and Milam County," Krueger added. "He's also very loyal to Texas A&M University-specifically the department of poultry science. And he's very active in the Texas Poultry Federation, which has honored him with its Golden Feather Award, a coveted honor that anyone in the poultry business would like to have. He strongly believes there are opportunities in the poultry industry, and he's been able to demonstrate that."

Krueger is someone who would know. As a former consulting geneticist for Ideal Poultry, he has worked side by side with Monroe to develop several new chicken breeds, including one particularly popular broiler show line in the late 1970s.

"There was a time when you couldn't win the big state shows without Ideal's show broiler," Krueger recalled. "They produced one of the top show lines in the United States and reaped the benefits from that bird well into the 1980s."

Krueger said it was lessons passed down from the elder Fuchs that enabled their children - and grandchildren - to cash in on those profits to advance worthy causes such as education.

"When you were part of the Leo Fuchs family, you worked, period," Krueger explained. "Leo and Edna taught their children how to work, how to make money, and how to save and manage it. They obviously taught them well."

In addition to a strong work ethic and fiscal responsibility, Gary said student support has always been a big priority for Ideal, which has provided chicks for generations of area FFA members and 4-H'ers. So is their connection with Texas A&M.

"It's a great example of a successful academic-corporate relationship," he said. "If we ever have a question, we know we can pick up the phone or send an e-mail. And vice versa. Right now, we're filling a chicken order for Dr. Krueger for his judging team."

The Monroe H. Fuchs '56 Endowed Scholarship is included in "One Spirit One Vision," a multi-year fund-raising campaign to help Texas A&M attain national top 10 status among public universities while sustaining the distinctive Texas A&M spirit. The volunteer-led campaign, coordinated by the Texas A&M Foundation, encompasses all private gifts benefitting the university.