‘70 Food and Nutrition Dietetics
Ankeny, IA

Christine Wehrman ‘70 is a 2026 recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award, presented annually by the College of Health and Human Sciences. The award celebrates distinguished contributions across fields including education, health, business and industry, and family and consumer sciences.

Wehrman earned a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition Dietetics from Iowa State.

“My father attended Iowa State and continued to be involved with Iowa State throughout his lifetime,” she said.

“My brother and I attended Iowa State for the curricula offered. It was a natural choice for me due to family ties, plus I had focused on food and nutrition projects in 4-H and liked science.”

Outside the classroom, Wehrman was active in the Food and Nutrition Club and worked on campus throughout all four years at the university.

“Because of the opportunity to attend and graduate from Iowa State, I was able to work within a wide berth of employment throughout my career. I enjoyed all my experiences at Iowa State — I liked the studies and learning, meeting and working with people from Iowa and beyond, and enjoyed the campus experiences,” she said.

After graduation, Wehrman became a registered dietitian and began a career that spanned nutrition, agriculture, public policy and association management. Her first professional roles included positions at Iowa State’s Wallace-Wilson Residence Halls and the Dairy Council, where she provided nutrition education in Iowa and Arizona.

Over the next four decades, she built a national reputation as a leader in agriculture and food-related organizations, serving in executive roles across the dairy, pork, beef and corn industries. At the National Pork Producers Council, she helped implement the National Pork Act of 1985, which established the National Pork Board. She later joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, supporting both global food assistance and domestic feeding programs.

Wehrman went on to serve as vice president of resource management for the U.S. Meat Export Federation and chief executive officer of the National Corn Growers Association, becoming the first woman to lead a major national commodity organization. She concluded her career as chief executive officer and vice president of the American Rental Association, the world’s largest equipment and event rental association, and received the Global Rental Alliance Outstanding Service Award in 2016.

Throughout her career, Wehrman remained deeply involved with Iowa State. She is a lifetime member of the Iowa State Alumni Association and has held leadership roles on the College of Health and Human Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council, the Family & Consumer Sciences Advisory Council, and the Iowa State Foundation, where she currently serves as a governor and treasurer of the Finance Committee. Through these roles, Wehrman offers
industry insight and strategic guidance that help advance the college’s programs and priorities.

Nearly 55 years after graduating, Wehrman remains as engaged with Iowa State as she was as a student. Her
professional accomplishments and service to the university reflect the qualities recognized by the Alumni Achievement Award, which honors graduates whose careers have earned national or international distinction for professional achievement and service. Reflecting on her education, Wehrman encourages current and future Cyclones to recognize the opportunities an Iowa State degree can provide.

“Regardless of your major, the Iowa State education you receive can take you many places in life,” she said.