Dr. Bob Thaler has served the South Dakota State University Department of Animal Science since 1988, spending the majority of his career as SDSU Extension Swine Specialist. He has provided additional leadership in roles such as Head and Interim Department Head, and SDSU Extension Agricultural and Natural Resources Program Leader, but always returns to his passion for serving local, regional, national, and international pig farmers through his Extension Swine Specialist role. Dr. Thaler’s leadership, national, and international reputation helped secure funding from a diverse, multi-state group of swine industry leaders to build the SDSU Swine Education and Research Facility. The list of Extension programs Dr. Thaler has led is long and covers nearly every pig industry topic. He can effectively conduct an on-site audit of a swine barn, work with 4-H youth, visit with a registered dietitian about pork production, or present current research to the leading producers in the world.