Background
Thompson, William Neil was born on December 6, 1920 in Atlanta, Illinois, United States. Son of Ray Eugene and Ida Florence (Crihfield) Thompson.
Thompson, William Neil was born on December 6, 1920 in Atlanta, Illinois, United States. Son of Ray Eugene and Ida Florence (Crihfield) Thompson.
Bachelor of Science, University Illinois, 1941; Master of Sciences, University Illinois, 1942; Doctor of Philosophy, University Illinois, 1952; postgraduate (Farm Foundation fellow), University of Chicago, 1947-1948.
Instructor, assistant professor, University of Illinois, 1946-1953; agriculturist, Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1954-1955; member of faculty, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, since 1955; professor agricultural economics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, since 1959; associate director international agricultural programs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1973-1978; associate dean, director international agriculture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1978-1984; assistant vice chancellor research, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1978-1984; chief party, adviser administration, Njala University College, Sierra Leone, 1964-1966. Consultant Tennessee Valley Authority, Agency for International Development. Special international agriculture assignments in, Sierra Leone, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lesotho.
Author: Building Institutions to Serve Agriculture, 1968, Mission Overseas, A Handbook for United States Families in Developing Countries, 1969, A Method of Assessing Progress of Agricultural Universities in India, 1970, The Punjab Agricultural University An Assessment of Progress to 1970, 1970, National Institute on Drug Abuse: A Case Study in Institution Development, 1974.
Served with Army of the United States, 1943-1946, European Theatre of Operations, PTO. Member American Agricultural Economics Association, American Society Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (vice president 1964, Honorary Member award 1982, Distinguished Service award 1987), Illinois Society Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (honorary), International Association Agricultural Economists.
Married Geraldine Alice Pech, January 31, 1942. Children: William Ray, John David, Julia Ann Thompson Ashbeck.