August 25, 2025

Please join us in congratulating Kim Boonie, NERCRD’s Business Manager, who will be retiring from her position at the end of August. In her six years at NERCRD, she made several improvements to Center operations and helped keep the Center running smoothly through major transitions, including the adoption of a new University financial system, the shift to remote work and back, staffing changes, changes in rules governing Center grants, new grants, and more.

In her role at NERCRD, Kim managed its fiscal operations, which included many federal grants, seven full-time employees who travel regularly, and frequent new initiatives, which usually involve some level of fiscal management.

Kim often went above and beyond her job responsibilities, taking on additional duties to help the Center and its stakeholders. For example, she volunteered to play a coordinating role in the production of a special issue of Choices magazine (published in 2021 by the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association) examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural America. She helped distribute the call for papers, received submissions, organized the peer review process, and corresponded with the authors and reviewers throughout the issue’s production. She played a similar coordinating role in the production of two peer-reviewed conference proceedings — one for a national conference, and another for a much larger international conference — with both projects benefitting greatly from her effort and expertise.

“I can speak for the entire NERCRD team when I say that while we’re very sorry to see Kim go, we are also extremely grateful for the grace, efficiency, and professionalism she brought to the NERCRD during her time here,” said NERCRD Director Stephan Goetz. “We wish her the very best in her retirement and couldn’t be happier for her.”

Kim joined Penn State in 2000 as a staff assistant in the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, which later was folded into the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education (AESE). She held three subsequent positions at Penn State before joining the NERCRD — first in the College of Arts and Architecture (2004-2009); then again in AESE (2009-2014) and finally as a financial associate for Penn State Extension (2014-2019). 

Kim is looking forward to many post-retirement trips with her husband, Randy, and more time to spend with their children and grandchildren.

Best wishes, and congratulations, Kim!