Oklahoma State University will honor an individual this fall who has demonstrated a commitment to agricultural sciences and natural resources.

Mark Vaughan is the 2026 Champion for OSU Agriculture Award recipient. He will be recognized during the OSU Agriculture Honors ceremony on Oct. 16.

“Mark is a tremendous advocate for Oklahoma agriculture and a leader whose innovation and vision continue to strengthen our state’s food and agricultural industries,” said Dr. Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture. “Through his leadership in the food industry, Mark has helped create meaningful connections across the agricultural supply chain while championing opportunities for growth, collaboration and progress. We are proud to recognize him as a 2026 Champion for OSU Agriculture.”

Vaughan has been around the fresh produce business his entire life, beginning with his family’s business, Quick Spuds, located in Oklahoma City. It served the local food service and restaurant market, with a focus on fresh-cut fries and vegetables.

Vaughan attended the University of Oklahoma and returned to the family business, where he grew it beyond Oklahoma City, first expanding to the Tulsa-area food service market. He then acquired Sooner Spuds, based in Stroud, Oklahoma.

In 1998, he renamed the business Vaughan Foods Inc. and relocated to Moore, Oklahoma. What started as a small citywide produce purveyor grew into a national business with more than 600 employees, operations in 4 states and customers in all 50 states, as well as Canada and Mexico.

Vaughan oversaw the company’s initial public offering in 2007 and remained on the board of directors through 2012 when he sold the business to Reser’s Fine Foods. Following the acquisition, he served as chief operating officer for 5 years.

Today, Vaughan serves as the president and chief executive officer of Fresh Avenue Partners, a produce and refrigerated logistics solutions company based in Oklahoma City.

In 2015, the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives appointed Vaughan to OSU’s Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center Industry Advisory Committee, where he currently serves as a past chair.

Established in 2011, the Champion for OSU Agriculture Award recognizes individuals who are not graduates of the Ferguson College of Agriculture but have brought distinction to OSU Agriculture.

Learn more about Vaughn by visiting OSU Agriculture Honors online.

OSU Agriculture is dedicated to improving the quality of life of Oklahomans through science-based information and education. It is comprised of the Ferguson College of Agriculture and two state agencies: OSU Ag Research and OSU Extension.

Story By: Baylee Smith | baylee.r.smith@okstate.edu