A Life of Innovation and Service
Barnard Stewart Silver represents a remarkable synthesis of technical brilliance, entrepreneurial vision, and dedicated service. As the son of Harold F. Silver—recognized by Time-Life Books as one of history's 156 greatest inventors—Barnard has carried forward a legacy of innovation that has transformed the global sugar and fructan industries.
From the laboratories of MIT, from sugar operations around the world, from initiaiting use of fructans in the food supply, form the boardrooms of multinational corporations to the classrooms of Big Bend Community College and Utah State Prison, his journey encompasses seven decades of technical innovation, international leadership, and humanitarian service. His expertise in extraction and separation technologies helped to revolutionize sugar processing worldwide. His commitment to faith and community has touched countless lives across cultures and continents.
Career Timeline
Born in Salt Lake City
Born on March 9, 1933, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Harold Farnes Silver and Madelyn Cannon Stewart Silver
LDS Mission in Canada
Served as missionary in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Yukon territories
MIT Graduate
Earned Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
General Electric Engineer
Engineer with Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Division, General Electric Company, Evandale, Ohio
Honorary Fraternities
Pi Tau Sigma
Sigma Xi
Stanford Master's Degree
Completed Master's in Engineering Mechanics at Stanford University
U.S. Army Service
2nd Lieutenant, United States Army. Six years service in reserves. Retired as captain.
Hawaiian Sugar Planters Research
Assigned to Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association as researcher
Silver Engineering Works
Rose from engineer to manager of sales and technical services, becoming a world expert in extraction and separation in the sugar beet and sugar cane industries
Professional Societies Membership
Became member of:
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Association of Energy Engineers
• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• American Society Sugar Beet Technologists
• International Society Sugar Cane Technologists
• American Society Sugar Cane Technologists
• Environmental Engineers
• Sugar Industry Technicians
Marriage to Cherry Bushman
Married Cherry Bushman Silver on August 12 in Salt Lake Temple
Founded Silver Enterprise
Established independent consulting firm specializing in sugar processing technology
Chief Engineer
Union Sugar Division Consolidated Foods, Santa Maria, California
SODESUCRE Director in Ivory Coast
Built a sugar complex in Ferkessédougou, the first raw sugar factory in the Côte d´Ivorie (Ivory Coast), the first sugar refinery in west Africa, and the first sugar cubing plant in all Africa except South Africa. He brought the forty two etnic grups in the country together in one agro industial project. He was knigted Chevalier De L'Ordre National by president Félix Houphouët-Boigny for his outstanding service to the country.
Harvard Business School
Completed Advanced Management Program at Harvard Graduate School of Business
U and I Inc. Superintendent
Superintendent Engineering and Maintenance, U and I Inc., Moses Lake, Washington
Silver Energy Systems Corporation President
President, Silver Energy Systems Corp.
Women's Research Institute
Co-Director of the Women's Research Institute
Isle Piquant Sugar Foundation
Director, Isle Piquant Sugar Foundation
World Botanical Institute
Steering committee member, World Botanical Institute
Cascadian Inulin LLC
Executive Vice President, Cascadian Inulin LLC, Cedro-Wooley, Washington
Middle East Peace Institute
Chairman, Middle East Peace Institute
Inuloa Wyoming President
President, Inuloa Wyoming
Founded Life Energy Food
Started the company to develop a healthy sugar alternative using fructans, prebiotic soluble fibers, extracted from chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, and a hybrid of Jerusalem artichokes and sunflowers.
Prison Ministry Service
Began teaching Sunday School at Utah State Prison, continuing for seventeen and a half years
Key Achievements
A lifetime of excellence recognized globally
Chevalier de l'Ordre National
Received Ivory Coast's highest honor for successfully leading SODESUCRE sugar complex and uniting 42 ethnic groups
Global Industry Pioneer
Recognized as world expert in extraction and separation technologies for sugar processing, with work across 6 continents
Elite Education
MIT Mechanical Engineering, Stanford Master's, Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program
Innovation Legacy
Son of Harold F. Silver, one of Time-Life's great inventors in history, continuing family tradition of industrial innovation
Engineering Pioneer
Silver Engineering Works Legacy
Beginning his career at Silver Engineering Works in Denver—the company founded by his father in 1933—Barnard quickly established himself as a leading expert in sugar processing technology. His specialization in continuous centrifuge systems for separating sugar crystals from molasses became the foundation for a career that would span continents.
Silver Engineering Works, under the leadership of the Silver family, pioneered numerous innovations.
The first successful automatic sugar beet planter, sugar beet thinner, the first continuous beet piler, the first commercially successful diffuser for extracting the sugar from the beets were developed. This allowed the factory operations to become continuous. The company's Model 63 continuous centrifugal and later models like the 3630, 4630, and 5230 series provided continuous separation of sugar crystals from the mother liquor.
In the sugar cane industry a new more efficient preparation and extraction the cane with the use of the Silver Buster, the Silver Fiberizer and the Silver Ring Deffuser. The Silver continuous centrifugals also increased the efficiency and simplification of the sugar cane process.
The Silver continuous centrifuge technology provides the highest quality products with the lowest supervision and maintenance of any continuous centrifugal system.
Technical Expertise
As a mechanical engineer trained at MIT with additional studies at Stanford, Barnard combined theoretical knowledge with practical innovation. His work on continuous centrifuge systems addressed critical challenges in sugar crystallization and separation, improving efficiency and product quality across the industry.
His expertise extended beyond equipment design to complete system integration, working with plants in the United States, Central and South America, Pacific Islands, Asia, and Africa to optimize their processing capabilities.
International Leadership
SODESUCRE Ivory Coast Project (1974-1976)
The pinnacle of Barnard's international career came with his appointment as Director of the SODESUCRE sugar complex in Ferkessédougou, Ivory Coast. This massive state-owned project was part of President Félix Houphouët-Boigny's ambitious plan to develop the northern regions of the country.
Managing the Ferké I complex during a critical period of the global sugar crisis, Barnard successfully integrated teams from 42 different ethnic groups, creating a unified workforce in a region with complex cultural dynamics. His leadership during this challenging period earned him the Chevalier de l'Ordre National, Ivory Coast's highest civilian honor.
Global Consulting Through Silver Enterprises
In 1971, Barnard established Silver Enterprises, his independent consulting firm that has served the global sugar industry for over 50 years. Through this platform, he has provided expertise to sugar operations worldwide, contributing to the modernization and efficiency improvements in many facilities.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Life Energy Food LLC
At age 68, when many would consider retirement, Barnard embarked on a new venture that applied his sugar processing expertise to health food innovation. Life Energy Food LLC, founded in 2001, developed Fructalyn® products combining chicory root fiber (inulin) with natural low-glycemic sweeteners like xylitol and erythritol.
This venture represented a natural evolution of his career—from processing traditional sugar to developing healthier alternatives that could help address growing concerns about diabetes and obesity. The company's patented processes for isolating and processing fructan fibers demonstrated Barnard's continued commitment to innovation well into his eighth decade.
Service & Faith
Parallel to his professional achievements, Barnard has maintained an extraordinary commitment to religious and community service. His service to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spans seven decades, including:
- Missionary in the Western Canadian Mission (1953-1955)
- Sunday School General Board member (1991-1993)
- Multiple mission assignments across six continents
- 25 years as temple worker in the Salt Lake Temple (1995-2020)
- 17.5 years teaching at Utah State Prison (2004-2021)
It is gratifying to reach across ethnic and cultural differences and study together, seeing how the gospel of Jesus Christ can change lives.
Community Leadership
Beyond religious service, Barnard has contributed to numerous civic organizations:
- Boy Scouts leader for over 30 years
- MIT Educational Counselor for 18 years
- President, Middle East Peace Institute for 10 years
- Member, Mormon History Association
- Member, Sons of Utah Pioneers
Donations: Utah State University
The Barnard Stewart Silver papers, drawings, journals, books, and manuscripts come from his forty years of working around the world. In sugar beet sugar and cane sugar factories and refineries he worked to consult, install equipment, and improve efficiencies. operations and expansions in the United States in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Utah, and Washington
Overseas he worked in Australia, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hungary, Japan, Mexico, Okinawa, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Taiwan, and Venezuela. and West Africa. His work in each instance significantly advanced while improving the mechanical and chemical commercial performance of processing foods.
Donation: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Form the age of 14 Barnard srarted collecting Western history books. He specialized in Latter-day Saints scriptures. He collected first printings and every printing thereafter of foreign and English scriptures. The church eagerly accepted the gift of this collection since it was lacking many of the intermediate volumes.
Family Heritage
The Silver Legacy
Born into a family of innovators and leaders, Barnard's heritage shaped his path. His father, Harold Farnes Silver (1901-1984), was recognized by Time-Life Books as one of the 156 greatest inventors in history. Harold's innovations in sugar processing equipment, coal mining machinery, and industrial systems laid the foundation for the family's engineering legacy.
His mother, Madelyn Cannon Stewart Silver, brought a heritage of faith and education as the great-granddaughter of Angus M. Cannon, a prominent leader in the early LDS Church. This combination of technical innovation and spiritual dedication would define Barnard's own life journey.
Next Generation
Barnard married Cherry Bushman on August 12, 1963, in the Salt Lake Temple. Cherry, who held a doctorate in English literature from Harvard/Radcliffe, was his partner in international assignments and service until her passing on June 25, 2023. Together they raised two children: Dr. Madelyn Stewart Silver Palmer, now a family physician in Colorado, and Cannon Farnes Silver an environmental engineer. The family has grown to include ten grandchildren, continuing the legacy of service and achievement.