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Our first recipient of the Division's Distinguished Service Award is the USDA's senior Plant Pathologist at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Robert W. Goth grew up on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin near Lake Superior. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1961 and in that same year was hired by Dr. William J. Zaumeyer as a Research Plant Pathologist in the Bean and Pea Investigations unit at Beltsville, Maryland. While in bean research, he identified the presence of the gamma race and three others of the bean anthracnose pathogen, Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, using the reactions of differential cultivars. He also identified a new bean virus, G42, and published a new puncture method for isolation of plant pathogenic bacteria. He developed a vacuum method for inoculation of common bean seeds with the halo blight bacterium.

In 1968, he transferred to potato research in which he is still active. Perhaps the most significant of his many contributions to potato pathology research has been development of a method for quantifying scab resistance/susceptibility and more recently the development of horizontal resistance to the late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans. Along the way he isolated the causal bacterial agent of watermelon blotch and identified sources of resistance to it. Because of his broad knowledge of vegetable diseases, he has been a valuable resource person and spokesperson for the USDA and the National Program Staff of the Agricultural Research Service.

Within the Potomac Division of APS, Bob got an early start serving on the Program Committee three times in the 60's. He has subsequently served in that most sought after position in the Division, Secretary/Treasurer, after which he was rewarded with being elected to Vice President/President in 1984-85. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Memorial Fund, begun as a memorial to Dr. Joe Worley, on which the interest accrued is now funding our Memorial Fund Graduate Student Travel Grant Award.

Our second recipient of the Division's Distinguished Service Award this year is also employed by the USDA at Beltsville, Maryland. Suzanne S. Hurtt grew up on the eastern shore of Maryland and attended the University of Maryland where she earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is not surprising that she has had a career-long involvement with virus and virus-like pathogens having been mentored in her graduate work by Dr. Ken Corbett. She began her career at Beltsville in 1966 on a temporary appointment in the Florist and Nursery Crops Laboratory with Dr. Richard Converse, who was transferred several months later to Oregon. Dr. Roger Lawson then hired her on a permanent appointment as a Research Associate in support of his electron microscopy program. In 1978 Suzanne became a Research Scientist working in the area of virus etiology, characterization, replication, and ultrastructure.

In 1986 she made a career shift accepting a position as Plant Pathologist in the National Germplasm Resources Laboratory where she supervises a service program screening for viruslike pathogens and conducting research related to the introduction and quarantine of a variety of crops. Her current program includes fruit tree, potato, sweet potato, and sugarcane. As a result of several reorganizations, Suzanne is now part of the quarantine unit of the Fruit Laboratory.

Suzanne has been very active in Potomac Division activities including service as Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President/President, and currently completing her final year as Councilor of the Division. She has served on and chaired numerous divisional committees including Graduate Student Paper Competition, Memorial Fund Graduate Student Travel Grant Award, Nominations, Distinguished Service, and Program. For the 50th Anniversary Celebration Meeting, she was responsible for the scientific program which brought in renowned researchers from outside of the Division to present special sessions. At the national level, she has served APS on many subject and policy committees including the Regulatory Plant Pathology Committee.