"Call for Nominations for Honorary Life Membership" 

One of the most significant ways to recognize outstanding contributions to the potato industry and to our organization, The Potato Association of America, is the awarding of Honorary Life Membership (HLM). This is the highest award bestowed upon an individual by the PAA. Each year at the Annual Meeting of the PAA this award is given to deserving individuals and is considered by many attendees the highlight of the banquet. PAA members are encouraged to nominate candidates for HLM to be presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Nominated individuals should have made significant contributions to the potato industry and/or the PAA. Contributions may come from activities related to research, extension, education, production, processing, marketing, utilization or any of the other facets of the potato industry which may be appropriate. HLM awards can be given to individuals outside of the PAA. Nominations must be submitted using the official HLM nomination form available on the PAA Website: http://www.umaine.edu/paa/hlmform.htm. The selection procedure and desired candidate information is also available on the Website. Completed HLM nominations and all supporting documentation should be submitted preferably electronically in MS Word or PDF format to the Past President, Alex Pavlista, and are due by February 27, 2009. All members should take the time to think about their colleagues and their service to the industry to see if they might qualify for HLM in the PAA. This is a wonderful award and recognition, but it can not happen without going through the nomination process. This is the First Call for Honorary Life Membership Nominations! Alexander D. Pavlista apavlista@unl.edu