February 2024 - 28

The Potato Association of America mission statement: The PAA and
its allied associations must strongly support the private sector through
Extension, research and commercialization efforts aimed at enhancing
the role of the potato as the premier food source for the 21st century.
John Bamberg
Andrew Jensen
Loretta Mikitzel
Richard Novy
Carl Rosen
Lifetime honor
PAA recognizes scientists with honorary life membership
Potato Association of America
H
onorary life membership in the
Potato Association of America
(PAA) recognizes individuals
for outstanding contributions to the
potato industry. It signifies a lifelong
commitment and appreciation for work
in advancing research, innovation and
promotion within the realm of potato
cultivation and utilization. At the 2023
annual meeting, the PAA honored
John Bamberg, Andrew Jensen, Loretta
Mikitzel, Rich Novy and Carl Rosen.
JOHN BAMBERG
Born on a farm in northern Illinois,
Bamberg developed an early interest
in biology and agriculture. He earned
is undergraduate degree in agronomy
then continued as a student at UWMadison,
where he obtained his Ph.D.
in the Department of Horticulture's
Plant Breeding and Genetics major.
He worked his way up in the U.S.
Potato Genebank company from grad
student to Hanneman's assistant (19851989),
to USDA/ARS project leader
stationed at Sturgeon Bay. He has
served many years as the representative
for potatoes in the national genebank
system (NPGS) and as the chair of
28
Spudman * February 2024
the national potato crop advisory
committee (CGC).
Bamberg has served as editor in chief
for 17 years and published 83 of his 142
research papers in the American Journal
of Potato Research. Additionally, he has
attended all 41 of PAA's annual meetings
since 1983 and presented research at
each of those meetings.
ANDY JENSEN
Andy Jensen grew up a city kid in
the Hollywood District of Portland,
Oregon. He was known throughout
the neighborhood as the weird kid who
crawled through the flowers and bushes
in all the yards on the block looking at the
insects, spiders, plants, worms and slugs.
Jensen earned his bachelor's degree
and Ph.D. in entomology. His graduate
assistantship focused on aphids and the
viruses they transmit to potatoes.
In 1999, Jensen became the first
director of research for the Washington
State Potato Commission. In 2012, he
was hired as the sole staff member for
the newly formed Northwest Potato
Research Consortium.
Jensen was a founding board
member and an officer of the Potato
Variety Management Institute. Jensen
even took on co-chair duties of the
Washington-Oregon Potato Conference
general session.
Since 1999, he has served PAA as a site
selection committee member and chair,
vice president and president.
LORETTA MIKITZEL
Mikitzel grew up in St. Catharines,
Ontario, Canada. She received her
bachelor's of science and master's of
science from the University of Guelph,
and earned her doctorate in horticulture
from the University of Alberta.
She began her career at Washington
State University as an assistant
professor. From there she became the
provincial potato physiologist for the
Province of New Brunswick. During
her 20 year career in Canada, she
conducted grower-based research on
seed physiology, growth hormones
and seed performance, and seedpiece
storage and temperature treatments.
Her Extension work included the Total
Potato Production Sites project that
followed crop, pest and weather data
for the potato growing regions of New
Brunswick throughout the growing
season. The program won the PAA
Extension Project of the Year in 2014.
Mikitzel served eight years as PAA
secretary (2006-2013), vice president
February 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2024
