From the Editor

New editorial board members

At the Monday evening banquet of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians' annual meeting, Dr Larry Rueff spoke of the AASV members being a supportive, congenial group who work together for the good of the whole. Dr Dave Madsen recognized more than 100 current committee members who are actively supporting the AASV. Dr Madsen then mentioned that the journal was searching for a Practice Tips Editor. Before I left the banquet, I had two volunteers with excellent qualifications. It is my pleasure to announce that Dr James Kober is the new Practice Tips Editor and Dr Rika Jolie is the new Diagnostic Notes Editor.

Dr Kober earned his BS and DVM degrees from Michigan State University in 1983 and 1987, respectively. He received the Executive Veterinary Program (EVP) certificate from the University of Illinois in 1995 and became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Swine Health Management in 1998. Dr Kober spent 2 years in mixed animal practice and 4 years in a swine practice in Indiana after graduation. He currently works in a one-person swine practice in west central Michigan.

Dr Rika Jolie received her DVM from the State University of Ghent in Belgium in 1986. She then completed an internship at the State University of Ghent, and conducted research on atrophic rhinitis at the Institute for Research in Industry and Agriculture in Belgium. She completed her MS in 1989 at Michigan State University. Her research topic was antigenic differences in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1. In 1998, she received a PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Her research topic was pulmonary and hematologic changes in pigs after exposure to airborne contaminants in swine farms. Currently, she is working towards an MBA in Agriculture through the Universities of Athabasca and Guelph. Dr Jolie is the Senior Clinical ResearchInvestigator II at the Pfizer Global Research and Development office in Connecticut. She has been with Pfizer since 1998.

I would like to thank Dr Tom Parsons and Dr Barb Straw who have been lead reviewers on our editorial board for 6 and 3 years, respectively. It is my pleasure to introduce the two new lead reviewers, Dr Sandy Amass and Dr Dan Hurnik.

Dr Sandy Amass graduated from Gettysburg College with a BA in 1989, and then from Purdue University with a DVM (1993), MS (1994), and PhD (1997). Dr Amass became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Swine Health Management in 1999. She is an assistant professor at Purdue University where she teaches swine production medicine and provides extension service. Dr Amass has a research program focussed on biosecurity issues, and is the director of the National Biosecurity Resource Center for Animal Health Emergencies in the United States.

Dr Dan Hurnik graduated with a DVM from the University of Guelph in 1986 and from the University of Prince Edward Islandwith an MSc in epidemiology in 1991. He spent 3 years in private practice working with the food animal industry. Dr Hurnik is an associate professor and currently holds the Industry Chair for Swine Research in the veterinary college of the University of Prince Edward Island.

I look forward to working with these new editors and lead reviewers. If you are contacted to participate in the Practice tips or Diagnostic notes columns, please say "yes". The editors will ask you because they know you have something to offer our readers. You may be asked to review a manuscript by one of the lead reviewers. I look forward to your participation in the review process. Thank you to all of our new and existing volunteers.

Thank you, Dave Zeman!

It is with regret that I announce the resignation of Dr Dave Zeman as the Diagnostic Notes Editor for the Journal of Swine Health and Production. Dave has done a wonderful job as the editor by providing 50 articles over an 8-year period. Most recently, he completed two distinct series. The first was a practitioner's view of working through specific disease problems. An example of this was Dr Larry Rueff's evaluation of reproductive problems (Swine Health Prod. 2000;8(6):285-287). The second series provided an in-depth review of foreign animal diseases. We have benefited from Dave's vision of our needs in the realm of diagnostics. We will miss Dave's voice. Thank you, Dave, for 8 years of dedicated service.

--Cate Dewey