Panel Members

Industry 

• Jim Allen: President
  New York Apple Association, Fishers, NY (http://www.nyapplecountry.com/)
  Board of Trustees, US Apple Association (http://www.usapple.org/)
  
  
• Phil Baugher: Co-owner
  Adams County Nursery, Aspers, PA (http://www.acnursery.com/)
  Chair, US Apple Association Research Committee
  
  
• Henry Bierlink: Director
  Washington Red Raspberry Commission, Lynden, WA (http://www.red-raspberry.org)
  National Berry Crops Initiative (http://www.nationalberrycrops.org/)
  
  
• Chalmers Carr III: CEO
  Titan Peach Farms, Inc., Ridge Spring, SC (http://www.titanfarms.com/default.asp)
  Board of Directors, South Carolina Peach Council (http://www.scpeach.com/about.htm)
  
  
• Robert Curtis: Senior Manager, Production Research
  Almond Board of California, Modesto, CA (http://www.almondboard.com)
  
  
• Bill Dodd: President
  Ohio Fruit Growers Marketing Association, Newcomerstown, OH (http://www.ohioapples.com/ohio_apples_fgma.htm)
  Board of Trustees, US Apple Association 
  

• Bruce Grim: Director
  Washington Marketing Associations, Wenatchee, WA (http://www.themarketingassociations.org/)
  Executive Director, Washington State Horticultural Association (http://www.wahort.org/)
  President, Board of Trustees, US Apple Association

• Rick Harrison:
  Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Watsonville, CA (http://www.driscolls.com)
  
  
•  Philip Korson: President
  Cherry Marketing Inst., Inc., Lansing, MI (http://www.cherrymkt.org/)
  
  
• Kevin Moffitt: President
  Pear Bureau Northwest, Portland, OR (http://www.usapears.com/)
  

• Tom Stokes: CEO
  Tree Top Inc, Selah, WA (http://www.treetop.com/)
  Board of Trustees, US Apple Association
  
  
• Gary van Sickle: Research Director
  California Tree Fruit Agreement, Reedley, CA, (http://www.eatcaliforniafruit.com/index.asp)

Scientific

• Dr. Albert Abbott: Professor, Dept of Biological Sciences, Clemson University
  Research areas; structural genomics of Prunus, sequencing of peach genome
  (http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/genbiochem/people/aabbott.html).
   
• Dr. Pere Arús: Head, Plant Genetics Dept., Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Cabrils, Spain
  Research areas: molecular tools for plant genetics; comparative genomics and application of molecular markers in Rosaceae breeding. Co-PD: European Integrated Research Project ISAFRUIT (http://www.isafruit.org/Portal/about.php). 
  
  
•  Dr. Joe Avari, Professor of Judgment and Decision Science, Michigan State Univeristy
  Research areas: testing theories of decision-making in the absence of formalized decision support; developing decision aids to improve decision quality.
   
• Dr. Frederick Bliss: Professor Emeritus, Univ. of California, Davis and Sr. Director, R&D Special Projects, Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Woodland, CA
  Research areas: genomics, genetics, and breeding of fruit and vegetable crops; research administrator in pubic and private sectors; commercialization of breeding products.
   
• Dr. Robin Buell: Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Plant Biology, Michigan State University
  Research areas: genomic aspects of plant biology and plant pathogens; high throughput sequencing, functional genomics, comparative genomics, and bioinformatics (http://www.plantbiology.msu.edu/faculty/faculty-research/robin-buell/).
  
  
• Dr. Lailiang Cheng: Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Horticulture, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
  Research areas: plant nutrition, fruit physiology, molecular, cellular, and whole plant response to abiotic stress in apple, cherry, grape; undergraduate and graduate education (http://hort.cals.cornell.edu/cals/hort/people/faculty.cfm?netId=lc89).
   
•  Dr. Susan Gardiner: Principal Scientist, Plant & Food Research, New Zealand
  Research areas: leads Gene Mapping Team integrated with PFR breeders in several Rosaceae crops, including, apple, apple rootstock, pear, peach/nectarine and apricot.

• Dr. Kim Hummer: Supervisory Research Horticulturist, National Clonal Germplasm Repository (Corvanllis, OR)
  Research areas: expertise includes the conservation of fruit, nut, and specialty crop genetic resources. Her present research passion involves the study of ploidy in strawberry species. She also actively studies genetics of a wide range of crops. 
  

• Dr. Carolyn Ross: Asst. Professor, Dept. of Food Science, Washington State Univ.
  Research areas: sensory analysis and consumer preferences of fruit and fruit products, including fresh and processed apple, pear, and cherry and wine (http://sfs.wsu.edu/facultystaff/Ross.html).
  

• Dr. Phil Simon: Research Geneticist, USDA-ARS and Professor, Dept. of Horticulture, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison
  Research: vegetable breeding and genetics; biochemistry of culinary and nutritive factors, terpenoids, and sugars in carrots and garlic (http://www.horticulture.wisc.edu/faculty/facultylist.php). Vice Chair: U.S. Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee (http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/gpb/pr/pbccmain.html)

Extension

• Dr. Jessica Goldberger: Asst. Professor, Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State Univ.
  Professional interests: agricultural knowledge, science, and technology (http://css.wsu.edu/people/faculty/soils/Goldberger/Goldberger.htm)

• Dr. Peter Hirst: Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Horticulture, Purdue Univ.
  Professional interests: tree fruit production systems and physiology, physiological genetics of flowering and fruit development in Rosaceae; state Extension specialist; undergraduate and graduate education (http://www.hort.purdue.edu/hort/people/faculty/hirst.shtml)

• David Karp: Associate, Agricultural Experiment Station, UC Riverside
  Professional interests; freelance food journalist and photographer

• Dr. Mercy Olmstead: Asst. Professor, Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Washington State Univ.
  Professional interests: extension specialist in berry production systems (http://hortla.wsu.edu/people/molmstead.html)

• Dr. Ron Perry: Professor, Dept. of Horticulture, Michigan State Univ.
  Professional interests: extension and research in cherry and apple orchard systems (http://www.hrt.msu.edu/faculty/perry.htm)

• Clark Seavert: Professor and Center Director, North Willamette Research and Extension Center, Oregon State Univ. Professional interests: economics, risk management and decision tools for ornamental, nursery, and berry crops (http://oregonstate.edu/dept/NWREC/Staff/Seavert/Seavert.html)

• Dr. Jamie Sherman: Asst. Professor, Dept. of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State Univ.
  Professional interests: wheat genetics and Outreach Coordinator for USDA-NRI WheatCAP (http://plantsciences.montana.edu/facultyorstaff/faculty/sherman/sherman.html)

• Brian Sparks, Group Editor, American/Western Fruit Grower: Willoughby, OH
  Professional interests: trade and web-based publication covering U.S fruit production (http://www.growingproduce.com/americanfruitgrower/)

• Dr. Chris Watkins: Professor, Dept. of Horticulture, Cornell Univ., Assoc. Director for Cornell Cooperative Extension Professional interests; postharvest physiology and management of apple, pear, peach, and cherry; state-wide agricultural extension activities (http://hort.cals.cornell.edu/people/faculty.cfm?netId=cbw3)