Thank You, Bob Friends and co-workers share thoughts and well wishes for retiring North Carolina peanut leader, Bob Sutter.
N
orth Carolina Peanut Growers Association CEO Bob Sutter is retiring at the end of July. He has been a true advocate for peanut growers in North Carolina and an ambassador of the peanut industry as a whole for the past three decades. He will be greatly missed. Bob has made numerous contributions to the peanut industry in North Carolina and beyond since 1994. Prior to his career with the North Carolina Peanut Growers Association, Bob worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency and in private business. He also served in the U.S. Navy. Following are comments from friends and co-workers and quotes from support letters for several awards Bob has recently received that tell the story of how important he has been to peanut growers and the broader peanut industry. We have all benefited from his presence and dedication. Thank you, Bob! TOM ISLEIB Retired Peanut Breeder, North Carolina State University During Bob’s tenure as CEO, the NCPGA has funded $5,073,366 for peanut research, most of which was reported at American Peanut Research and Education Society meetings and/or published in Peanut Science, the society’s journal, and other journals as well. Bob has been a tremendous supporter of the research and Extension programs that contribute to NCPGA members’ success. In addition, Bob has supported the Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation program coordinated by Virginia Tech, a program through which new public Virginia-type peanut cultivars must come, the Peanut Genomics Initiative and construction of the new plant science building. He has been a leader in support of peanut research and Extension. KIM CUTCHINS Executive Officer, American Peanut Research and Education Society Bob has excelled at promoting APRES through his committee work and, most graciously, as the supporter of the Joe Sugg Graduate Student Competition. Through his support and encouragement, APRES graduate student participation has grown from an average of 10 students in 1993 to a record 61 for 2021. This investment in graduate student education served as a springboard to the creation of APRES 10 /
THE PEANUT GROWER • JULY 2021
Bob Sutter promotes peanuts with the National Peanut Board’s Buddy McNutty at a baseball game.
Graduate Student Organization, student representation on the APRES Board of Directors, creation of the Graduate Student Poster Competition and a newly expanded Joe Sugg Oral Presentation Graduate Student Competition with divisions for doctoral students and master’s students with $1,000 prizes for each division. As Bob says, “Investment in these students is an investment in the future of our industry.” I say it takes great leaders — people with vision and motivation to create opportunities. Bob Sutter is such a person. BOB PARKER President and CEO, National Peanut Board Bob has been a huge proponent of supporting public peanut research with grower and industry funds. Through his guidance, the NPB has strategically funded critical peanut research at North Carolina State University. Bob was a key supporter of industry efforts to map the peanut genome and utilize this information. In addition, he required language in research agreements with NCSU that all peanut seed royalty income be invested back into peanut research. PEANUTGROWER.COM
