Warren E. Kronstad was born on 3 March, 1932, in Bellingham, WA. Following active military service from 195254, he attended Washington State University receiving a B.S. degree in agronomy in 1957. In 1959, he was awarded an M.S. degree in plant breeding and genetics from the same institution. He then joined the USDAARS wheat breeding program at Washington State University as a research assistant with the late Dr. O.A. Vogel. From 1959 to 1963, Dr. Kronstad served as an instructor in the Farm Crops Department at Oregon State University and received his Ph.D. degree in 1963. He was appointed project leader for cereal breeding and genetics and remained at Oregon State University. He continued to serve in this role, and many others, until his retirement on December 31, 1998.

Dr. Kronstad was an early innovator in the field of biometrical modeling to gain insight into parental selection and genetic variation within segregating populations. This contribution was cited as one of the major accomplishments in plant breeding during the 20th century at the First International Plant Breeding Symposium held at Iowa State University in 1965. Information gained through this basic research was a significant contribution in itself, but Dr. Kronstad was able to apply this knowledge through the development of genetically superior cultivars. These have included the SWWWs Yamhill, Hyslop, McDermid, Stephens, Hill, Malcolm, Gene, Temple, Weatherford, and Foote; the HWWWs Winsome and Ivory; the HRWW Hoff; the winter durum wheat Connie; three winter barleys, Casbon, Adair, and Scio; and two winter oats, Lane and Amity. By utilizing suitable environmental stresses to understand more fully the nature of the interaction between genotype and environment, Dr. Kronstad and his research team were successful in developing winter wheat varieties that not only have superior yield potential but also have yield stability when grown across environmentally diverse locations and over many years.

The wheat breeding project under Dr. Kronstad's leadership has generated grant funds in excess of $15 million. Monies have come from a diverse set of granting agencies including the Oregon Wheat Commission, USDA, USAID, NIH, NASA, the Rockefeller Foundation, and others.

The wheat producers of Oregon and the American Farm Bureau Federation have recognized Dr. Kronstad's contribution to agriculture on many occasions and with numerous awards such as the Distinguished Service Award, the Outstanding Achievement Award, the Service to Agriculture Award, and the Agriculturist of the Year Award. The highest tribute to his success is evidenced by the establishment of the Wheat Research Endowed Chair, a $1,000,000 endowment, funded by the Oregon wheat producers and matched by the Oregon legislature.

Dr. Kronstad's contributions extend far beyond the domestic arena. He has been actively involved in international wheat improvement activities since the 1960's. He began his work in Turkey and was part of a team that lead Turkey from deficit to surplus wheat production. For the last 20 years, Dr. Kronstad has directed a large international program focusing on the systematic crossing of winter and spring wheat germ plasm to produce high- yielding, widely adapted germ plasm for the less developed countries of the world. In concert with CIMMYT in Mexico, and funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and USAID, germ plasm from this hybridized pool has given rise to varieties released by national programs in at least 20 developing countries.

When asked about his research contributions, Dr. Kronstad is always quick to point out that his success is due to the work of his team. His work is the accomplishments of many dedicated people, such as project staff, graduate students, and the hundreds of young people who have worked with the project over countless summers.

Dr. Kronstad has not been content in the field of research alone. For more than 30 years, he has been an educator both in and out of the classroom. He has taught undergraduate classes in cytogenetics, plant breeding, genetics, and cereal production. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award in the Department of Crop and Soil Science. He has served as major professor for more than 100 graduate students representing more than 27 countries. A high percentage are now leaders in their native country, including the U.S., making a lasting impact on agriculture.

Dr. Kronstad's achievements have been recognized by many awards. He has received the Oregon StateUniversity Distinguished Professor Award, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Prize, the CSSA Crop Science Research Award, the Oregon State University Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award, the Distinguished Service and Graduate Training Award, awards from the Governments of Mexico and Turkey, the USDA Distinguished Service Award for Education and Information, and the 1991 Presidential End Hunger Award. He also is a Fellow of the ASA, CSSA, and AAAS.

Last but not least, Warren is a friend to students, colleagues, and growers, both near and far, and is a husband, father, and proud grandfather. His contributions will be remembered for generations to come.