Bob Mortlock was one of the founding members of NEMPET and served along with Ed Leadbetter as the co-organizer for its first 20 years. Those who had the opportunity to be involved during those years remember him as a true moving force behind the meeting. He quietly managed the money and made the arrangements that kept the meeting running smoothly so that the rest of us could enjoy the pleasure of getting together and talking science. To top it all off, he would end his yearly financial report with a “slightly dirty” joke to send us away laughing.

Bob "retired" from the meeting in 2003 but his hard work and generous spirit helped to build an organization (and community) that continues to foster meaningful communication and collaboration within the field of microbiology.