Spudman January 2023 - 41

Portland, Maine. Porter has been an
active member of the production and
management, breeding and genetics,
and physiology sections. He has also
reviewed many manuscripts for the
AJPR and other scientific journals.
Porter enjoys spending time with
family, gardening, hiking, fishing and
other outdoor activities. He also enjoys
occasional vacation travel to warmer
climates than found in his home state
of Maine. He has also greatly valued the
travel opportunities that PAA and other
scientific meetings have provided over
the years. His family's farm in northern
Maine has thrived under the leadership
of Porter's father (now deceased), older
brother and nephew. They currently
raise about 1,500 acres of potatoes and
up to 3,000 acres of grain.
Porter resides in Bangor, Maine,
where his spouse, Eileen, has worked as
a dietitian for many years. They met at
the University of Maine in 1980, raised
two children together, and have shared
many good times over the years. Eileen
has enjoyed attending PAA meetings
when her work schedule and family
obligations allowed.
Eileen's support over the years allowed
Porter to spend many days and weeks
conducting potato research in northern
Maine (160 miles away from their
home in Bangor). The Porters have two
daughters and two grandsons. Their
daughter, Erin, currently teaches in a
Bangor-area elementary school and
specializes in improving the reading and
literacy skills of students. Their younger
daughter, Katie, is currently a biomedical
engineering researcher at a large Bostonarea
pharmaceutical company.
Honorary Life Member
Kenneth Rykbost
Kenneth " Ken " Rykbost was born
in Marion, New York, and spent his
early childhood growing up on a farm
in Canadaigua, New York. His family
raised milk cows and a multitude of
crops to support the herd. He obtained
his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Cornell
University in agricultural engineering
and agronomy, respectively, and
obtained a Ph.D. in soil science from
Oregon State University in 1973
under the direction of Larry Boersma.
Rykbost's thesis research involved
studies that were ahead of their time
in exploring environmental impacts.
He looked at cropping systems using
waste heat from steam electrical plants
to enhance plant growth, heating
greenhouses and using subsurface line
heat sources to enhance production.
Rykbost also investigated the
contributions that fertilizers were
making to groundwater pollution.
This early interest on the interface of
crop production and the environment
carried through his entire career.
Following graduation, Rykbost took
a job as a research associate with
Cornell at its Long Island Vegetable
Research Farm, now called the Long
Island Horticultural Research and
Extension Center. He investigated
nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency of
turfgrass and potatoes. In 1976, Rykbost
took a job as a crop scientist with
McCain Foods. He did potato research
and Extension work in Maine and New
Brunswick, Canada, while stationed in
Florenceville, New Brunswick.
Rykbost also had responsibility for
McCain agronomy programs in Europe.
Evaluating long-term rotations and
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Spudman January 2023

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