Calves and heifers are the future, and how we manage the future was what Bob James always had in mind. James, a professor emeritus of Virginia Tech University and consultant, had a passion and a knack for making us think differently – challenging management practices that had been accepted as best practices. He had a talent for connecting with the people who manage the future dairy herd. He did this with a skillful ability to see that people make the difference in the maternity barn and calf barn, as well as in consulting and industry roles with dairies.

He contributed to Hoard’s Dairyman through thoughtfully written articles, was a webinar speaker with thousands of views, and was the first podcast guest that I hosted. I had the privilege of working with Bob through the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association. When it came to planning an event, Bob gave many hours to dutiful consideration on how to prepare the very best conference and bring the right people together. Most recently at the Western Dairy Management Conference, Bob introduced me to new industry contacts, thinking about the Hoard’s readers, and those industry experts who could be future contributors.

Bob was a cheerleader for the industry, a cheerleader for calf management and research, and a cheerleader for people. Thank you, Bob, for being a cheerleader for me and for Hoard’s Dairyman, and most importantly, for our readers and listeners. Sending deepest sympathies to your family. We were honored to have had you in our corner, and we will continue to push for the future of the dairy herd and the people who are a part of it.

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Kylene Anderson is the managing editor of Hoard’s Dairyman.