Here are the final nominees for the 1999 FML Ferret Hero Award in alphabetic order by last name. There were MANY worthy names mentioned, but only these got the 3 nominations required. If this process is successful, we will have several categories for the 2000 FML Ferret Hero Awards! I am responsible for any errors in the biographies below. If there are corrections, please let me know and I will post them. Voting instructions and solicitations for assistance in designing a plaque will be in separate posts. * Bob Church * Bob Church purchased his first ferret, Sprocket, when he was a photojournalist in Texas in about 1985. It wasn't until he moved to Missouri in 1995 that he became a "ferret slut" as he calls it, and his horde now numbers 19. Bob has degrees in photography, archaeology and zoology, and is currently working on a PhD in zooarchaeology. Bob is an expert in identifying animals from tiny pieces of bones. Bob's scientific background has led him to amass a huge collection of scientific references on ferrets. He has recently organized the "Ferret Geek List" to help compile and organize these references. His scientific background also makes him one of the most vocal opponents of the poor logic and apparent lack of scientific skills of ferret adversaries such as the California Deparment of Fish and Game. Bob is the FML's resident expert on ferret natural history, biology, diet and domestication. His personal research has led him to conclude that the typical ferret diet of kibble may be an important factor in the rise of common diseases like insulinoma and adrenal tumors. He has devised a recipe known as "Bob's Chicken Gravy", and many FMLers report positive changes in their ferrets as a result of switching to this high protein and fat, low carbohydrate diet. * Bill Gruber * Bill Gruber (known as BIG) took over moderation of the Ferret Mailing List on November 27, 1994 with issue #1027. In the 5 years since, membership has grown from about 680 to over 3000, and BIG has produced about 1850 FML Digests on a daily basis (sometimes twice a day when there are hot issues), rarely missing a day for even for holidays or vacations. In moderating the FML, BIG reformats the posts to a standard format, removes extraneous header and formatting information and sorts them by topic. If you've ever seen a partially formatted FML that has slipped out by mistake, you will understand the magnitude of the cleanup he does. Even harder though, is the true moderation: stopping objectionable or inappropriate posts, making sure discussions stay on topic, eliminating spam and strongly commercial posts, etc. This is an incredibly difficult task, and BIG walks the thin line between moderation and censorship with great care. That the FML is one of the largest longest running mailing lists on the internet is a testament to that care. BIG is currently owned by Nellie, who is pictured with her departed sister Sophie in Modern Ferret #22. * Dr. Charles Weiss * Charles Weiss graduated from University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine in 1990 and currently practices in Potomac, Maryland, where ferrets comprise about a third of his caseload. He treats 5-20 ferrets every day, 6 days a week, and performs an average of 5-7 ferret surgeries a week. Dr. Weiss has published numerous articles on ferret related topics including the largest clinical studies to date on the two most common diseases afflicting ferrets today: insulinoma and adrenal tumors. He performed the first clinical trials using drugs (Lupron and others) to treat adrenal tumors, and recently developed a new technique involving cryosurgery to more effectively and safely remove right adrenal gland tumors. He does presentations on a regular basis at veterinary conferences, and answers calls daily from veterinarians requesting information and advise for ferret surgery and medicine. He has recently produced a professional videotape of common ferret surgeries (including the new cryosurgery technique), diagnosis of common diseases, pre and post operative care, etc, as an educational tool for veterinarians. To assist ferret shelters, he made the video available to them at a reduced price for the month of November. Most of Dr. Weiss' research is done during his "spare" time and at he own expense. He makes sure the results of his studies are easily available not only to the veterinary community, but also to the ferret community at large. Over the last year, he has greatly widened the options for treatment of adrenal disease in ferrets. * Skeeter * The best I can tell from my research, Skeeter made his (her?) first appearance on the FML in January 1999. Little is known about Skeeter; he is apparently a ferret who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge and had access to a computer and email there. Skeeter would greet new arrivals at the Rainbow Bridge, show them the delights of the area, and report back to their loved ones on how they were doing. Skeeter (who has apparently been working on other assignments recently) has touched many hearts and brought great comfort to sorrowing humans left behind. If anyone has more information on Skeeter, please email me privately and I will summarize for the FML. [Posted in FML issue 2887]