Our recently formed External Advisory Board has alreadyprovided enormous support and advice for our department. This Board, as most of you areaware, is primarily due to the proddings and suggestion of Rep. Susan Crosby, who is thesingle greatest and most effective advocate of mental health I have ever encountered. TheDepartment, the State and indeed the nation owe Rep. Crosby a debt of gratitude. OurExternal Advisory Board members, The Hon. In short, I feel that the department is now positioned wellto continue to thrive and grow in the future under new, dynamic and creative leadership.
Departments are only as strong as their staff and faculty.
We have been blessed with extraordinary staff and faculty members for the past 25 years. Iam hesitant to mention the names of so many of my dear friends and colleagues who I haveworked with in the past and present for fear of offending some by inadvertent omission, aresult no doubt of my incipient Alzheimer's. I cannot help remembering, however, twoextraordinary talented women who helped to define the department, Drs. Clare Assue andNancy Roeske. I would like to thank, inaddition to our current assistant chairs who are now accepting most of the administrativeresponsibilities of the department together with Drs.