HELLO, my name is Jim Luby
Hometown: I was born in Indiana but, from about 6 months old, I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin.
When did you join UMRA? In 2023, when my spouse, Professor Emily Hoover, former head of the Department of Horticultural Science, retired. She signed me up as a partner member, although I still had a bit over a year until my retirement.
What was your very first job? I was a farmhand on my uncle's dairy farm—milking cows, baling hay, fixing fences, and all the other good chores that went along with dairy farming.
What was your occupation when you retired from FT work? I was a professor in the Department of Horticultural Science where I led the fruit crops breeding and genetics team for almost 42 years. I also mentored graduate students and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in plant breeding and fruit crop production.
Emily had a distinguished faculty career as well. She researched various aspects of fruit crop production, and was a great teacher of numerous biology and horticulture courses, recognized as a Morse Distinguished Teaching Professor
How has technology revolutionized the field of plant breeding? The computing powers we now have enable us to evaluate prospective parents and their offspring by analyzing large sets (can be thousands) of genomic markers to predict their compatibility as parents and the success of their offspring, based on their genetic composition. Previously we could only guess based on what the parents looked like. This genomic prediction is something we studied as theoretically possible back in graduate school in the 1970s. However, we couldn't do this in fruit crops until we had these capabilities in the 2010s.
I've heard it said that it took a lifetime to develop the Honeycrisp apple. Is that true? It took about 30 years for Honeycrisp from when its parents were crossed until it was introduced in 1991. With our more recent varieties, we can be down at around 16 years if all goes well. A lot of this is better horticultural practices that make the trees bear fruit sooner. We have also become more efficient at the commercialization process, working with a great team in Technology Commercialization at RIO (Research & Innovation Office).
You must have some "aha" moments that are special memories from your career, yes? My really memorable moment was my first taste of the apple that would come to be known as SweeTango. I was on sabbatical leave in New Zealand when my long-time apple breeding colleague David Bedford first found this apple, known as MN1914 at the time. When I returned, he gave me one to try. I knew from the first bite that we had to make this our next introduction. It was bound to be a success due to its crisp texture and stunning flavor. It is still my favorite apple.
Do you have a favorite place on the U of M campus? The Horticultural Research Center at the Arboretum. It is where most of our research plots are located, and I always treasured the days I could spend there with the plants and people on our research team.
What is something you currently enjoy doing with your time now that you’ve been retired for a year? More time skiing (I am an avid Nordic skier) and being with my family. It is great to have more flexibility with my time.
News
The election of UMRA officers and board members for 2026-27 will be held online from Monday, May 11, through Sunday, May 17, with the results to be announced at UMRA’s 2026 Annual Meeting and Luncheon Forum on Tuesday, May 19. Nanette Hanks, nominated to become UMRA's next president-elect, tops the slate of candidates approved by the current Board of Directors during its meeting on Monday, March 23.
Proposed changes to the UMRA Bylaws will be on this year’s election ballot along with the nominees for officers and directors. The updates to the bylaws were drafted in response to changes proposed by the Nominating Committee and Membership and Communication Committee, and were approved by UMRA’s Board of Directors in November 2025.
Meet UMRA member Mike Amidon, whose career in computers and information technology spans the years when the Gopher system was developed at the U of M and then quickly eclipsed by the World Wide Web. Remember the days before the internet?
In partnership with Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Beth Lewis, UMRA has been helping current University faculty members to decide whether and when to retire. It’s an experience only actual retirees can truly share.
If getting to know more retiree colleagues and serving the University community were among your goals in joining UMRA, sign up for one of the Silver Gopher Service Corps volunteer projects and come for the fun—and teamwork!
Northrop Organist Greg Zelek will team up with the University Singers, led by U of M professor and director of choral activities Matthew Mehaffey, for a can’t-miss concert blending choral and organ works at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29. Northrop is offering UMRA members a 20% discount on tickets.
The SparkPath Young Authors Conference (YAC) program gives 4th- to 8th-grade students the opportunity to learn from professionals with actual writing experience. The University Retirees Volunteer Center is seeking volunteers to assist with several conferences to be held at Bethel University in St. Paul in May.
Plans are well underway for UMRA to host the 2026 Big Ten Retirees Association Conference this July on the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis. There are a few, limited volunteer opportunities that may be of interest to you.
Do you remember when “Driven to Discover” was new? Do you know what is taking its place? For the answers to these and similar questions you may have, join UMRA’s Campus Conversation with Chris Gade, U of M vice president for marketing communications, on Tuesday, April 7.