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by Rose Marie Beebe In 1999, CMSA created the Norman Neuerburg Award to recognize outstanding contributions towards the study and preservation of California's missions, presidios, and ranchos. The award also serves to encourage and highlight current scholarship. Award recipients are:
John R. Johnson 2000 Jarrell C. Jackman 2001 Harry W. Crosby 2002 Edna E. Kimbro 2003 It is truly an honor for me to present the Norman Neuerburg Award to this year's winner, a wonderful person who is so deserving of this prestigious award. It is no surprise to anyone here tonight that this year's award winner is none other than Dr. Robert Hoover.
Both Californiana and scholarship come to Bob Hoover naturally. He was raised in Berkeley and San Luis Obispo. His father was a longtime Cal Poly Professor of botany and the author of the highly regarded Vascular Plants of San Luis Obispo County, California. Prof. Hoover (senior) was responsible for amassing a vast botanical collection for the University.
"Our" Professor Hoover (Bob) studied with the preeminent archaeologist, Robert F. Heizer at Berkeley. He came to Cal Poly in 1970 and became active in regional archaeology studies. He has published a number of works dealing with his research at Mission San Antonio de Padua, such as, A SPANISH ACEQUIA AT MISSION SAN ANTONIO, WINDOW ON A CALIFORNIA MISSION, and EXCAVACIONES EN LA MISSION SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA, ALTA CALIFORNIA.
In 1976, Bob started the Cal Poly sponsored Summer Field Archaeology School at Mission San Antonio de Padua. His students included prominent archaeologists such as Georgia Lee and Jack Williams. The school has operated continuously since that time and has been on the cutting edge of defining the field as its own discipline.
In 1983, Bob Hoover was appointed to the State of California's Historic Resources Board and served until 1999. He served as chair of the state's highest ranking historical agency. During this period, the office of State Historic Preservation Officer was often vacant, placing many additional burdens on commission members. Bob's superb "people skills" masterfully served the interests of historic preservation.
In 1984, Bob joined with Dr. Norman Neuerburg in founding CMSA. In May 1998, Bob joined Richard M. Ameil, Steven Hearst and Judge William Clark to create the California Missions Foundation which to date has funded numerous projects at each of the missions and has become the major source of lobbying on behalf of the California Missions in both Sacramento and Washington.
Bob Hoover's passion for teaching is evident: he has had such a positive impact on students, encouraging them to study archaeology and instilling in them a love of mission studies. As both a teacher and a scholar, he is a role model for students and colleagues. Bob Hoover is a scholar, a mentor, a teacher, a loyal and honest friend and a truly gentle person. As Don Quixote would say, Bob Hoover is a "Caballero," a true gentleman, in every sense of the word. We love you, Bob!
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