I first saw Walter Courtenay speak at the American Fisheries Society conference in San Antonio, TX. It was my first large scientific conference, so I was kind of overwhelmed with the whole thing, but the one thing that I remember well, more than 25 years later, was Walt's impassioned talk on aquatic invasive species. I don't actually remember much of the talk itself, but I remember well the passion and strength with which he spoke, and how he obviously felt strongly that the issue was an important one for the aquatic resource and for the nation. Walt became a hero to me at that time, and has retained that heroic status throughout the intervening decades. I felt incredibly honored to share authorship with Walt on one of his several books, and to work closely with him on the Asian carp issue. He is very much missed.