Professor Mike Wingfield spent three days in Gainsville, Florida during the week of the 18 February.  This short visit was in part to participate in a workshop seeking to promote forest health research in the southeastern United States. And more particularly, to share with colleagues in Industry and the academia, experiences that have led to the many successes of the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP) in FABI.  Mike’s primary host was Prof. Jiri Hulcr (University of Florida) who provided a stimulating itinerary allowing engagement with forest pathology and forest entomology students and academic colleagues.  The visit also included an invitation to Mike to present the College of Forestry annual John Gray Memorial Lecture.  During his time in Gainesville, Mike had the opportunity to meet many colleagues and friends of FABI including his academic ‘brothers” Prof. Jason Smith (University of Florida) and Prof. Scott Enebak (Auburn University) who followed him as Ph.D. students of Prof. Robert (Bob) Blanchette at the University of Florida.