ICCIDD has lost a longstanding leader and inspiration. Connie Pittman passed away on January 15 at age 81. Her obituary highlighted "her dedication, especially in the fight against iodine deficiency, (which) has improved the lives of thousands of people throughout the world."

She is widely published and served as chief of the Thyroid Research Laboratory for the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Washington, D.C (1971-1973), director of the Endocrine Training Program for the University of Alabama School of Medicine (1973-1992), and a member of the International Council for
Control of Iodine Deficiency Disease Executive Board of Directors, and president of the American Thyroid Association.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 55 years, James A. Pittman, M.D., retired dean of the UAB Medical School; sons James Clinton Pittman and John Merrill Pittman both of Birmingham; brother Ming-Hung Shen and sister-in-law Yu-Xia Shen of Houston, Texas; as well as her much beloved grandchildren Adam and Samuel, brother-in-law Joseph G. Pittman, M.D., sister-in-law Barbara A. Pittman of Rockford, IL; and numerous nieces and nephews.