we wish our defriend scott mc -- dear friend scott mcguire and his wife beth all the best as they begin a new chapter in their life together. i picture scott who has had a business, shorty's barbecue, catering, i see him firing that grill up a lot more often in the years ahead. it will be a chapter undoubtedly filled with loving friends, family, great traveling adventures and, of course, as much barbecue as they can possibly handle. we'll miss you, scott maguire. i have two other team members who are leaving. laura uptegrove is leaving us to work with the obama administration. she came to us after serving in various foreign policy roles at the state department, the department of defense, the white house. she joined our team four years ago to bring her extensive expertise to bear on our foreign policy portfolio. and i'm sure glad she did. during her tenure in my office, i've been astonished time and again by the breadth and depth of her knowledge, her work ethic, her strong organizational and management skills and the way she approaches each and every task with a very positive attitude.