The founding president of the ASV was Wolfgang Joklik, who served from 1981 to 1983. Other notable founding members who signed letters sent to members of the virology community soliciting opinions about the possible future society in advance of the O'Hare meeting were David Baltimore, Purnell Choppin, Harold Ginsberg, Thomas Merigan, Bernard Roizman, Peter K. Vogt, Bob Wagner, Julius Youngner, and Norton Zinder.[1] Ginsberg, Wagner, Choppin, and Youngner all served subsequent terms as president.[3]