Paul W. Bosland is the Regents Professor of Horticulture emeritus, a Distinguished Achievement Professor, and the former director of the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University. He is popularly known as the Chileman. He led the chile breeding and genetics research program at New Mexico State University and is recognized internationally as the foremost expert on chile peppers. Bosland has published more than 150 scientific papers and coauthored five books, including Peppers of the World: An Identification Guide with Dave DeWitt.

Wendy V. Hamilton is a professor emeritus at New Mexico State University and the former department head for the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service's Program Development and Accountability Department. She also served as Extension's statewide program evaluation and grant development specialist until retiring in 2020.