2010 President's Message

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Bruce Perler, MD

As I write this, four months have passed since we last met in Arizona, yet wonderful memories remain. Through the leadership of President Tom Naslund and Secretary-Treasurer Spence Taylor, the 33rd Annual Meeting at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson was a tremendous success by all measures. Despite the challenges of the current economic climate, the Meeting attracted nearly a record attendance of members and guests. Program Committee Chair Greg Modrall developed an absolutely outstanding scientific program, including free-standing papers and case reports. Continuing Education Chair Chip Sternbergh organized our annual Postgraduate Course, devoted to Business Issues in Vascular Practice, with approximately 50 attendees. Our annual Mock Oral Examinations, directed by Tom Huber, was again fully subscribed. Just as importantly, the warm, sunny days and cool nights of the Arizona desert provided a beautiful backdrop to spend time with old acquaintances and develop new friendships during a variety of athletic and social activities.

Our specialty has matured and evolved dramatically over the last three decades, but never more profoundly than in recent years. In view of the rapid development of novel, evolving technologies; the generation of information at a rate faster than at any time in our history; and the unprecedented growth of the elderly segment of our population in whom circulatory disease predominates, there has never been a more exciting time to be a vascular and endovascular surgeon, or a time when it has been more critical to keep abreast of developments in the field. The introduction of Maintenance of Certification and increasing multispecialty competition in our current health care system pose new challenges, and make our Association and our Annual Meeting more relevant to all of us than ever before.

While the Southern Association for Vascular Surgery has grown over its three decade history, it has never changed its fundamental character or lost sight of the vision of our founding members. Our Annual meetings are marked by the highest quality educational programs, as evidenced by some of the highest publication rates of any national or regional society; spirited discussions of papers in an atmosphere of collegiality and camaraderie among community-based and academic surgeons and surgeons-in-training; and a truly special and enjoyable social fellowship.
I look forward to seeing all of you at our 34th Annual Meeting at the Atlantis, at Paradise Island, Bahamas, January 20-23, 2010. The venue is spectacular, and our Executive Council is hard at working planning what I know will prove to be our best meeting ever!

There is no greater reward than to be recognized by one’s peers. For the enormous honor of serving as your President, I am humbled and I sincerely thank you. I look forward to seeing you at Paradise Island next year.
Bruce

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