ACMS End of Summer Wrap-Up

By: Sara Hussey, ACMS Executive Director

On September 12, the ACMS Board of Directors had their fall meeting to update ACMS Board members on recent developments. As we head into a busy fall season and the official start of ACMS/PAMED membership renewals, the ACMS team would like to keep all our members informed about the work the ACMS Board of Directors and staff have been doing.

The Board of Directors hear updates from all the standing committee chairs:

  • The Finance Committee, led by Chair William Coppula, MD, reported that both the ACMS and ACMS Foundation are in good financial shape, partly due to a favorable stock market in 2023. Both the ACMS and the ACMS Foundation have shifted their investment management to Hirtle Callaghan, a specialized firm for non-profits and foundations. This transition has been successful.
  • The Bylaws Committee, chaired by Keith Kanel, MD, proposed adding two community board members to the ACMS Foundation Board of Trustees in 2024. The ACMS Board of Directors initiated this change process, with final approval expected in December 2023.
  • The Nominating Committee, led by Raymond Pontzer, MD, presented a slate of candidates for the 2024 election to the ACMS Board, which has been approved. Members will receive their digital ballots between October 31 and November 11.
  • In the President’s Update, Matthew Straka, MD, announced the return of ACMS Honors in April 2024 as a fundraiser and awareness event for the ACMS Foundation. The ACMS also plans to reintroduce the Distinguished ACMS Awards in a late fall 2024 event, honoring county physicians and acknowledging board members. Volunteers are being sought for the ACMS Awards Committee, and interested individuals can contact Sara Hussey, Executive Director, for consideration.

Sara Hussey, ACMS Executive Director, provided an update that included Mission Moments from the summer, operational updates, organizational successes and challenges, and membership updates. The ACMS now boasts 2450 members, which is an increase of 357 members since May 2023. Membership renewal is open for the 2024 membership year, expiring on December 31, 2024.

To conclude the meeting, the 2023 ACMS Delegation Vice Chair, Dr. Bruce MacLeod, and PAMED Board of Directors Trustee, Dr. G. Alan Yeasted, jointly updated members on matters from the Pennsylvania Medical Society and issues that will be discussed at the 2023 House of Delegates. These updates included significant conversations about delegate allocation and representation, particularly concerning student member delegation allocation. Several proposed resolutions aim to provide adjustments to the allocation. ACMS Members are encouraged to review the proposed resolutions at www.pamedsoc.org/house-of-delegates/resolutions and reach out to the 2023 ACMS Delegation Chair, Dr. Richard Hoffmaster ([email protected]), with any comments.

On behalf ACMS President Matthew B. Straka, MD, as well as the entire Board of Directors, we’d like to thank every single member for their support over this last year. We continue to see our organization grow and engagement has been up significantly. We hope you are feeling excited to renew your ACMS membership for 2024. Please reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns.