Letter from the President March 2010
Dear Friends and Members of ISPNE
Much has happened since we all (or almost all of us) came together for a stimulating and very successful meeting in San Francisco last year. Let me use this opportunity to share a few thoughts and news with you.
Putting the annual Meeting 2009 together was only possible because of a dedicated team effort. Unlike any previous year, funding from companies was extremely scarce due to the financial crisis. And yet, an outstanding meeting was still possible due in no small part to the loyalty of the friends and members of ISPNE and in large part to the unrelenting and enthusiastic Local Organizing Committee in San Francisco, headed by Elissa Epel and Tom Nylan. Thanks to them again for their marvelous efforts.
Over the past few years most of you have made the acquaintance of Rebecca Wyse who has done a magnificent job of attending to all of your administrative and informational needs with regard to ISPNE. It was Rebecca, together with David Siedband, our web-designer, who was instrumental in getting the new website up and running. We hope that you enjoy its new features and that the website will eventually become a site for lively discussions and information-swapping by the membership. Why don’t you take a minute today, browse a bit, maybe you even feel encouraged to upload your own CV to the site?
By January this year, Rebecca needed to quit her work for ISPNE to spend more time in her other job and to work on another professional degree. We cannot nearly thank her enough for her dedication to ISPNE, especially during the difficult year of 2009. Mr. Hu-Ping Chen (admin@ispne.org), who works in my office in Berlin at the Charité, will take over ISPNE membership services, while Lori Peterson (lorip@stanford.edu) at David Spiegel’s office in Stanford will take over the financial management of ISPNE.
As you all know, Elisabeth Young, our dear Secretary General, passed away in August 2009 following an almost year long struggle with a severe form of leukemia. A very moving Memorial Service was held in October last year in Ann Arbor that I was privileged to attend. Elisabeth had not only been an accomplished scientist at the University of Michigan, but also a devoted member and Secretary General for ISPNE—she had attended almost every annual meeting since 1969. To me—and many others of the Society—Elisabeth was a dear friend. She remains fondly in our memories.
After Elisabeth’s passing the Executive Committee of ISPNE decided to ask David Spiegel (dspiegel@stanford.edu) to succeed Elisabeth as Secretary General of ISPNE until our next election. We are all fortunate that he accepted and that he has brought in Lori Peterson to help with the financial administration of the Society.
As almost all of you are aware, at the business meeting in San Francisco the membership voted to have the next ISPNE Meeting in Berlin in 2011. There was a general consensus that due to the uncertainties surrounding the global financial and economic crisis, ISPNE would not meet in 2010. We also agree that the 2012 Meeting would be held in New York City. We hope for understanding from those not able to attend the business meeting in San Francisco for the decision to postpone the next ISPNE Meeting to 2011.In spite of the “annus horribilis” of 2009 during which we had encountered enormous financial and emotional challenges, ISPNE was still able to organize one of its best meetings ever. ISPNE regrouped relatively quickly and efficiently. Thanks to your support as members and friends, the Society is steaming ahead at full speed!
On behalf of the Executive Committe I thank you for both your continued support of and involvement in ISPNE. Please do visit the new website. You will discover we now have three different options for payment of our annual dues. Friendly hint: it would be a big help to ISPNE were everyone to pay her or his annual dues by May 1, 2010.
Yours sincerely
Isabella Heuser, MD, PhD
President of ISPNE
