The ACS has also made considerable progress in
growing its social media presence. The College now
has approximately 22,400 followers on Twitter, 12,355
“Likes” on Facebook, 372,773 views on You Tube, 6,895
followers on LinkedIn, and 388 in circles on Google+.
ACS Foundation
The Foundation continues to focus on its four strategic
objectives:
•Promote unrestricted/discretionary use giving to the
College.
•Secure philanthropic support that advances College priorities. The 1913 Legacy Campaign was at the core of this
effort and had three major objectives: identify opportunities for investment during the ACS Centennial period;
engage an increased base of prospective donors to make
a gift to support the Surgeon, the Profession, and the
Societal Good; and develop infrastructure and strategies for long-term growth in the College’s philanthropy
initiatives, especially planned and deferred giving. In
addition, the Thomas R. Russell, MD, FACS, Scholarship Fund and Dr. Pon Community Surgeon awardees
were announced, and the ACS Foundation launched
the Gerald B. Healy, MD, FACS, Mentorship Fellowship initiative.
•Build a basis for planned gifts that ensure the stability
of future ACS programs and priorities. The 1913 Legacy
Campaign “moment of opportunity” had a positive
impact on Mayne Heritage Society enrollment. In the
approximate two-year time period of the campaign, the
planned giving program acquired 18 new members and
more than $400,000 in bequests.
•Increase the engagement of Fellows as partners in philanthropy to ensure ACS financial vitality. The Chapter
Philanthropic Champion program completed its first
full year in 2014 and has continued to develop and grow
in 2015. This effort encourages “home-grown” philanthropic champions in each ACS chapter.
Closing comments
I conclude this report by thanking all of the ACS volunteers and staff for their dedication to improving the
care of the surgical patient.
Dr. Jacobs deserves special recognition for his work
on the Hartford Consensus and the compendium mentioned earlier in this report. This project has enabled
the College, through the COT, to meet and collaborate
with the White House, a range of government agencies,
and emergency providers to make a real difference in
the lives of patients who have been involved in mass
casualty events.
I also want to thank ACS Past-President L. D. Britt,
MD, MPH, DSc(Hon), FACS, FCCM, FRCSEng(Hon),
FRCSEd(Hon), F WACS(Hon), FRCSI(Hon), FCS(SA)(Hon),
FRCSGlasg(Hon), and Adil Haider, MD, MPH, FACS,
Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, of the ACS Committee on Health Care Disparities, for establishing a
collaborative relationship with the National Institute
on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).
Given the College’s history with quality improvement
programs and the NIMHD’s considerable research and
scientific resources, we anticipate that this partnership
will substantially expand access to surgical care for all
Americans.
With regard to staff, I want to recognize Felix
Niespodziewanski for his 26 years of service in ACS
Convention and Meetings, and Marty Wojcik, for his
many years with the ACS Foundation. Both of these
individuals are retiring this year.
Through the hard work and commitment of people
like these individuals, the ACS continues to lead the
way in ensuring all Americans have access to high-quality surgical care. ♦
015 2015 2015 2015 20
DEC 2015 BULLETIN American College of Surgeons
| 43
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S ANNUAL REPORT