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From the Desk of Foundation President M. David Campbell

Dear Friends,

This month I will use this bimonthly column to share some sad news with you--the death of PFA Past President Marty Naimark on 23 July 2006. He graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1938. He was a committed husband, father, friend, and, of course, a continuing supporter of the dental profession. He was the consummate professional. He will be missed.

It is no surprise that we use words like conscientious, gentle, supportive, active, wise, kind, warm, and encouraging when we describe Marty. These qualities certainly manifest themselves in his work as President of the Detroit District Dental Society (1970), and his involvement in the Michigan Dental Association, where he served as Trustee and as Vice President. Due to his exemplary service, he was honored with the Michigan Dental Association Meritorious Award and the MDA Dental Citizen of the Year Award. These honors, which were among many, included being a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Marty first served the PFA as Chairman of the Michigan Section and as President of PFA in 1992-1993. During his Presidential Year, he founded a PFA Section at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, which was a great source of pride for him. His international contributions to PFA were extensive and created international good will. He continued to serve the organization as a Trustee on the Foundation Board for several years until his health required him sadly to resign.

Throughout his work in various dental organizations, Marty made his opinion known without being aggressive; he wanted to lead but not take over, which can be a rare quality as a leader.

Marty Naimark with Foundation Executive
Director Fred Halik

As his practice grew, so did his contributions to PFA, to his fraternity Alpha Omega, to the Scholarship Committee of the Jewish Vocational Service, and as a mentor to dental students while he taught at the University of Detroit School of Dentistry. He received Alpha Omega’s Meritorious Award for his service and dedication.

The sage advice that he offered to colleagues and students will also be sorely missed by his extended family, which most recently included six grandchildren and four great grandchildren, upon whom he doted.

Marty and his wife Wilma were a unique couple. They shared that special something that was clear in their evident love for each other. Wilma and their daughters, Ronna and Jill, and their families were with him until the end, supporting him as they had supported him throughout his life, and he supported them.

We give thanks for Marty--for his life, for his commitment, for his dedication to his profession, and for his family and friends. Marty Naimark’s life was a role model for us all.

I was honored to have worked with him on many projects. Those of us who had the privilege of working with Marty will always remember him as a wise and kind individual. It was he who brought me into the Pierre Fauchard Academy, which opened new chapters for my life. I am most grateful for his guidance and his friendship.

Marty, we all will miss you. God bless.

The Executive Director Reports

by Dr. Fred Halik

The Executive Director’s Office has been buzzing with activity since the Chicago April Meeting. The Interim Meeting Minutes were compiled and distributed.

All but 15 U.S. schools responded to the participation invitation letter sent from the Academy’s Secretary General Richard Kozal last February. My follow-up letter to those recalcitrants in May lowered that to five. The usual assortment of excuses such as “personnel changes,” “we never saw the letter,” etc., were collected.

So, the only schools that have ignored every attempt to contact them are Boston, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, and Nova Southeastern. Maybe someday they will wake up and smell the bacon cooking.

As expected, grant applications have flooded in suddenly, numbering over 30, with the most coming in the last few days of May. This is considerably a smaller number than in 2005. But so far, my review has revealed none that can be immediately rejected on technical grounds. My feeling is that my recasting of the application and C. V. documents, and creating a more user-friendly page of directions has made it easier for applicants to comply and therefore not to be rejected out of hand.

Although I had sent about 20 hard-copy applications out to various entities around the world, most applications seem to have been downloaded from the Web site, and completely filled out properly.

Everyone needs to have completed registration, room, and transportation arrangements for Las Vegas by now. The deadline for report submissions to be included in the agenda book is Monday, 11 September. Do not be late!