President Dr. Charles Eller
To the PFA Fellows:
At a recent social gathering, a gentleman (not acquainted with our profession) questioned me. "Exactly what does the PFA President do?"
While putting together the aspects of the position, it occurred to me that perhaps our Fellows ponder the same question. Let me give you a brief overview of what your President accomplished during a normal week.
The Executive Director, Dr. Richard Kozal, and I consult with each other at least twice a week. We discuss how well our Trustees and Section Chairs are doing and their concerns, who needs assistance, any communication problems, check our fiduciary responsibilities, etc.
Our Management Team is consulted at least once a week so that we are all "in the loop."
Our PFA Attorney informed us that our Constitution and By-Laws are "outdated." Our C and B Committee, chaired by President-elect Hedlund, past President Englander, Trustee Mike Schafhauser, and Executive Director Kozal, is working with our attorney to rectify the situation.
Our 10 Trustees are responsible for making sure that our Section Chairpersons are functioning at their best. I wish to know if any of them have concerns that need to be addressed. If so, I am committed to contacting them personally via phone to answer questions, give encouragement and offer suggestions to improve their Sections.
Each Canadian and American Section Chairs received a DVD from me informing them exactly what I expect them to accomplish over the next year. Our Trustees gave them basically the same message via personal letter.
The Management Team and the Trustees are personally available 24/7 to answer questions and concerns.
Fiduciary responsibility is a major part of our job. With nearly 8,000 Fellows in 48 countries, you realize the challenges which Executive Director Kozal and his wife, Judy, must resolve. How they accomplish everything they do is a mystery to me. An unbelievable workload, handled to perfection! Our Academy is richly blessed by their dedication!
Last year, our Latin American Trustee, Dr. Ernesto Acuna, initiated our First Latin American PFA Conference. It was held in San Paulo, Brazil. Twelve nations were represented, an excellent beginning!
This year, I requested that our European Fellows emulate the Latin Initiative.
Our new Region 1 (European) Trustee, Dr. Jose Dahan (Belgium), with the assistance of Dr. Frank Braun (Section Chair, Germany) and PFA Vice President Hubert Ouvrard, have planned our First European PFA Conference. It will be held in Cologne, Germany, in conjunction with the International Dental Trade Show, the largest Dental Show in the world. The dates are March 27 and 28, 2009. We hope to make each of these Conferences biennial events. Imagine the challenges with which Trustee Dahan must contend. Twenty-one nations, numerous languages even involving the Republics of Georgia and Macedonia and Kenya. And we have just begun!
Our next major project?! Our new Asian Trustee, Dr. Kyoshi Ohura from Osaka, Japan, has eight nations to govern, each with very distinct cultures, customs, and languages. Will we ever be able to get these PFA Sections to gather in one place for an Asian Section Conference? Hopefully, in the not too distant future! After all, the Pierre Fauchard Academy is Dentistry's Handclasp Around the World.
Adding to this memo, I also signed over 150 PFA Diplomas and Outstanding Student Certificates this week. Speaking about writer's cramp!!!
Until next time, I can't wait to read what I write about. Be assured that it will be informative!
Charles G. Eller, DDS, BS
President