Twelve months ago, I stood before you on a similar stage and spoke about each of the themes of Convocation – tradition, celebration, transition, and renewal. Today, I would really like to concentrate on the core of the themes: celebration and transition.

We celebrate a tremendous year together for the College. So many great things have happened thanks to the incredible teamwork and efforts of our staff and member leaders. Together, we are truly transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health.

We celebrate the WISDOM and COURAGE that it took to invest in diversity and inclusion, and in professional well-being. We celebrate the strides we are making in leadership development for our next generation sitting before us. We are not the future, you are!

We celebrate the PATIENCE and TENACITY that it took to create a new Maintenance of Certification option – a Collaborative Maintenance Pathway – that will give our members the choices they desire for lifelong learning and assessment.

We celebrate the VISION and DRIVE that it took to talk about the cardiovascular enterprise and create a Health Systems strategy that we hope will help ease the burdens on members and give hospitals and health systems the tools and resources to provide value to patients.

But about all, we celebrate the people and relationships that are responsible for all the success that we have as groups, and as a college.

To name a few that stand out:

• Our subspecialty society leaders who have come together to forge a new path of collaboration and unity … Thank you!
• Our Member Sections, Committees and Board of Governors. Drs. Andy Miller, Akshay Kandewhal and Hadley Wilson represent the truly innovative voices of our members.
• Our Assembly of International Governors and International Chapter leaders who have welcomed us with open arms and remind us that our mission has no borders and that our conscience must be global. We heard you, and we responded.
• And our Board of Trustees – truly the most dedicated and committed group that I have ever had the opportunity to join. Thank you, from deep within my heart.

But it is our staff that complete the team. Cathy Gates – the bedrock of the college, and our partner for more than 20 years. Bill, Brendan and Lisa – you lead great teams and your energy helps us drive change and create member value. Some special helpers and friends, like Jim, Erica Moses my assistant, Marthea, Carissa, Sandra, Kelsi, Alyssa, Neal, and Shalen – thank you for your guidance, patience, and above all your wisdom. There are hundreds of others that I will continue to thank, as we truly have the finest staff of any organization in the country.

Most importantly, I want to celebrate and thank my wife and soulmate, Shannon, my son Jack and my daughters Catherine and Brooke – who gave me to the ACC for the last 15 years and supported me with unconditional love.

But now it is time for transition. We have a new vision and core values to guide us. A new strategic plan with clear goals that we must, and will, achieve. A new CEO – Tim Attebery – who is dynamic, experienced, and understands that relationships will help drive our success. We have new direction into Health Systems to engage our members that are lost. And we have a new understanding and passion that value-based care is a global imperative, and we will invest more with our global partners.

It has been the greatest honor and privilege of my career to serve you, and I am grateful and humbled that you gave me this opportunity. I am excited to introduce you to our next president later in the program. I can't think of a better transition to Dr. Richard Kovacs ...who I have no doubt will lead the College on an even more successful road to 75. Thank you.

Twelve months ago, I stood before you on a similar stage and spoke about each of the themes of Convocation – tradition, celebration, transition, and renewal. Today, I would really like to concentrate on the core of the themes: celebration and transition.

We celebrate a tremendous year together for the College. So many great things have happened thanks to the incredible teamwork and efforts of our staff and member leaders. Together, we are truly transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health.

We celebrate the WISDOM and COURAGE that it took to invest in diversity and inclusion, and in professional well-being. We celebrate the strides we are making in leadership development for our next generation sitting before us. We are not the future, you are!

We celebrate the PATIENCE and TENACITY that it took to create a new Maintenance of Certification option – a Collaborative Maintenance Pathway – that will give our members the choices they desire for lifelong learning and assessment.

We celebrate the VISION and DRIVE that it took to talk about the cardiovascular enterprise and create a Health Systems strategy that we hope will help ease the burdens on members and give hospitals and health systems the tools and resources to provide value to patients.

But about all, we celebrate the people and relationships that are responsible for all the success that we have as groups, and as a college.

To name a few that stand out:

• Our subspecialty society leaders who have come together to forge a new path of collaboration and unity … Thank you!
• Our Member Sections, Committees and Board of Governors. Drs. Andy Miller, Akshay Kandewhal and Hadley Wilson represent the truly innovative voices of our members.
• Our Assembly of International Governors and International Chapter leaders who have welcomed us with open arms and remind us that our mission has no borders and that our conscience must be global. We heard you, and we responded.
• And our Board of Trustees – truly the most dedicated and committed group that I have ever had the opportunity to join. Thank you, from deep within my heart.

But it is our staff that complete the team. Cathy Gates – the bedrock of the college, and our partner for more than 20 years. Bill, Brendan and Lisa – you lead great teams and your energy helps us drive change and create member value. Some special helpers and friends, like Jim, Erica Moses my assistant, Marthea, Carissa, Sandra, Kelsi, Alyssa, Neal, and Shalen – thank you for your guidance, patience, and above all your wisdom. There are hundreds of others that I will continue to thank, as we truly have the finest staff of any organization in the country.

Most importantly, I want to celebrate and thank my wife and soulmate, Shannon, my son Jack and my daughters Catherine and Brooke – who gave me to the ACC for the last 15 years and supported me with unconditional love.

But now it is time for transition. We have a new vision and core values to guide us. A new strategic plan with clear goals that we must, and will, achieve. A new CEO – Tim Attebery – who is dynamic, experienced, and understands that relationships will help drive our success. We have new direction into Health Systems to engage our members that are lost. And we have a new understanding and passion that value-based care is a global imperative, and we will invest more with our global partners.

It has been the greatest honor and privilege of my career to serve you, and I am grateful and humbled that you gave me this opportunity. I am excited to introduce you to our next president later in the program. I can't think of a better transition to Dr. Richard Kovacs ...who I have no doubt will lead the College on an even more successful road to 75. Thank you.

Keywords: ACC Annual Scientific Session, ACC19

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