American Cancer Society elects national officers for 2001

American Cancer Society
Monday, 5 November 2001

The American Cancer Society, the nation's leading voluntary health agency, elected officers at its annual meeting held at the Hilton Anaheim Hotel, in Anaheim, California.

Robert C. Young, MD, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was elected president. Dr. Young is president of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, which includes one of the nation's largest hospitals dedicated solely to cancer. He is a medical oncologist, specializing in the treatment of lymphoma and ovarian cancer.

Dr. Young received his BSc degree in zoology from Ohio State University and his MD from Cornell University Medical School. Following his internship at New York Hospital, he completed his residency at NCI and Yale-New Haven Medical Center.

Dr. Young serves on the Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute and is past-president of the Board of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. He is past-president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and past-president of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society. He is also a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation.

From 1987 to 2001 Dr. Young served as an associate editor of the Journal of Clinical Oncology and currently serves as chairman of the editorial board of Oncology Times.

At the American Cancer Society, Dr. Young is a member of the National Board of Directors.

Dr. Young resides in Philadelphia with his wife, Barbara. They have two daughters.

Dr. Young succeeds Dileep G. Bal, MD, MS, MPH, chief of the Cancer Control Branch in the Department of Health Services in the State of California. Dr. Bal becomes the Society's immediate past-president.

H. Fred Mickelson, of Newberg, Oregon, was elected chairman of the board. Mr. Mickelson has been an active volunteer with the American Cancer Society for more than 30 years, serving as chair at the local and national levels, including chairman of the board of the California Division. He has served on many National committees and is a member of the National Board of Directors. In addition to his involvement with the American Cancer Society, Mr. Mickelson currently does consulting and management coaching for senior executives. He is a nationally certified arbitrator and mediator.

Over the past ten years, Mr. Mickelson has been a volunteer leader of 14 community, state and national non-profit organizations. On three occasions, he was appointed by California's Secretary of Trade and Commerce to select and head a "Red Team" to retain or recruit major corporations in California. He has also served as chairman of the board of the Orange County Business Council.

Mr. Mickelson received his BS degree in Economics and Administrative Science from Pepperdine University. He resides in Newberg, Oregon with his wife, Joan.

Mr. Mickelson succeeds John C. Baity, a senior partner in the New York-based international law firm of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy. Mr. Baity is the Society's immediate past-chairman of the board.

Elected president-elect is Andrew C. von Eschenbach, MD. Dr. von Eschenbach is professor of Urology, special assistant for External Affairs, and director of the Program Center – Genitourinary Cancer at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has been an active volunteer for the American Cancer Society for more than 20 years and is a member of the National Dialogue on Cancer, a collaborative partnership dedicated to eradicating cancer as a major public health problem.

David M. Zacks, of Atlanta, Georgia, was elected chairmen-elect. He is a litigator and health care lawyer in the Atlanta-based law firm Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP. He is a member of the American Cancer Society's Board of Directors.

Gary J. Streit of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was elected vice chairman. Mr. Streit is president of the law firm Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C. He is a member of the American Cancer Society Board of Directors.

Mary A. Simmonds, MD, FACP, of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, was elected first vice-president. She is a medical oncologist with Andrews and Patel Associates and clinical associate professor of Medicine at Penn State University College of Medicine. Dr. Simmonds is a longstanding volunteer with the American Cancer Society, serving as President of the Pennsylvania Division, and as chairman of the Patient Services Advisory Group on Cancer Pain Relief and of the Quality of Life Committee at the National level.

Elected second vice-president is Ralph B. Vance, MD, FACP, of Jackson, Mississippi. Dr. Vance is professor of Medicine in the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He is a member of the American Cancer Society Board of Directors.

Lay officers include treasurer Jean B. McGill of Tulsa, Oklahoma, president of Noble Investments, Inc., a private investment firm, and secretary Thomas G. Burish, PhD, of Nashville, Tennessee, provost and professor of Psychology and Medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

For more information, or to contact American Cancer Society, see their website at: www.cancer.org