Dr. Arthur McCullough Discusses the 2009 Nominating Committee 

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Recently Dr. McCullough shared the process and pride in serving on the Nominating Committee for AASLD.  Dr. McCullough remembers the “open and transparent discussion” he witnessed as President-elect and is excited to act in that process this month as Chair. The past President automatically chairs the Nominating Committee in the subsequent year. As Chair of the Nominating Committee, Dr. McCullough will face the challenge that is unavoidable when selecting members of AASLD’s Governing Board and Nominating Committee: the caliber of candidates is such that, Dr. McCullough states, “in many ways, there is no bad decision.” 

But there are goals and guidelines to help the Committee in their democratic duties. The voting process seeks to balance the Governing Board with both basic and clinical researchers and include all facets of liver disease. No more than one member from any one institution can serve concurrently; therefore, colleagues from the same institution are restricted from serving on the Governing Board simultaneously.

On April 18, 2009, the Nominating Committee will convene to vote on the various positions that that are available this coming year. The Nominating Committee itself is comprised of eight members. The Chair and seven members – two selected by the president, two by the Past President, and three by the AASLD membership. Twenty seven candidates have been proposed for consideration to serve on the 2010 Nominating Committee. 

The Nominating Committee must select three candidates for councilor from a pool of nineteen proposed candidates this year. At Digestive Disease Week in Chicago May 30 – June 4, 2009, the AASLD Governing Board will select one of the three who will serve on the Governing Board and subsequently advance to be the President.                                     

The Councilor-at-Large must also be filled as Dr. Douglas Hanto, a transplantation surgeon at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, is rotating out of the position. With the intent and need to maintain strong relationships throughout all aspects of liver health, the Committee often looks to surgeons for this particular position. The Nominating Committee will select three surgeons from which the membership will vote for one individual.

Another much admired expert is rotating out of the position of Secretary. Dr. Jacquelyn Maher of the University of California Liver Center must also be replaced in 2010. There are currently ten candidates for this position which the Nominating Committee must narrow to three. The Governing Board will then make the final selection.

Dr. McCullough’s goal as Chair of the Nominating Committee, surely shared by all members, is “to maintain a high level of science and integrity in such difficult times.” It was with this concern in mind that he collaborated with current President Dr. Scott Friedman to launch AASLD’s fundraising campaign as pharmaceutical funding has dwindled. Dr. McCullough has valued his years of board service as both a great honor and responsibility and looks forward to the continued exemplary scientific and educational leadership that AASLD provides the hepatology community.