Boston & Leadership & More Rain Predicted!

As I prepare to leave this coming Friday morning for Boston,the weather calls for a Nor’easter. I will once again have the opportunity to listen to the inimitable Steve Anderson at the Boston Alumni Chapter Scientific Meeting, and then participate in the Leadership Program that President-Elect Mike Tenenbaum has planned, I have several thoughts .The Friday program is once again is being chaired by Boston Alumnus Brian Miller, who has been coordinating programs for the Boston chapter for over two decades. Brian is a great example of one of Alpha Omega’s many “unsung heroes,” as someone who makes a significant contribution to AO on an ongoing basis, quietly and without fanfare. Brian is a regular International Convention attendee, and it has been my pleasure to know Brian as a friend since my dental school days. For years, Brian, Murray, and my dear friend Lenny Miller always kidded with each other with their own variation of a vaudeville routine, “Dr. Miller,” “Dr. Miller,” “Dr. Miller.” Our Corporate Board member Steve Anderson has been generously donating his time, efforts, and monies to Alpha Omega for some time, and his Boston presentation is another example of his generosity. To give you an idea of how good a presenter Steve is, when he gave a presentation at the Queens County Dental Society (QCDS) in conjunction with Queens Nassau AO chapter some time back, QCDS Executive Director Bill Bayer, who hears hundreds of speakers annually, said that Steve’s presentation was so valuable, interesting, and professionally presented, that it was one of the very few that he remained in the room for the entire presentation. What better recommendation than that! Thank you, Steve.
On Friday night, BOD member Steve Spitz is hosting a Shabbat dinner at his home. What a wonderful Judaic and fraternal gesture!! So, between Steve Anderson’s presentation on Friday, and Steve Spitz magnificent generosity, we have a first-hand example of all three sides of the AO triangle - - - professionalism, fraternalism and Judaism.
We are anticipating a very large turnout (one of the largest in years) of students and alumni, for the Saturday/ Sunday Leadership Seminar. Any organization that wants to evolve and succeed, as well as achieve its mission, must take seriously its commitment towards leadership identification, qualification, training and development. Leadership training should be ongoing. Our next leadership program will be at the San Diego Convention. If you are interested in playing a leadership role, or sharing with others knowledge gained from their experiences and expertise, please attend our leadership programs. I have been speaking about the need to enhance our leadership training and development, and programs like this one are an important step in that journey.
I had the pleasure of speaking to the motivating and energetic Stephanie Rashewky this week. Stephanie, who was the only ISR in my memory to serve two years in that position, is presently in an Anesthesiology Residency at Stony Brook. In the coming weeks, I am planning a drive out to see her, and to make a special presentation to her in honor of her years of exemplary AO leadership in the presence of the Dean.
One of the great challenges involved in leading Alpha Omega is the need for much advance planning. Programs like the Boston Leadership program take the Chairperson many months to develop and plan, and to arrange all necessary details. Our International Conventions are well over a year in the planning, and with only a little over two months to go, I urge those of you who have not yet made your reservations and arrangements to attend this year’s International Convention in San Diego, to do so as soon as possible. Marshal Bob Simon and his committee have arranged a unique program. As an extra bonus, our Convention Group Rate at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay is the unheard of, only $149 per night per room. Get all the details and reserve online at: http://aosunnydays2010.ao.org.
With about 80% of my term now complete, I hope that I have been able to address my stated goal of opening up channels of communication, and rededicating ourselves to Member Benefits, and to our members. Attendees at the Boston Leadership will be amongst the first to see our new Member Benefits Power Point presentation, put together and coordinator by International Editor Fred Margolis and presented by David Schneider. I will be presenting and promoting the GOHI Chapter Challenge and the evolution of a GOHI project for each chapter. With the Jewish holidays now complete, I wish all of you, a year of personal fulfillment, and that every day, you are given more and more reasons to be proud to be an Alpha Omegan. Together, Alpha Omega can achieve every one of our goals.


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