AA&MDSIF IS PLEASED TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JOHN M. HUBER

From Neil Horikoshi, Board Chair, AA&MDS International Foundation

It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Mr. John M. Huber as the new Executive Director of our AA&MDS International Foundation effective May 1, 2007!

John comes  to us with over 30+ years of experience leading organizational growth and maintaining exceptional service to his constituents in the Lupus Foundation of America, March of Dimes, Goodwill Industries and most recently at the American Urological Association Foundation.  John impressed me and our Board of Directors as a proven leader, a business strategist and a friend who understands what it is like to live with a chronic illness like bone marrow failure disease.

With our AA&MDS Foundation committed to increase patient advocacy for greater research and as our Foundation embarks on increased relationships with appropriate business and patient organizations, John brings his experience and business acumen to help us achieve our Foundation goals.

As a fast start executive, John has already in his first few days, represented our Foundation at  an FDA hearing with Board member John Theriault and is actively engaged with a "100 Day Plan." 

You will be hearing a lot from John in the months ahead and we are delighted to have him join us!  Please extend your warm welcome to John at:  huber@aamds.org

From John Huber, Executive Director

It is an honor and a privilege to be serving you as Executive Director of the AA&MDS International Foundation. As Neil stated, these first few weeks have been very busy as I get to know the Board, the staff , the plans, programs and issues critical to our Foundation. Thanks to all of you who have made me feel so welcome. I look forward to hearing from you and meeting you in the weeks and months ahead.

Throughout my career, I have seen what can be accomplished when an organization blends the power of  dedicated, active volunteers  with skilled, committed staff and engaged, involved constituents --- patients, families, donors, medical professionals and others. The results can be incredible. Our Foundation has grown and achieved an enviable level of success and is poised to grow and enhance our services to patients, support of research and advocacy on behalf of those living with bone marrow failure diseases. We have come far and we will build on our past success, but there is still a long way to go to reach all those whose lives are impacted by bone marrow failure diseases.

Every national or international nonprofit organization is confronted with the question of whether it exists to lead its constituencies or to serve them. I believe that only to the extent that we serve our constituents---patients, families, care givers, donors, volunteers, physicians,  researchers and others—will we ever be able to lead them. The issue for me  is not leadership OR service, but leadership THROUGH service.

So how do we provide that service? First, by building on the success of the past, looking at what has worked and is still working. Next, we need to ask you what you need and how we can best help you. We want to hear from you about what you think we are doing well, what we can do better and what we are missing. Don't be bashful or think that you are the only person or family with a particular need. Of course we can't do everything for everyone, nor can we be all things to all people, but we will never get stronger or better if we aren't talking with you and listening to your needs. Please let us know your ideas, thoughts, suggestions, concerns and, yes, your gripes. We are committed to serving you and building the AA&MDSIF into the best, most effective, most responsive organization we can be in meeting the needs of bone marrow failure disease patients. You deserve nothing less.

We intend to keep you informed of our progress through these bulletins, messages on our Web site and in our newsletters, at our events and through our conferences , both in person and via various electronic media. We hope that as many of you as possible plan to attend our Annual Patient Conference August 15-17 in Las Vegas. The program includes presentations and discussions by some of the country's leading experts on Aplastic Anemia, MDS and PNH as well as plenty of opportunities for you to participate in round table discussions , question and answer sessions, and come away with the very latest information about living with bone marrow failure diseases. I am looking forward to meeting you, listening to you  and making lots of new friends at the conference.

Hope to see you there !