Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

FOREWORD

T he American Academy of Otolaryngology– Head and Surgery and its Foundation (AAO HNS/F) are celebrating the organization’s 125th anniversary in 2021, and it is our intention to continue the legacy depicted in Pioneering Specialists representing the years 1896 to 1979, which was followed up by Pioneers on a New Frontier , covering the years 1979 to 1996, and were combined in the landmark publication Century of Excellence . Legacy of Excellence will become the newest installment of the trilogy, spanning 1996 through 2021. The project started almost two years before publication and a significant amount of research was performed by the AAO-HNS/F Communications Business Unit that included searching through historical documents, recordings by many of the leaders of the time, and publications of the 25-year period as well as through personal interviews with many of the leaders during that era. As the book was developed, there was no attempt to mirror the previous two publications, but rather to reflect the technological advances currently used in the publishing industry and more closely resemble the styles used in 2021. The extraordinary work done by Christina Maggio and Kathy Lewis allowed the publication to be completed on time for release at our 125th Anniversary Annual Meeting & OTO Experience in Los Angeles, California, October 3-6, 2021. There was significant evolution during this period in many different areas of society and medicine. The internet came of age, cell phones turned into powerful computers, digital communications began replacing print, and portable devices became the commonplace point of entry for communication and education around the world. The ever-expanding role of technology in communication was linked to and helped accelerate many other changes occurring almost simultaneously. One constant, reliable factor that hasn’t changed over

the 125-year history of the organization is the dedication of our members to provide and improve patient care. Members have donated thousands of hours as volunteers in education endeavors, research activities, public service, and humanitarian missions. Even disruptive change and danger such as was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic did not deter the spirit of our physicians who continued to donate their valuable time to make things better for all. This was further enabled by our staff who took on the personality and professionalism of our members recognizing our physicians’ needs to be able to take the best care of their patients. During this era, a formalized strategic planning process that allowed regular updates was instituted and fine-tuned over the years. This insured consistent identification of contemporary goals and precise budgeting to meet the goals and mission of the organization with a three-to-five-year horizon. The 125-year history of the organization is the dedication of our members to provide and improve patient care. Members have donated thousands of hours as volunteers in education endeavors, research activities, public service, and humanitarian missions.” One constant, reliable factor that hasn’t changed over the

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