Legacy of Excellence Digital Flipbook

JAMES C. DENNENY III, MD EVP/CEO FROM 2014 – PRESENT

AN INNOVATIVE VISIONARY IN A TIME OF TRANSITION

T he AAO-HNS/F ended 2014 with James C. Denneny III, MD, assuming the role as the Executive Vice President and CEO. He took the reins from 13-year incumbent David R. Nielsen, MD, and officially started in December 2014, after the Boards of Directors approved his selection in May 2014. To the benefit of the Academy and the specialty, leadership and engagement within the otolaryngology community was not something just recently added to Dr. Denneny’s curriculum vitae. Richard W. Waguespack, MD, was the AAO-HNS/F President at the time of the Boards’ endorsement of Dr. Denneny. In the announcement to the members of their new EVP/CEO in the September 2014 Bulletin , he shared, “He is a proven leader who has an obvious passion for the specialty and a keen understanding of the challenges facing both practitioners and patients.” An active member in the Academy since 1984, Dr. Denneny served as President of the AAO-HNS/F from 2007-2008 (see page 121), and he held a series of leadership positions including 11 years on the Boards of Directors, 22 on the Board of Governors (BOG) with a term as BOG Chair from 1998-1999, as well as positions on numerous committees, coalitions, and workgroups. Immediately prior to this appointment as EVP/CEO, Dr. Denneny was simultaneously the Coordinator for Socioeconomic Affairs—the third time he held this position at the request of the AAO-HNS/F leadership—Co-chair of the Physician Payment Policy Workgroup, and Chair of the Ad Hoc Payment Model Workgroup.

Gayle E. Woodson, MD, who was President at the time of the transition, shared her confidence of the decision in the November 2014 Bulletin , “Our Academy is twice blessed in this transition because our new CEO, James C. Denneny III, MD, brings years of valuable experience in working hard for us. He was an excellent President and has distinguished himself as a highly effective Coordinator for Socioeconomic Affairs. He is fluent in the day-to-day functioning of our Academy and knows health policy inside and out. He has worked well with representatives of key agencies. He serves on the Executive Committee of the American College of Surgeons as Advocacy and Health Policy Pillar Lead. Dr. Denneny has always demonstrated a passion for improving the care of our patients, and as Dr. Nielsen departs, we could not be in better hands.”

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