FDAAA Launches New Year at Annual Meeting

A new year for FDAAA was launched at the annual meeting April 20. Nancy Myers, FDAAA chair, summarized the past year’s many accomplishments during 2014, which are listed in the Annual Report, and expressed optimism that 2015 would be even more productive and valuable for members.

Nancy said the biggest accomplishment in 2014 was the appointment of new chairs for the various FDAAA committees, which provides a strong core of talent to lead the association in 2015.

Nancy said that she wants 2015 to be the “year of engagement….we need to capture (alumni) and give them services they need.”

Nancy also announced

• that former Commissioner Margaret Hamburg will join the FDAAA.
• that The Spring Fling will be June 2 at White Oak (put this date on your calendars – details to follow).

At the annual meeting, which took place in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Food and Drug Law Institute, there was discussion of the need to upgrade the FDAAA web site and attract attention from members. There also was discussion of increasing FDAAA’s social media presence and perhaps starting a blog. Wayne Pines is chair of the Communications Committee.

The Membership Recruitment Committee has solicited names of alumni who might be interested in joining FDAAA, and is seeking more. Recruitment packages will be issued this spring. Cathy Carnivale and Susan Winckler are chairs of the Membership Recruitment Committee.

It was announced that FDAAA now has 584 members, including 358 alumni members. Karen Carson is chair of the Member Services Committee.

The following awards were presented at the meeting:

• Harvey Wiley Award: Michael Taylor
• Volunteers of the Year Award: Andy Bonanno and Dan Michels
• Certificates of Appreciation: Deborah Henderson and Jayne Ware

Jessica O’Connell of the. Law firm Covington and Burling, an alumna of the Office of General Counsel, agreed to serve as volunteer general counsel of FDAAA. Scott Danzig of Covington had been serving as general counsel.

Dan Michels, former Director of Compliance at CDER, accepts the Volunteer of the Year Award from FDAAA Chair Nancy. Myers.