Welcome to the 98th annual meeting of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, the single best venue for pathologists from around the world to present their work in front of their peers, renew acquaintances, establish collaborations, and learn what is new and exiting in the world of Pathology. It is a distinct honor and privilege to serve as your President. Our bylaws begin by stating our commitment to "Continuing Professional Development and to Educational Programs that advance the science and practice of anatomic and molecular pathology". This very focused mission has allowed us to thrive and to become the undisputed leader in pathology education. We have a very exiting program that you are sure to enjoy; please take advantage of all our offerings!

While our annual meeting is the centerpiece of our educational efforts, the USCAP also sponsors other multiple-day courses, including a three-day weekend cytopathology course (Diagnostic Cytopathology) held in a warm place in the winter, a four-day weekend of pathology seminars (Practical Pathology Seminars) held in the spring, and a six-day pathology course (Diagnostic Pathology) held in a family-friendly location in the summer. Please visit our website (www.uscap.org) for specific locations and dates. Speaking about our website, please note that it has many useful features, not the least of which is the "meeting planner" where you are able to organize sessions you wish to attend. The website offers an abundance of free educational offerings, including abstracts, past workshops, Companion Society and evening Specialty Conference presentations, as well as over seventy short courses on line. Through the efforts of a remarkable man, David Hardwick and others, the USCAP website offers you access to the most extensive "eBook" in the annals of pathology. Thanks in large part to the unselfish contributions of many of our members, this site includes links to a myriad of educational modules whose content includes thousands upon thousands of educational text and images covering the entire spectrum of pathology, including molecular pathology. In response to the new guidelines set forth by the American Board of Pathology, many of our offerings (and more to come in the future) address issues of maintenance of certification, re-credentialing and life long learning. In fact, the USCAP was the first pathology organization to offer ABP-approved self-assessment modules (SAMs) and has the largest number to date.

USCAP owes its success to people. It never ceases to amaze how much can be done by so few! You will be surprised to learn that the "home office" in August has only 9 "full time" employees, some of which have been there for a long time and are central figures in our success. I would like to take some "space" to highlight some of these special people, starting with our Executive Vice-President/Secretary/Treasurer, Fred Silva. His love for our Academy knows no limit and his enthusiasm borders on pathologic. If you work with Fred, in evaluating any given person or any USCAP sponsored event, you have to learn how to discriminate between "fabulous", "terrific," and "awesome". Although not part of his job description, he has tirelessly and successfully worked to increase our junior membership ranks, convinced that this is the future of the Academy and pathology. Under his leadership the USCAP has experienced unparalleled growth and has become the leader in pathology education. Fred has strengthened our bond with the International Academy of Pathology and made sure that many of our educational materials get into the hands of smaller divisions of the IAP. Fred and Dr. Adekunle Adesina founded "Friends of Africa" - an initiative where some of our members, in partnership with the USCAP, put forth bursaries with the goal of facilitating young pathologists from sub-Saharan Africa to attend the IAP meeting in Cape Town in 2012. Similar bursaries were made available by the USCAP Council for the IAP meetings in Montreal, Athens, and Sao Paulo. Sharing success with others has always been a driving force with Fred. As previously mentioned, our mission is education and this effort is spearheaded by our Education Committee. The person "in the home office" directly involved with this Committee and its members is Jo Ann Johnson, a princess of a woman! I cannot even begin to tell you about her role in this process. She gets to know everybody: who is a popular speaker, who is an "up-and-comer", who wants to serve, who can be counted upon. Her advice as to potential new committee members, abstract reviewers, speakers, and topics of interest is priceless. When I presided over the Education Committee, it would have been impossible to serve without having Jo Ann and her vast experience at my side. I, and all pathologists that have benefitted from what the USCAP has offered over the past three decades, owe her a debt of gratitude. It is for this and many other tangible reasons that I have chosen to give her the President’s Award this year. This award was established so that each year the President and Executive Committee would have the opportunity to recognize an individual for outstanding service to the field of pathology. I cannot think of a more deserving individual, can you? It’s been a few years since Kerry Crockett took over for Jim Crimmins as USCAP administrator. As much as we miss Jim, Kerry has been terrific (yes Fred, I use these words as well). She has managed our unprecedented growth and diversification with skill and grace. We are very fortunate to have her; much of our future financial and operational success will, in great part, be due to her efforts. In addition, we can’t forget the other very hardworking staff of Annette Dixon (Educational Program Assistant), John Garrard (Director of Marketing/Development), Carolyn Lane (Membership Services Coordinator), Sally Miglionico (Administrative Assistant), Brenden Taylor (Associate Editor, eAcademy), and Nancy West (Assistant Meeting Planner). Finally, I want to acknowledge all of the USCAP members who unselfishly serve on our committees, participate in our educational offerings, and contribute to the education content on our website; we are well aware that you do not have to do so to advance academically. However, your vocation and service are the bedrock of our educational efforts and serve as the foundation on which the future of pathology will be built. We thank and honor you.

The Nathan Kaufman Timely Topics Lecture will be delivered this year by Dr. Todd Golub. Dr. Golub is a founding member of the Broad Institute where he serves as Director of its cancer program. He is a leader in applying genomic tools to the classification and study of cancers. A dynamic speaker, his work and views offer a glimpse into the future of pathology and biospecimen-based translational research. The Maude Abbott lecture honors the memory of one of the giants of pathology and a founding member of the Academy. Being chosen to deliver this lecture is considered a defining landmark in one’s career. This year the Maude Abbott lecture will be delivered by Dr. Michael A. Gimbrone. The Distinguished Pathologist Award is presented to an individual who is recognized as making major contributions to pathology over the years. This year’s very deserving recipient is Dr. Louis P. Dehner. The F.K Mostofi award is being given to Dr. Jeffrey L. Meyers. This award is presented to a member of the USCAP who has rendered outstanding service to the International Academy of Pathology and its US-Canadian Division. Jeff was a long time member of the Education Committee where he served first as Short Course coordinator and subsequently and Chair. Just as importantly, he co-chaired with David Hardwick the committee on strategic planning and is a critical member of the leadership committee that is presently looking at revamping operational aspects of the Academy. Jeff is a special person indeed and it is a distinct honor to work with him. The title of this year’s Long Course is Breast Pathology: Controversial Topics and the Emerging Role of Adjunctive Molecular Studies. Course directors Stuart J. Schnitt and Frances P. O’Malley have put together a wonderful program that will certainly be of great benefit to all in attendance. On Monday morning there will be a Special Course dealing with Basic Principles and Practice of Molecular Pathology in Cancer. Last year this course was moved to the beginning of the week with great success. The Special Course on Advanced Molecular Pathology will be offered again on Tuesday. This fact speaks loudly to the educational needs of our members and to the future of pathology as a discipline. In this regard, we are offering a new Special Course on Monday afternoon entitled Careers in Investigative Pathology: The Road Less Traveled, which I am sure will be equally as popular.

I encourage you to enjoy the meeting, learn a lot, make friends, and take away the assurance that the future of Pathology has never been brighter.

Victor Reuter