AFAR Florida's First Awards Luncheon & Symposium – A Great Success

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Legacy Sponsor

AvMed Health Plans

Patron Sponsors

Psychcare, LLC

The León Family

Advocates

American Federation for Aging Research

Baptist Health South Florida

Florida International University Wertheim College of Medicine

Innovia LLC

Miami Jewish Health Systems

UHealth/University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Table Sponsor

Palm Health Partners, LLC

Nearly 170 people gathered on February 11, 2010 at The Bankers Club of Miami for AFAR Florida’s Inaugural “Advancing the Science of Healthier Aging” Awards Luncheon and Symposium. Luncheon chairman and incoming AFAR Florida chairman, Leonard Pinchuk, PhD, DSc, extended a warm welcome to the group while highlighting the importance of scientific research in helping us to live longer, more healthful lives. He then recognized the event sponsors, after which AFAR Florida regional director Susan Lichtman introduced AFAR Florida’s mission and thanked the many scientists, board members, and business and community leaders whose efforts have contributed to AFAR Florida’s progress.

Bernard Roos, MD, AFAR Florida chairman, then recognized Edwin W. Hannum, CPA, CLU, president and COO of AvMed Health Plans, for his tremendous support of aging research and healthy aging in Florida. Hannum has said, “We believe that aging research is essential to understanding the underlying causes of many diseases prevalent among seniors, and we support AFAR’s efforts to reduce the suffering and ultimately, the health care costs associated with these diseases.”

It was through Hannum’s vision and leadership that AvMed established the AvMed Health Plans AFAR Florida Research Grant, which was awarded this past year to Dr. Yongjie Zhang of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.

Long associated with caring, high-quality health care, Benjamín León Jr. and the León family were also honored with an AFAR Florida Award of Distinction for their dedication to making aging research and geriatric medicine a priority in our state through the establishment of a new center at Florida International University.

Bruce Troen, MD, delivered an outstanding keynote presentation and also spoke at the symposium that followed lunch. David Morgan, PhD, concluded the symposium with a timely research update, thus contributing once again to AFAR Florida’s educational mission.

The success of the inaugural awards luncheon and symposium is also due to the efforts of a dedicated planning committee consisting of Leonard Pinchuk, PhD, DSc, Marilyn Berger, Debbie Brodie-Weiss, Sheila Chabrow, Marilyn Cheung, Olga Connor, Steve Hagen, Esq., Stephanie Lederman, Susan Lichtman, Nancy O’Leary, Nadine Pertnoy, Suzanne Roberts, Bernard Roos MD, Conchita Ruiz-Topinka, Alicia Schimek, Gail Serota, Elayne Tendrich, and Bruce Troen, MD.