MedicAlert® Names Board Officers
Two volunteer directors to retire
TURLOCK , California ( January 9th, 2002 ) -- MedicAlert Foundation, one of the world's largest nonprofit membership organizations, today announced the officers for its volunteer board of directors for Fiscal Year 2002.
H.C. Henry, Jr., continues as MedicAlert Foundation Chairman of the Board, as he enters his second year of a two-year term. Maintaining a high level of service to Members is central to Mr. Henry's plans. "My goal is to continue the outstanding service Members have come to expect from MedicAlert, while, at the same time, significantly growing our Membership," he said. "I also want to follow through on efforts already well under way to standardize our international presence and protect the MedicAlert® brand identity."
Mr. Henry spent a long and successful career with BellSouth Enterprises and Southern Bell before retiring. In his last position with BellSouth as executive vice president of corporate relations, he oversaw the activities of human resources and public relations of corporate support and quality, security, internal auditing, BellSouth Information Systems, and the Sunlink Corporation. He also served as Southeastern Division Chairman of the U.S. Olympics Committee in 1996. Mr. Henry was active on the board of directors of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, the Orange Bowl Committee, and served as Chairman for the United Way of Dade County . He earned his B.S. from the University of South Carolina and a M.B.A. from Florida Atlantic University .
MedicAlert Foundation Board Member Wayne Brunetti will serve as vice chairman for strategic issues. Mr. Brunetti is chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Xcel Energy Inc. in Minneapolis , Minnesota . Prior to this position, Brunetti served as chairman, president and CEO of New Century Energies. He has been active in various professional and civic groups, serving on the board of Capital City Partnerships and as member of the labor relations committee for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Brunetti holds a B.S. degree in business administration from the University of Florida , and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School 's Program for Management Development.
"We put our full confidence in Wayne Brunetti, as his insights and expertise will help position MedicAlert for continued leadership in a field that is rapidly evolving," said MedicAlert Foundation President and CEO Tanya Glazebrook.
Another current board member, Ulice Payne, Jr., Esq., will serve as board secretary. Mr Payne is a partner with the law firm of Foley & Lardner, LLP, in Milwaukee , Wisconsin . Payne, former Wisconsin Commissioner of Securities, works with corporations and partnerships, financial institutions, investment companies and public pension funds on securities and international trade issues. He is chair of the U.S. Department of Commerce - Wisconsin District Export Council. Payne received his Juris Doctor degree from Marquette University Law School and participated in the Masters of Law program at the University of London . He was a member of the 1977 NCAA Championship Basketball Team at Marquette University .
"We are privileged to have Ulice Payne as our secretary," said Glazebrook. "His role can only benefit us as we move forward together to fulfill the nonprofit MedicAlert mission to protect and save lives."
Dighton C. Packard, M.D., FACEP, will continue as treasurer. Dr. Packard is an emergency physician and chief of the department of emergency medicine at Baylor University Medical Center . He is also chief medical officer for EmCare, Inc., a physician practice management corporation dealing primarily with emergency medicine, with more than 4,000 physicians as members. Dr. Packard graduated with a B.S. from Baylor University at Waco , and also graduated from the University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio .
Retiring from the MedicAlert Foundation Board are past chairman Maurice Q. Bectel and board member Robert McAfee, MD. Mr. Bectel is the former president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation based out of Washington , D.C. In 1984 he served as the interim president and chief operations officer for the American Pharmaceutical Association. He has also served as a member of the board of directors of the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education. As a pharmacist he owned and operated a pharmacy for 20 years. Mr. Bectel received his B.S. degree in pharmacy from Ferris State University . He completed a distinguished two-year tenure as chairman of the board of MedicAlert Foundation in 2000.
"Mr. Bectel has helped MedicAlert Foundation successfully address some of the biggest challenges the organization has ever faced," said Glazebrook. "He is a leader whose legacy inspires us and a friend we will truly miss."
Dr. McAfee, a retired surgeon who practiced in South Portland , Maine , became president of the American Medical Association (AMA) in 1994. He served in a variety of roles for the organization, including: vice chair of the board of trustees, member of the executive committee of the board, commissioner to the joint commission on accreditation of healthcare organizations, and president of the AMA Education and Research Foundation. Dr. McAfee received his MD degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. He was an attending surgeon at the Maine Medical Center and chief of vascular surgery a Mercy Hospital in Portland . He also was an associate professor of surgery at the University of Vermont .
"Robert McAfee has been an invaluable asset to MedicAlert for many years," said Glazebrook. "His intelligence, perseverance and perspective on key issues will be virtually impossible to replace."
MedicAlert Foundation, the original nonprofit emergency medical information service, founded by a physician more than 45 years ago, serves 2.4 million Members nationwide and another 1.3 million globally. MedicAlert Foundation's mission is to protect and save lives. For more information, call toll-free: 800-432-5378 or visit the MedicAlert website at http://www.medicalert.org/ .