DERMATOLOGY FOUNDATION

2000 LEADERS SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP EXCEEDS 1,000 FOR FIRST TIME;

ANNENBERG CIRCLE GROWS BY 22 PERCENT

The 2000 Leaders Society Campaign scored two successes by year-end with 1,016 members of the specialty on board as $1,000 supporters and 169 first-time members responding to the Dermik Laboratories $1,000 matching gift challenge.

In addition, membership in the Annenberg Circle reached 81 and grew by a dramatic 22% during the last quarter of 2000. The addition of Annenberg Circle donors of $25,000 or more brought total Leaders Society membership to 1,097.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the combination of an expanded network of Leaders Society Campaign chairs across the country and the work of our new Annenberg Circle committee produced this solid growth," said Michael D. Tharp, M.D., Chairman of the Leaders Society Committee. "The Foundation has served as the unified fund-raising arm for the entire specialty since 1964. The specialty’s understanding and ever-growing realization of the DF’s premier role in this context are demonstrated by the numbers and dollars."

Rodney S. W. Basler, M.D., chairman of the Annenberg Circle Committee, commented that "Given the fact that our group just began working with prospects and formal solicitation assignments last October, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished for the specialty. The Committee members have set a near-term goal of enrolling 100 members – and I’m confident we will meet it by mid-year."

New Annenberg Circle members in 2000 include Drs. Martin Braun III, William Dorner, Jr., J. Harvey Gardner, Michael H. Gold, Eugene Mandrea, Douglas N. Naversen, Dennis E. Newton III, Maurice A. Thew, Helen M. Torok, James E. Turner, Wallace N. Weber and Herschel S. Zackheim. Joining from outside the specialty are Mr. David D. Fadness and Ira Lawrence, M.D.

Total physician support of the Research Awards Program of the Foundation reached $1.62 million by year-end 2000, of which $1.3 million came from members of the Leaders Society and Annenberg Circle.

Members of the Leaders Society and Annenberg Circle will be honored at a special reception at the Corcoran Gallery on Sunday, March 4. A roster of both Leaders Society and Annenberg Circle members can be viewed at the Dermatology Foundation booth (#1554/6) during the Academy meeting.

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