Public Health Magazine: Spring 1996, Vol.4, No.1
Alumni News

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT CSPH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

I would like to take this opportunity to extend warmest regards to the alumni of the School of Public Health. As we begin making plans for the celebration of our 75th Anniversary, it is with particular excitement that I share with you an update of the activities of our Association.

Once again, the Executive Board is in the planning stages for the annual conference. The theme will be environmental health issues and will be co-sponsored by the Bar Association of the City of New York. Please mark your calendars for Friday, October 25.

Ronald L. Lauterstein '58 is the recipient of the 1996 Alumni Federation Medal for Conspicuous Alumni Service. He will be honored by the University at the annual Federation Luncheon held on Commencement Day. Ron has been a valued Association Board member for more than 10 years. Congratulations, Ron.

The programming initiatives of our Association and the recognition of our alumni are, indeed, important, but of equal significance is the direction the Executive Board is taking on behalf of the Association, its mission and relationship to alumni, faculty, students and friends. To that end, a By-Laws Task Force has been commissioned which will review, evaluate and make recommendations regarding the governance of the Association. We trust our work will be completed by Fall '96. This process will assure the relevance and timeliness of our service to the Association and the Association's significance to our alumni.

Our Association is a large, diverse and growing body consisting of individuals who make their mark on our profession. And, we welcome and solicit your opinions and encourage your involvement.

Respectfully,

Edward L. Kleinert

President

Lauterstein Awarded Medal for Service

Congratulations to Ron Lauterstein, '58, on being one of ten awardees university-wide of the 1996 Alumni Federation Medal for Conspicuous Alumni Service. This prestigious award, presented by Columbia President George Rupp at the Commencement Day luncheon, is the highest honor the Alumni Federation can bestow on an alumnus. Ron, president and co-founder of COMCARE Limited, a major provider of nursing and home care services throughout Canada, has, most recently among other contributions, established a scholarship fund in memory of his late wife, Doris A. Nickerson. The award is given to a Canadian health care practitioner attending CSPH. The first recipient is Dr. Patricia Hudson. Dr. Hudson is a native of Chicoutimi, Quebec. Her work is concentrated in Population and Family Health with a sub-specialty in maternal child health. Our best wishes go to Ron and Dr. Hudson.

Hazlewood Honored

The opening of the academic year was highlighted with the news that Arthur I. Hazlewood, D.D.S., '68 was honored by the board of directors of Our Lady of Mercy Fund of New York with their Physician of the Year award. We join in extending our congratulations.

Executive M.P.H. Conference

Executive M.P.H. alumni gathered at the Williams Club on October 20 for their second annual conference. The theme, "Managed Care: Fact or Fleeting Fancy", provided insights into the financial, clinical and legal issues facing hospitals and physicians as they redefine themselves in the current marketplace. Conferees were overwhelming in their support of this symposium and we look forward to continuing this annual event.

Annual Alumni Reception Held in San Diego

October 30th was the date of our annual alumni reception held in San Diego in conjunction with the 123rd Annual American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference. We were delighted to have wall-to-wall alumni and friends join in this evening of socializing and networking. Alumni both recent and not-so-recent met and mingled. We were especially pleased to have Julius S. "Bud" Prince, M.D., '48 with us. Bud, whose career we highlighted in the 1993 edition of this publication, is well and productive and currently working on a book. Quite impressive for a youngster of 84 years. Another special alumnus who stopped to see us was Alfred E. Kessler, '40, who just completed a two-year presidency of the conference of emeritus members of the APHA. In addition to his family and hobbies, Al is happiest when skiing in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. We look forward to seeing all of our alumni again at the next meeting of the APHA which will be held this year in the Coliseum in New York City, November 17-20. Mark your calendars now!

Holiday party

Our CSPH annual holiday party on December 13 was another festive occasion to relax with friends and acquaintances. We are always happy to have this opportunity to come together with our friends of longstanding.

Spring Luncheon Held in Boston

March 20th marked the annual CSPH spring luncheon held in Boston in concert with the New England Healthcare Assembly. Our faculty speaker, Ron Bayer, Ph.D., professor of public health and a leading medical ethicist, spoke on "Tuberculosis, Public Health and Civil Liberties: Lessons from the 1990s." The universal appeal of Dr. Bayer's talk also made this an ideal event for interested School of Social Work alumni, a few of whom were able to attend. We were delighted with the attendance of Sherwin Goodblatt, '61 (for more on Sherwin, see box, page 35). He sends best wishes to his Hospital Administration colleagues who, this year, celebrate the 50th Anniversary of their program.

Former Dean Robert J. Weiss and his wife, Minnie, were two special guests at this luncheon. Dr. and Mrs. Weiss now reside in the Boston area and were happy to have an opportunity to spend some time with CSPH alumni, some of whom were students during Dr. Weiss' tenure.

CSPH Grad on Best Doctor List

Pediatric AIDS specialist James M. Oleske, M.D., M.P.H., class of '74, has been named one of the nation's best doctors in a special edition of American Health magazine. Oleske, director of the Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases at University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey-University Hospital and New Jersey Medical School, was selected through a survey of more than 3,200 department heads at U.S. medical centers for recognition in the magazine's March review of the 1,000 "Best Doctors in America."

Oleske was one of the first physicians in the world to identify AIDS in children and is at the forefront of treating, managing and researching pediatric AIDS. He holds elected and appointed positions on nine national and regional AIDS- and pediatric AIDS-related committees-including advisor to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Committee on Pediatric AIDS-and is on the boards of trustees/directors of several AIDS foundations and humanitarian organizations focused on children, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

1996 Alumni Conference

The 1996 Alumni Conference is scheduled for October 25th. This event will be co-sponsored by the New York Bar Association of the City of New York located on West 44th Street. This year's theme is Environmental Health Sciences. More details as they become available.

WANTED:ALUMNI

Attention all alumni. With your cooperation, future issues of the new Columbia Public Health will increasingly feature alumni interviews, comments and work related to various topical articles under consideration. To fully realize this goal, the student services and public relations departments need up-to-date information about alumni. Please send business cards and, of course, your "Touch of Class" entries to the Alumni Relations Office, Columbia School of Public Health, 617 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032.