Hello from the AAMI Standards Department.

I'm here to challenge the preconception held by some that standards and the people who write them are boring and dry. I'm here to tell you that standards people are fun! This year at the AAMI Standards Reception, which will be held on June 2 in Long Beach, CA, we will present our inaugural Fun AAMI Standards Awards. One of the awards will go to the committee member with the most interesting hobby. And the nominees are:

• Bruce Alpert, MD, a Yankees memorabilia collector
• Jim Conti, who has a passion for sustainable farming
• Geoff Pascoe, a car-racing enthusiast
• Ron Reitan, a fan of pyrotechnics
• Brian Young, a surfer

As you can see, standards committee members are a varied, exciting, and in some cases wild bunch! In case you were wondering, the AAMI Standards staff is pretty fun, too. Our hobbies include dog breeding, poetry, travel, shopping, and dining. 

Hope to see you in Long Beach!

Colleen Elliot
Standards Director