n October 27, 2004, the ASA House of Delegates voted to award the 2004 ASA Distinguished Service Award to William D. Owens, M.D. In bestowing this honor upon Dr. Owens, ASA recognizes him for his numerous contributions to the specialty of anesthesiology with its highest award. The presentation of this award to Dr. Owens will take place immediately before the Emery A. Rovenstine Memorial Lecture at the ASA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, October 24, 2005. Dr. Owens was ASA President in 1998.

William D. Owens, M.D.

When asked who was responsible for his success, Dr. Owens quickly gives credit to his wife of 41 years, Pat. She, along with their three children, Pamela, David and Susan, endured his frequent absences over many years. The success of their three children is a source of great pride for them.

Dr. Owens’ interest in politics began early in life. His father served 12 years as a member of the Missouri State Senate. Dr. Owens credits his involvement in ASA to his mentors Richard J. Kitz, M.D., and C. Ronald Stephen, M.D. He credits his early involvement in ASA politics to then Speaker of the House of Delegates James A. Felts, M.D.

Dr. Owens is a graduate of Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, and has received its Alumni Achievement Award. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Medicine in Ann Arbor. Dr. Owens served his internship at Presbyterian Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, and his next three years were spent in the U.S. Navy. Following this tour of duty, he completed his anesthesiology residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and took a fellowship in the Department of Anesthesiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

His career in academic anesthesiology began upon completion of his year of fellowship as he stayed on for a year as an Instructor in Anesthesia at Harvard. Following this he returned to the city of his birth, St. Louis, Missouri, and became a member of the department of anesthesiology at Washington University. Over the ensuing years, he held every rank in the department, including chair. Most recently he achieved the rank of Professor Emeritus. During this time, he received the department’s Distinguished Teacher Award. This award was particularly meaningful to him as mentoring young physicians has been one of his lifelong passions.

In his President-Elect remarks to the 1997 ASA House of Delegates, Dr. Owens quoted Richard Bode who said:

“A sailor does not pick the wind; but he does respond to subtle shifts in the wind. A sailor does not control the tide; but he does respond to imperceptible ebbing on the tide. A sailor changes course. He trims the sheets. He sails.”

Dr. Owens has sailed as the captain of most of the ships in the sea of anesthesiology. He has served as President of the Missouri Society of Anesthesiologists and has received its Distinguished Service Award. He has been the President of the American Board of Anesthesiology. He has served the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research as its President. He has served as the President of the Academy of Anesthesiology and has received its Citation of Merit. He has served and continues to serve as President of the Anesthesia Foundation.

His service to ASA began in 1975 with his first ASA committee assignment. Over the next 23 years, he served in many different capacities as a committee member, a committee chair and a member of the Board of Directors. In 1996 he was elected First Vice-President. In 1997 he became President-Elect and President in 1998.

Since retiring from the active practice of anesthesiology, Dr. Owens has remained connected to his profession by serving on the medical school admissions committee at Washington University and researching and writing the history of anesthesiology at Washington University.

One of the things Dr. Owens is noted for is his love of neckties, some of which border on the outrageous. He is quick to give the credit for these ties to his wife Pat, but there is good reason to doubt the veracity of this allegation.

Winston Churchill said, “The price of greatness is responsibility.” William D. Owens has demonstrated this and is a most worthy recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.

Roger W. Litwiller, M.D., is Staff Anesthesiologist, Carilion Medical Center, Roanoke, Virginia.