SA President (1950) Rolland J. Whitacre, M.D., died suddenly on February 16, 1956, after having held practically every office within the anesthesia circle. His many friends and colleagues thought that there should be some form of permanent recognition for this pioneer in anesthesiology. It was thought that a memorial to Dr. Whitacre should further the progress of anesthesiology as a specialty of medicine.

Rolland J. Whitacre, M.D.

ASA President (1955) B.B. Sankey, M.D., organized a meeting of anesthesiologists in Cleveland, Ohio. All in attendance were friends of Dr. Whitacre. They met at the home of Jack Lansdale, Esq., ASA Legal Counsel, in June 1956. Dr. Whitacre was responsible for this law firm being consul to ASA. Over two days, these physicians and Mr. Lansdale discussed a possible memorial for Dr. Whitacre but, at the same time, were lamenting the loss of other prominent anesthesiologists in 1956. Others who died during the first six months of 1956 included R. Charles Adams, M.D., Arthur E. Guedel, M.D., Robert B. Hammond, M.D., Henry S. Ruth, M.D., and Brian C. Sword, M.D., all pioneers in anesthesiology education and stalwarts in the early origins of our specialty.

A Home in Ohio
The idea of something to benefit residents in anesthesiology came to the fore. The result was “The Anesthesia Memorial Foundation.” It was established as a nonprofit organization incorporated in Ohio on September 12, 1956, legally independent of any other group or society but cooperating to the fullest extent with all anesthesiology organizations then in existence. This independence was thought necessary for the Internal Revenue Service to grant tax-exempt status. The original subscribers to the Articles of Incorporation were Mr. Lansdale, John E. Kirkpatrick and Joseph R. Cortese, all attorneys with the law firm of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey. At the meeting on September 12, the original members of the Board of Trustees were elected by the original subscribers of the Anesthesia Memorial Foundation. Those elected were Chair John S. Lundy, M.D., Urban H. Eversole, M.D., A. William Friend, M.D., Charles S. McCuskey, M.D., Stevens J. Martin, M.D., and Dr. Sankey, plus Mr. Lansdale. They served without compensation or reimbursement, and to this day, the trustees have never received either compensation or reimbursement. The corporate registration was changed in 1981 to the state of Illinois.

The original Articles of Incorporation stated that the Foundation was:

“To loan or give money to deserving persons to assist them in becoming specialists in anesthesia or for research or study in the field of anesthesia or related fields.

“Aid in the improvement and advancement in anesthesia and the drugs and other facilities used in connection therewith and to engage in research in connection therewith, and to collect, print and circulate information relative thereto.

“Encourage the improvement of anesthesia, the technique thereof and the drugs and facilities used in connection therewith and to denote or loan funds or other services to others in furtherance thereof.

“To receive funds or property by donation, bequest or otherwise and to hold, invest, sell and disburse the same.

“To own, operate or maintain facilities of all kinds for the performance of surgical, medical and dental procedures and the provision of anesthesia in connection therewith and the care of patients in connection therewith.”

“To own and maintain suitable real estate and buildings and to do any and all things necessary or incidental to any of the forgoing purposes.”

Making it Official
In October 1956, at the ASA Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, Dr. Whitacre was awarded the Distinguished Service Award (DSA). This was the first time that the DSA was awarded posthumously. ASA formed a new committee during the same meeting, the Committee on American Society of Anesthesiologists Anesthesia Foundation.

At the ASA annual banquet at this Annual Meeting, it was announced that the Anesthesia Memorial Foundation had been established and that it would be devoted to the advancement of all phases of the specialty and, most importantly, a residents’ loan fund. It was during the banquet that the Ohio Society of Anesthesiologists initiated the fundraising with a $500 donation. ASA granted a loan of $5,000 that was later forgiven by ASA.

The handbook for the House of Delegates in 1966 contains a report from the Committee on ASA Anesthesia Foundation concerning a meeting in which discussion of a closer relationship between the Foundation and ASA was the topic. The outcome of the discussion was that ASA should not be seen as controlling the Foundation, primarily because of fear of losing the Foundation’s tax-exempt status. It was reported, however, that there should remain a close relationship between the two organizations. At that time, the ASA President was nominating (and the Board of Directors approving) the members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Later the Foundation’s trustees were nominated and elected by the standing trustees. The election of new trustee members did not go back to ASA for approval. This difference, in comparison to other ASA foundations, will be corrected in the near future.

In the early years, individuals and companies were encouraged to give memorial funds, which could be given for special objectives. Mead Johnson, for example, provided funds for the Mead Johnson Scholarship Award to individuals chosen by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. As to loans, the initial loans were $1,000 a year, and the amount has been raised on numerous occasions since. Currently the loan amount is for up to $6,000 per year, which is loaned at $500 per month.

Growing Up
The Anesthesia Foundation has continued to grow and to provide funds for our anesthesiology residents. As of December 31, 2004, The Anesthesia Foundation had assets of $1,264,000, all of which was committed to individuals in the form of loans. There have been at least two times in the history of the Foundation that a moratorium on loans had to be put into place due to insufficient funds to meet the many requests. The most recent moratorium, in 2004, was lifted in February 2005 when sufficient funds were again available. The funds primarily came from loan payments.

In addition, to meet other objectives, the Foundation has established the Anesthesia Book Award, which has been given on eight occasions. It now includes publications that involve electronic media as well as print media and has been renamed the Book/Multimedia Award. The award is usually given every four years, the last in 2004.

There are currently 12 members of the Board of Trustees. All but one (the public member) are ASA members. They receive no compensation or reimbursement for expenses. They are expected to provide contributions themselves, and they are expected to solicit funds from others. Members of the Board at this time are Doris K. Cope, M.D., Norig Ellison, M.D., Leonard Fagraeus, M.D., Ph.D., Merel H. Harmel, M.D., Thomas G. Johans, M.D., Ronald A. MacKenzie, D.O., John R. Moyers, M.D., William D. Owens, M.D., Michael P. Smith, M.D., Carol A. Warfield, M.D., and Jess B. Weiss, M.D., with Mr. Vincent M. Bufano as the public member. There also is an Advisory Committee composed of former officers of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation who serve in an advisory capacity.

William D. Owens, M.D., is Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri. He was ASA President in 1998.

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