rin F. Guidry, M.D., ASA Immediate Past President, has been awarded Honorary Membership to the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland (AAGBI). He is the first ASA member in 27 years to be given this honor. Past AAGBI honorary members from ASA include:

Francis H. McMechan, M.D. (1932)

Ralph M. Waters, M.D. (1936)

Ralph M. Tovell, M.D. (1943)

Stuart C. Cullen, M.D. (1976)

Francis F. Foldes, M.D. (1976)

Emanuel M. Papper, M.D. (1976)

John J. Bonica, M.D. (1977)

John S. Lundy, M.D. (1978)

M. T. “Pepper” Jenkins, M.D. (1980)

Honorary Membership was instituted the year AAGBI was founded in 1932. Election takes place at the AAGBI Annual General Meeting, and the award is accompanied by a citation and certificate. Dr. Guidry is currently Professor and Vice-Chair for Professional Development in the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina and is President of the American Board of Anesthesiology.

Dr. Guidry’s nomination letter for Honorary Membership to AAGBI appears below. It was written by 2005 ASA President Eugene P. Sinclair, M.D.

Orin F. Guidry, M.D.

Orin F. Guidry was born and grew up in rural Opelousas, Louisiana, where he attended school, and his aptitude for leadership first became apparent when he was elected treasurer of his high school student body. Following graduation from high school, Dr. Guidry completed undergraduate and medical school studies at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, Louisiana, respectively, receiving the degrees of Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Doctorate of Medicine.

After several years as a general surgery resident at New Orleans’ Charity Hospital, Dr. Guidry moved to Jackson, Mississippi, for an anesthesiology residency at the University of Mississippi. He continued at the University of Mississippi for two years after residency as a faculty member in the department of anesthesiology before entering private practice in Jackson in 1977 and soon becoming the managing partner of the group.

His involvement in the board certification process began shortly thereafter with his selection as an Associate Examiner of the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) in 1979, leading to his election as a Director in 1996 and current service as president. ABA is a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), and Dr. Guidry serves as a director and member of the finance and governance committees of ABMS. He was nominated by ABA and currently serves on the Residency Review Committee for Anesthesiology.

"Fred" began service to ASA in 1981 as a member of its House of Delegates and has served as Chair of House Reference Committees, the Committee on Governmental Affairs, the Committee on Surgical Anesthesia, the Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Anesthesiology and Task Forces on Procedure Based Reimbursement, Data Collection and Graduate Medical Education. He was elected to the ASA Board of Directors in 1988 and served as chair of its Committee on Legislative Review. He served on ASA’s Administrative Council for 11 years as Assistant Treasurer, Treasurer and then as President in 2006. During this time, his significant contributions have included guiding the effort to have academic anesthesiologists more involved in ASA governance by developing a Committee on Academic Anesthesiology and establishing representation for academic anesthesiologists on the ASA Board, changing the process of financial support of foundations affiliated with ASA, establishing a restricted reserve policy for ASA’s funds, increasing member oversight of the ASA Executive Office, and raising the awareness of the paucity of research in anesthesia. He was spokesperson for ASA when physician involvement in lethal injection became a subject of much media interest.

His commitment to anesthesia research is evident by his serving on the Board of the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research since 1995 with a five-year term as Treasurer.

He returned to his home state in August of 1999 to accept the chairmanship of the Department of Anesthesiology at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, a position he held until September 2004. At the Ochsner Clinic he was credited with revitalizing the residency and developing a strong clinical service.

In July of 2007, he moved to Charleston, South Carolina, to become Professor of Anesthesiology at the Medical University of South Carolina. His duties include Vice-Chair for Professional Development and Anesthesiology Chief for Ashley River Tower.

As the Vice-Chairman for Professional Development, he will be involved in the mentoring and career guidance of faculty members within the department of anesthesiology and will chair the department’s Promotion and Tenure Committee.

Fred is married to Nancy and has two adult sons, an attorney and an anesthesiologist. Boating is his primary recreational interest.

It is truly an honor for me to propose that Orin F. Guidry be granted the award of Honorary Membership of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Eugene P. Sinclair, M.D., ASA Executive-in-Charge, Organizational Improvement Initiative, is the former Chief of Anesthesia Service, Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.