The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Board of Regents approved new officers of the ACS Foundation Board of Directors at the Regents’ February meeting in Chicago, IL. The new officers, who began their two-year terms in February, are Chair Mary H. McGrath, MD, MPH, FACS, professor of surgery, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF); Vice-Chair Charles E. Lucas, MD, FACS, professor of surgery, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI; and Secretary Ruth L. Bush, MD, JD, MPH, FACS, deputy director, the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, a partnership between the Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Houston, TX.

Mary H. McGrath, MD, MPH, FACS

Dr. McGrath is a graduate of St. Louis University School of Medicine, MO, and completed her general surgery residency at the University of Colorado Medical Center, Denver. She then trained in plastic surgery at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, and has made outstanding clinical and academic contributions to the field of plastic surgery, especially in the areas of breast and hand surgery, wound healing, introduction of new technology, and workforce issues.

Dr. McGrath’s career as an academic surgeon started at Yale in 1978 with a position as assistant professor of surgery in the school of medicine’s division of plastic and reconstructive surgery. In 1980, she attained the position of assistant professor of surgery, division of plastic and reconstructive surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. In 1984, she moved to the George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, where she began as chief, division of plastic and reconstructive surgery, and director, residency training program, ultimately ascending to professor of surgery. She has held her present position at UCSF since 2003. She has served in many national positions in plastic surgery and is the present president of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons.

A Fellow of the College since 1983, Dr. McGrath has provided exceptional service to the ACS and has served for 25 years in leadership roles, including First Vice-President (2007–2008); Vice-Chair, Board of Regents (2005–2006); member, Executive Committee, Board of Regents (2002–2006); Regent (1997– 2006); and Chair, Committee on Ethics (2003–2006). She served on the Board of Governors (B/G) Executive Committee and as a Governor-at-Large representing the District of Columbia.

In 2009, the ACS appointed her to serve on the Board of Commissioners of The Joint Commission. She is currently serving her third term in this capacity.

For this remarkable record of service, Dr. McGrath received the College’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, in 2011. She received the ACS Foundation’s Distinguished Philanthropist Award in 2016 for her generous contributions to the College and service to the larger philanthropic community.

Charles E. Lucas, MD, FACS

A native of Detroit, Dr. Lucas has dedicated his surgical career to his hometown. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Detroit and his doctor of medicine degree from Wayne State University (WSU). After completing his residency at WSU, he accepted a position on the WSU surgical faculty, specializing in trauma and surgical critical care.

Dr. Lucas conducted his clinical and academic activities at Detroit General Hospital until its closure in 1980. He then moved to the Detroit Medical Center (DMC), practicing at the new Detroit Receiving Hospital (DRH), the Harper University Hospital (HUH), the Hutzel Hospital, and the Karmanos Cancer Hospital. A renowned trauma surgeon, Dr. Lucas was instrumental in securing DRH as the first ACS-verified Level I trauma center in the U.S. He has trained hundreds of medical students and residents, and his research efforts have resulted in the publication of more than 400 peer-reviewed articles, books, and book chapters.

An ACS Fellow since 1970, Dr. Lucas has served in several ACS volunteer roles for more than 35 years, including member, B/G (1984–1990, 1998–2004); President, ACS Michigan Chapter, (1981–1983); and member, Committee on Trauma (1993–2003). He has also been active in a number of surgical organizations, including the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, American Surgical Association, Central Surgical Association, Midwest Surgical Association, Society of University Surgeons, and Western Surgical Association.

Ruth L. Bush, MD, JD, MPH, FACS

Dr. Bush received her doctor of medicine degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, in 1992. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center, where she also spent two additional years as a vascular research fellow. She then finished her vascular surgery fellowship at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, GA. Serving in several academic positions over her career, Dr. Bush was most recently vice-dean and professor of surgery at Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX.

Dr. Bush has received several research support funding awards to conduct studies on vascular disease and improved treatment and has published broadly on an array of topics. In addition to service on the ACS Foundation Board, Dr. Bush has been a member of the ACS B/G (2007–2010). She is active in several surgical associations including American Venous Forum, Association of Women Surgeons, and the Society for Vascular Surgery. She has been honored with a number of awards, including Distinguished Fellow (2007) and Presidential Citation (2014), Society of Vascular Surgery; Distinguished Fellow (2015), American Venous Forum; and Outstanding Faculty Teaching Awards, Texas A&M College of Medicine in 2014 and 2015. She continues to practice vascular surgery at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.

For more information on the ACS Foundation, contact Shane Hollett, ACS Foundation Executive Director, at 312-202-5506 or shollett@facs.org, and visit facs.org/acsfoundation.

Ms. Klein is Director, Donor Relations and Communications, ACS Foundation, Chicago, IL.

ACS Board of Regents approves new Foundation officers teaser