POST-MEETING WINTER 2025
FUTURE MEETINGS 2026
April 16-18
America’s Think Tank for Mental Health
www.ourgap.org
November 12-14
CIRCULAR LETTER #674
2027
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
April 8-10
Business and Fall Meetings Review
November 11-13
In my past few letters, I’ve written about the vitality of GAP as
2028
measured by the creative output of the committees. By that
April 6-8
measure, GAP is in excellent health. At the Business meeting,
November 9-11
we distributed a table showing the volume and range of materials reviewed by the Publications Board. It was then forwarded to me
All meetings scheduled
for presidential approval since the Spring meeting. It was very
at the Sonesta Hotel
impressive. In fact, the Publications Board has been so busy
White Plains, New York
that Matt Erlich, Co-Chair of the Publications Board, stood up at the Fall meeting and asked everyone to please STOP WRITING. But, please don’t. Another important measure of GAP’s vitality is the willingness to do new things. The Fall meeting showcased two fresh initiatives. First, we inaugurated our Distinguished Guest
GAP OFFICERS:
program by welcoming George and Elin Abercrombie, two warm and wise colleagues from other walks of life, who shared their experiences and perspectives with several committees.
President
We will have them with us for three more meetings. Second, we celebrated the selection of
Robert P. Roca, M.D.
John Looney as the first recipient of the GAP Distinguished Service Award. John is the Past
rroca2@jhmi.edu
President of GAP, the Chair of the Planning, Marketing & Communications Committee, and a passionate, highly effective fundraiser for GAP. The nominating committee, chaired by
President Elect
Jacob Appel, could not have made a better choice. Our congratulations and our thanks
Sy A. Saeed, M.D.
go out to John.
saeeds@ecu.edu
Yet another measure of GAP’s vitality is the willingness to do hard things. The audit we reviewed at the spring meeting reminded us that we are strong in terms of restricted assets
Secretary
to fund the fellowships, but not in unrestricted assets to operate the organization. This is
David A. Sasso, M.D.
because expenses have risen much faster than revenues. Dues are our primary source of
david.sasso@gmail.com
revenue. Our last dues increase was in 2016, 9 years ago, and since that time, the cumulative inflation rate in the US has been 34%. The most significant impact of inflation on GAP has
Treasurer
been an increase in meeting costs. When you add the costs of meals, meeting rooms, AV,
Gail E. Robinson, M.D.
taxes, service charges, and other fees, the total exceeds $600 per attendee per meeting. As
gail.robinson@utoronto.ca
a result of these cost increases, we have had to draw down our unrestricted reserves, which is not sustainable. We had a special meeting of the finance committee over the summer. We
Past President
decided we had no choice but to create balanced budgets every year – budgets in which
Calvin R. Sumner, M.D.
annual revenues cover annual expenses. We considered potential cost-reduction options,
docsumner@gmail.com
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