WASHINGTON, April 5 /PRNewswire/ -- America’s Blood Centers (ABC) announced today that Dallas/Ft. Worth-based Carter BloodCare CEO Merlyn H. Sayers, M.B., B.Ch., Ph.D., has been elected President of America’s Blood Centers, North America’s largest network of non-profit, community blood centers. Dr. Sayers will serve as president for two years.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050405/DCTU001 )
“We are extremely pleased that Dr. Sayers has agreed to become President of America’s Blood Centers,” said ABC CEO Jim MacPherson. “Throughout the years, he has served the blood community with distinction, and his sterling reputation among his peers is a reflection of his tireless dedication to our mission. We know the organization will excel while in such capable hands.”
As ABC’s President, Dr. Sayers will work the organization’s membership to continue to move ABC forward as the premier blood banking organization for independent, not-for-profit blood centers. He will build upon the relationships that have been established with not only other U.S.-based groups such the American Red Cross and the AABB, but also with international organizations such as the newly formed European Blood Alliance, the Alliance of Blood Operators and ABC’s newest member Canadian Blood Services.
“I’m honored to be heading an organization dedicated to promoting the importance of community blood programs,” says Dr. Sayers. “These are challenging times for blood banking locally, nationally and internationally, but ABC is well-positioned to help member-centers meet those challenges.”
Dr. Sayers will take over the presidency from Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center Medical Director Louis Katz, M.D., who served as president since April 2003.
Dr. Sayers, a physician with 35 years experience in transfusion science medicine, has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Carter BloodCare in Dallas/Fort Worth since its formation in 1998.
Before moving to Texas, Dr. Sayers spent 15 years in Seattle with the Puget Sound Blood Center where he was also on the faculty at the University of Washington in the Department of Medicine.
Dr. Sayers currently serves as a Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and has also served as Chairman of the FDA’s Blood Products Advisory Committee, as Vice Chairman of the Washington State Board of Health, and as a committee member on the Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability.
He was born in Reading, Berkshire, England, and received his medical degree and Ph.D. from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg in 1968.
About ABC
Founded in 1962, America’s Blood Centers is North America’s largest network of non-profit, community blood centers. Seventy-five blood centers operate more than 600 collection sites in 45 U.S. states and Quebec, Canada, and provide nearly half of the United States, and nearly one-quarter of Canada’s volunteer donor blood supply. These centers serve more than 150 million people and provide blood products and services to more than 3,300 hospitals. ABC members are licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
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CONTACT: Sharon Pavlovsky of America’s Blood Centers, +1-202-654-2915,or spavlovsky@americasblood.org
Web site: http://www.americasblood.org/