KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The PKD Foundation is today announcing that Mr. Dan Larson will be retiring from his long-time position as the Foundation’s President and CEO, and will be transitioning into a new role as the Foundation’s Senior Advisor and CEO-Emeritus. Mr. Larson began his work at the PKD Foundation in 1993, and has served as its President and CEO since 1994. In that role, he has directed the transformation of the organization from a small, regional effort into the leading voice for the millions of people affected by Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) worldwide.
The Board of Trustees of the PKD Foundation has begun a search for a new CEO. “We are incredibly grateful to Dan for his leadership, vision, and years of service,” said Scott Peppet, Chairman of the Board. “Although we will miss having Dan at the helm, we are also excited about the future that new leadership will help us create, and the difference that the PKD Foundation can continue to make in the lives of those with Polycystic Kidney Disease.”
Mr. Larson will continue to support the PKD Foundation going forward in a new role as a Senior Advisor and CEO-emeritus. In that capacity, Mr. Larson will continue to help lead the fight against PKD and support the organization he has helped to build. “Dan has been a driving force in the incredible progress we’ve made against PKD in the last two decades,” said Dr. Ted Steinman, member of the Board and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. “It will be invaluable to have his help and advice going forward as the PKD Foundation makes this transition to new leadership.”
In honor of Mr. Larson’s long-standing commitment to PKD patients around the world, the Board of the PKD Foundation is designating an annual research grant in his honor. The Dan Larson Research Grant will be awarded to a meritorious research project each year that exemplifies the innovation and dedication that Mr. Larson has brought to the PKD cause and that shows great promise for assisting in treating or curing Polycystic Kidney Disease. “This is the greatest honor we can bestow,” said Dr. Steinman. “It recognizes in perpetuity the incredible impact that Dan Larson has had on PKD research.”
The PKD Foundation will hold a reception to honor Mr. Larson during the organization’s “United On The Hill” lobbying event March 14 in Washington, D.C.
ABOUT THE PKD FOUNDATION
Polycystic Kidney Disease affects one in 500 people, regardless of gender, age or ethnicity. More than 600,000 Americans and 12.5 million people worldwide suffer from this debilitating genetic disease. The PKD Foundation is the primary research, education and advocacy group working to find a treatment and a cure for Polycystic Kidney Disease. More information about PKD and the PKD Foundation is available at www.pkdcure.org.
SOURCE PKD Foundation
