It is a pleasure for met to welcome you to the American Pancreatic Association Web Site. Our society is the oldest American institution representing those professionals and advocates interested in diseases of the Pancreas which are are often painful and deadly. Consequently, our goal remains to foster the science and education that is needed to cure the diseases that affect this organ. Our membership constitutes a well-balanced functional partnership between basic scientists, clinician investigators, and practicioners which have built the tradition of advancing the field while training the new generation of individuals that will push the frontiers of pancreatic cell research and practice ahead.We also have joined our efforts together with those of governmental and nongovernmental organizations and foundations that share a similar goal. Therefore, our membership is the heart of our organization, and their efforts strive to be ultimately channeled to better the build the conceptual framework and tools to better the sick.

Our membership, guests, and sponsors come together at our annual meeting in Chicago that has been held in Chicago since the birth of our organization. In 2006 the APA held a joint meeting with the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP). This magnificant celebration of science and medicine brought together experts from all the different continents and was the result of almost two years of preparations by a superb team of individuals lead by our former president Chris Forskman and the former IAP president Peter Bank. At this meeting, we also elected new officers who will work, benefited by the membership input, on the issues that are dear to our organization, including the arrangement and preparation for next year's meeting. In this regard, I am happy to report the election of Dr. Diane Simeone to the position of councilor and Dr. Ashok Saluja to the position of Secretary-Treasurer. The position of Secretary-Treasurer was left vacant by the departure of Dr. Richard Bell who will now serve the National Surgical Society in Pennsylvania. We are thankful yet sad to see Dr. Bell leaving since in a short period of time he had implemented new ideas that significantly improved the management of our organization. At the same time, we feel fortunate that Dr. Ashok Saluja, one of our former presidents, will selflessly lend his experience and talents to fulfill the five year term Secretary-Treasurer job which is the longer lasting and a vital position for the well-functioning of our organization. Laslty, as it is traditional in our organization, I also assumed the position of the 2007 APA president at the twilight of the 2006 meeting. For this honor invested in me, I cannot thank enough the trust of our membership. No doubt, I will work tirelessly to serve our organization diligently in accomplishing all the goals that have been set for next year and others that will emerge from my interaction with the rest of the APA leadership and the membership combined.

As always, I and the entire governing board welcome your ideas and suggestions to make the APA a better, more effective, and responsive organization.

Raul A. Urrutia, MD