Northern California Chapter HFMA
Our Chapter has over 900 members, representing all parts of the healthcare industry, both public and private sectors. The Northern California Chapter has a rich history of active participation by members, sponsorship of leading educational events and conferences, and strong fellowship within its membership ranks. The Chapter is a leader in the professional development of its membership.
A Message from our Chapter President
Steve Thompson
Chapter President
2012-2013
As I sit to write this month's message, I am amazed that we have headed into the fourth
month of the New Year already and our Annual Region 11 and Spring Conference are
pleasant memories.
This year's Annual Region 11 Symposium at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas was the largest
turnout to date, with more than 570 attendees from as far away as Connecticut to the East
and Hawaii to the West. Each year, the Symposium continues to grow and offer improved keynote speakers and
challenging break out sessions. Each conference, I find that I gravitate to one keynote, that to me, shines above
the rest. Last year's ANI hosted Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and a challenging and focused presentation. This year, the person that stood out to me was Bill Walton, former basketball player and remarkable individual. I will not bore you with his on-court attributes, which are many, but I would rather share a bit of who this
man has become and what he stands for. He talked about his injuries (fused ankles, fused back, bad knees, broken pelvis, just to name a few), but he did not seek sympathy. He spoke of his commitment to wounded warriors
and how important it is in life to give back for all that we receive and never let life's adversities get you down. He was also one of the few keynote speakers that had to be encouraged to end his presentation because he believes in giving more than he gets. As a final note, I have to admit that I was a bit star struck also as I now have a
personalized basketball and a picture standing next to this man that graces 6'8" and has a contagious grin.
This year was the last year for the symposium to be held in Las Vegas as we move to San Diego for the next
three years. We are very excited about this move and look forward to seeing more of you at this event as we continue to reach beyond our own limitations and always seek to find a better future for all of you.
The Northern California Chapter is the proud recipient of a Scholarship in the amount of $25,000 to be used
for student scholarships for students studying Healthcare. This scholarship was included in the will of the late
David Hoskinson who was a member of the Northern California Chapter prior to moving to Florida.
There are a number of wonderful education events that have occurred and are scheduled over the next few
months. The Revenue Cycle and Finance Committees have just concluded the Road Shows throughout Northern
California. The Spring Conference offered many high quality educational events and also the opportunity to talk
and act like a Pirate as the theme to the conference. On April 19, we are going to have our first Annual Women's
Luncheon in Palo Alto.
As I bring this message to a close, I am also reminded of the fact that your chapter will be changing leadership
starting June 1, 2013, with Terry Paff stepping in as the new chapter president. I will talk more about this in my
next and final message as chapter president. I just want to leave all of you with the thought and renewed commitment to continue to look for ways to move forward, make a difference and and never forget that Leadership
Matters
