Trade Associations
Here's a look at documents from national and international trade associations
Featured Stories
Statement From Ian P. Moloney, Chief Policy Officer of the American Fintech Council, on JPMorgan Data-Sharing
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- The American Fintech Council, an organization that says it promotes a transparent, inclusive and customer-centric financial system, issued the following news release:
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September 25, 2026
Statement from Ian P. Moloney, Chief Policy Officer of the American Fintech Council (AFC), on JPMorgan Data-Sharing
The American Fintech Council (AFC) and its members are committed to advancing open, secure, and competitive financial options, ensuring consumers retain full ownership and control over their personal financial data.
Once again, JPMorgan is putting artificial barriers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- The American Fintech Council, an organization that says it promotes a transparent, inclusive and customer-centric financial system, issued the following news release: * * * September 25, 2026 Statement from Ian P. Moloney, Chief Policy Officer of the American Fintech Council (AFC), on JPMorgan Data-Sharing The American Fintech Council (AFC) and its members are committed to advancing open, secure, and competitive financial options, ensuring consumers retain full ownership and control over their personal financial data. Once again, JPMorgan is putting artificial barriersin place for everyday families who just want seamless access to and control over their own financial data.
Whether it's imposing hidden access fees or manufacturing deliberate friction through forced re-confirmations, the underlying strategy hasn't changed: protecting legacy market power at the direct expense of consumer choice.
Let's be clear--consumers, not mega-banks on Wall Street, own their financial data. Disrupting access to modern, trusted fintech tools under the guise of security limits competition and penalizes millions of hard-working Americans who rely on these services every single day to manage their money and build financial health.
AFC will continue to fight for clear, consistent rules of the road and an open banking ecosystem that respects consumer rights.
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Original text here: https://www.fintechcouncil.org/press-releases/statement-from-ian-p-moloney-chief-policy-officer-of-the-american-fintech-council-afc-on-jpmorgan-data-sharing
[Category: Financial Services]
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September 25, 2026
Statement from Ian P. Moloney, Chief Policy Officer of the American Fintech Council (AFC), on JPMorgan Data-Sharing
The American Fintech Council (AFC) and its members are committed to advancing open, secure, and competitive financial options, ensuring consumers retain full ownership and control over their personal financial data.
Once again, JPMorgan is putting artificial barriers ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- The American Fintech Council, an organization that says it promotes a transparent, inclusive and customer-centric financial system, issued the following news release: * * * September 25, 2026 Statement from Ian P. Moloney, Chief Policy Officer of the American Fintech Council (AFC), on JPMorgan Data-Sharing The American Fintech Council (AFC) and its members are committed to advancing open, secure, and competitive financial options, ensuring consumers retain full ownership and control over their personal financial data. Once again, JPMorgan is putting artificial barriersin place for everyday families who just want seamless access to and control over their own financial data.
Whether it's imposing hidden access fees or manufacturing deliberate friction through forced re-confirmations, the underlying strategy hasn't changed: protecting legacy market power at the direct expense of consumer choice.
Let's be clear--consumers, not mega-banks on Wall Street, own their financial data. Disrupting access to modern, trusted fintech tools under the guise of security limits competition and penalizes millions of hard-working Americans who rely on these services every single day to manage their money and build financial health.
AFC will continue to fight for clear, consistent rules of the road and an open banking ecosystem that respects consumer rights.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.fintechcouncil.org/press-releases/statement-from-ian-p-moloney-chief-policy-officer-of-the-american-fintech-council-afc-on-jpmorgan-data-sharing
[Category: Financial Services]
Six Surgeons Honored With 2026 ACS/Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 26 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release:
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Six Surgeons Honored with 2026 ACS/Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards
American College of Surgeons/Pfizer awards recognize surgeons' efforts to bring quality surgical care to patients worldwide
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CHICAGO (September 25, 2026) -- Six distinguished surgeons with leadership positions in global health across the nation and abroad will be recognized for their relentless efforts to bring surgical care to underserved communities worldwide, receiving the 2026 American College of ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 26 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Six Surgeons Honored with 2026 ACS/Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards American College of Surgeons/Pfizer awards recognize surgeons' efforts to bring quality surgical care to patients worldwide - CHICAGO (September 25, 2026) -- Six distinguished surgeons with leadership positions in global health across the nation and abroad will be recognized for their relentless efforts to bring surgical care to underserved communities worldwide, receiving the 2026 American College ofSurgeons (ACS)/Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards.
The honorees will be celebrated at the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 during the annual Board of Governors reception and dinner in Washington, DC. The awards, presented by the ACS Board of Governors Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards Workgroup, are administered through the ACS Health Outreach Program for Equity in Global Surgery (ACS H.O.P.E.(R)).
Juan Carlos Puyana, MD, FACS, professor of surgery and critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and the O'Brien Chair of Global Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin, will receive the ACS/Pfizer Academic Global Surgeon Award for more than three decades of work transforming trauma care and surgical education in resource-limited settings. Through enduring partnerships across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Dr. Puyana has strengthened trauma systems, expanded blood transfusion services, established trauma registries, and supported the development of national treatment protocols. He has mentored more than 25 international trainees who have gone on to lead hospitals, academic departments, trauma programs, registries, and ministries of health throughout Latin America and Africa.
Steven M. Roser, DMD, MD, FACS, the Delos Hill Chair of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, professor of surgery, and residency program director at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, and chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital, will receive the ACS/Pfizer International Surgical Volunteerism Award for more than 50 years of dedication to restoring lives and expanding access to care for children born with cleft lip and palate deformities worldwide. Beginning with Project HOPE in China and continuing through annual volunteer missions across Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, Dr. Roser has organized and directed recurring outreach programs in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Rwanda, helping provide reconstructive surgery to more than 3,000 children. He has trained more than 60 US surgical residents and 30 international trainees.
Ingrid M. Lizarraga, MBBS, FACS, medical director of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Breast Health Center and program director of the multidisciplinary breast fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, will receive the ACS/Pfizer Domestic Surgical Volunteerism Award for her work improving access to comprehensive cancer care in rural America. Through extensive volunteer service with the ACS Commission on Cancer (CoC), including her leadership as Iowa State Chair, Dr. Lizarraga has partnered with hospitals across the region to achieve CoC accreditation, implement evidence-based quality standards, establish multidisciplinary cancer programs, and improve access to comprehensive cancer care closer to home. Her leadership also helped shape the CoC's Rural Accreditation pathway, extending innovative approaches to rural cancer care to communities nationwide.
Brian Gavitt, MD, MPH, FACS, a distinguished military surgeon and trauma leader, will receive the ACS/Pfizer Military Surgical Volunteerism Award for his work building trauma systems, strengthening international partnerships, and investing in sustainable medical education. Among his most significant contributions was serving as the inaugural trauma director for the US military's embedded Trauma, Burn, and Rehabilitation Medicine team in the United Arab Emirates, where he worked alongside civilian clinicians at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City in Abu Dhabi to establish a comprehensive trauma program. Working with the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Dr. Gavitt authored the nation's first trauma center standards, enacted in 2023. Since 2024, he has led the US Air Force's medical engagements across Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Phillip J. Hsu, MD, PhD, a general surgery resident at the University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor, will be recognized with the ACS/Pfizer Resident Surgical Volunteerism Award for his extraordinary commitment to improving access to surgical care through service, innovation, and education. As co-founder and director of the Bridgeport Free Clinic in Chicago, he led teams providing screening and urgent care services to economically disadvantaged immigrant families. During residency, Dr. Hsu broadened his impact through sustained work in Afghanistan, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and other low-resource settings. Among his most significant contributions is ADEPT Rwanda, a Ministry of Health-supported educational initiative that equips general practitioners to recognize and manage pediatric surgical conditions while building long-term teaching capacity through a train-the-trainer model.
Stephen M. Kelley, MD, FACS, medical director of Memorial Christian Hospital in southeastern Bangladesh, will be honored with the ACS/Pfizer Surgical Humanitarian Award for nearly three decades of providing surgical care for patients who would otherwise have little or no access to lifesaving treatment. Since 1996, Dr. Kelley has made southeastern Bangladesh his home, where he has performed more than 30,000 operations while introducing the region's first laparoscopic, thoracic, vascular, and advanced endoscopic procedures. He has mentored generations of Bangladeshi physicians and healthcare professionals and helped establish training programs for nurses, medics, operating room technicians, and surgical trainees. He also led the planning, fundraising, and construction of a modern 125,000-square-foot replacement hospital.
Clinical Congress attendees are invited to hear the honorees speak on their experiences at the Panel Session, "Humanitarian Surgical Outreach at Home and Abroad: Reports of the 2026 Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Award Recipients," on Sunday, September 27.
Learn more about each recipient's activities in the ACS Bulletin.
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About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
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Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/six-surgeons-honored-with-2026-acspfizer-surgical-volunteerism-and-humanitarian-awards/
[Category: Medical]
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Six Surgeons Honored with 2026 ACS/Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards
American College of Surgeons/Pfizer awards recognize surgeons' efforts to bring quality surgical care to patients worldwide
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CHICAGO (September 25, 2026) -- Six distinguished surgeons with leadership positions in global health across the nation and abroad will be recognized for their relentless efforts to bring surgical care to underserved communities worldwide, receiving the 2026 American College of ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 26 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Six Surgeons Honored with 2026 ACS/Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards American College of Surgeons/Pfizer awards recognize surgeons' efforts to bring quality surgical care to patients worldwide - CHICAGO (September 25, 2026) -- Six distinguished surgeons with leadership positions in global health across the nation and abroad will be recognized for their relentless efforts to bring surgical care to underserved communities worldwide, receiving the 2026 American College ofSurgeons (ACS)/Pfizer Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards.
The honorees will be celebrated at the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 during the annual Board of Governors reception and dinner in Washington, DC. The awards, presented by the ACS Board of Governors Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Awards Workgroup, are administered through the ACS Health Outreach Program for Equity in Global Surgery (ACS H.O.P.E.(R)).
Juan Carlos Puyana, MD, FACS, professor of surgery and critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and the O'Brien Chair of Global Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin, will receive the ACS/Pfizer Academic Global Surgeon Award for more than three decades of work transforming trauma care and surgical education in resource-limited settings. Through enduring partnerships across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Dr. Puyana has strengthened trauma systems, expanded blood transfusion services, established trauma registries, and supported the development of national treatment protocols. He has mentored more than 25 international trainees who have gone on to lead hospitals, academic departments, trauma programs, registries, and ministries of health throughout Latin America and Africa.
Steven M. Roser, DMD, MD, FACS, the Delos Hill Chair of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, professor of surgery, and residency program director at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, and chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital, will receive the ACS/Pfizer International Surgical Volunteerism Award for more than 50 years of dedication to restoring lives and expanding access to care for children born with cleft lip and palate deformities worldwide. Beginning with Project HOPE in China and continuing through annual volunteer missions across Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, Dr. Roser has organized and directed recurring outreach programs in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Rwanda, helping provide reconstructive surgery to more than 3,000 children. He has trained more than 60 US surgical residents and 30 international trainees.
Ingrid M. Lizarraga, MBBS, FACS, medical director of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Breast Health Center and program director of the multidisciplinary breast fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, will receive the ACS/Pfizer Domestic Surgical Volunteerism Award for her work improving access to comprehensive cancer care in rural America. Through extensive volunteer service with the ACS Commission on Cancer (CoC), including her leadership as Iowa State Chair, Dr. Lizarraga has partnered with hospitals across the region to achieve CoC accreditation, implement evidence-based quality standards, establish multidisciplinary cancer programs, and improve access to comprehensive cancer care closer to home. Her leadership also helped shape the CoC's Rural Accreditation pathway, extending innovative approaches to rural cancer care to communities nationwide.
Brian Gavitt, MD, MPH, FACS, a distinguished military surgeon and trauma leader, will receive the ACS/Pfizer Military Surgical Volunteerism Award for his work building trauma systems, strengthening international partnerships, and investing in sustainable medical education. Among his most significant contributions was serving as the inaugural trauma director for the US military's embedded Trauma, Burn, and Rehabilitation Medicine team in the United Arab Emirates, where he worked alongside civilian clinicians at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City in Abu Dhabi to establish a comprehensive trauma program. Working with the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Dr. Gavitt authored the nation's first trauma center standards, enacted in 2023. Since 2024, he has led the US Air Force's medical engagements across Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Phillip J. Hsu, MD, PhD, a general surgery resident at the University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor, will be recognized with the ACS/Pfizer Resident Surgical Volunteerism Award for his extraordinary commitment to improving access to surgical care through service, innovation, and education. As co-founder and director of the Bridgeport Free Clinic in Chicago, he led teams providing screening and urgent care services to economically disadvantaged immigrant families. During residency, Dr. Hsu broadened his impact through sustained work in Afghanistan, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and other low-resource settings. Among his most significant contributions is ADEPT Rwanda, a Ministry of Health-supported educational initiative that equips general practitioners to recognize and manage pediatric surgical conditions while building long-term teaching capacity through a train-the-trainer model.
Stephen M. Kelley, MD, FACS, medical director of Memorial Christian Hospital in southeastern Bangladesh, will be honored with the ACS/Pfizer Surgical Humanitarian Award for nearly three decades of providing surgical care for patients who would otherwise have little or no access to lifesaving treatment. Since 1996, Dr. Kelley has made southeastern Bangladesh his home, where he has performed more than 30,000 operations while introducing the region's first laparoscopic, thoracic, vascular, and advanced endoscopic procedures. He has mentored generations of Bangladeshi physicians and healthcare professionals and helped establish training programs for nurses, medics, operating room technicians, and surgical trainees. He also led the planning, fundraising, and construction of a modern 125,000-square-foot replacement hospital.
Clinical Congress attendees are invited to hear the honorees speak on their experiences at the Panel Session, "Humanitarian Surgical Outreach at Home and Abroad: Reports of the 2026 Surgical Volunteerism and Humanitarian Award Recipients," on Sunday, September 27.
Learn more about each recipient's activities in the ACS Bulletin.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
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Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/six-surgeons-honored-with-2026-acspfizer-surgical-volunteerism-and-humanitarian-awards/
[Category: Medical]
National Small Business Association Welcomes Wins, Small-Business Community to D.C. for Washington Presentation 2026
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- The National Small Business Association issued the following news:
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NSBA Welcomes Wins, Small-Business Community to D.C. for Washington Presentation 2026
September 24, 2026
America's Small Business Fly-In continues driving momentum for smarter small-business policy.
This week, nearly 100 small-business owners made their way to D.C. for NSBA's annual Washington Presentation.
Known across D.C. as America's Small Business Fly-In, NSBA members attend WP to advocate with Members of Congress, their staff, and officials from the administration on the small-business ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- The National Small Business Association issued the following news: * * * NSBA Welcomes Wins, Small-Business Community to D.C. for Washington Presentation 2026 September 24, 2026 America's Small Business Fly-In continues driving momentum for smarter small-business policy. This week, nearly 100 small-business owners made their way to D.C. for NSBA's annual Washington Presentation. Known across D.C. as America's Small Business Fly-In, NSBA members attend WP to advocate with Members of Congress, their staff, and officials from the administration on the small-businessPriority Issues of the day.
Kicking the week off with a win on one of those Priority Issues designated for advocacy at this year's Washington Presentation, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced a delay in the deadline for comments to its recent proposal to change the size standard definitions for a small business. After weeks of urging a comment deadline delay or cancellation of the proposal entirely from NSBA members and more than 65,000 small-business stakeholders who submitted their thoughts, NSBA commends the SBA for extending the comment period deadline through Nov. 1, 2026.
Read NSBA's comments on the proposal here, and our full press statement on the delay here.
Day One of Washington Presentation began with a dicsussion on the importance of video-forward content for your small business, featuring NSBA Board Member and Vice Chair of Communications Esther Monzon-Aguirre, owner of EV Services based in Miami and San Antonio (left), and NSBA Leadership Council Member LaMar Holliday, owner of the Holliday Collaborative Agency based in Indianapolis (center), joined by NSBA Director of Communications Chana Elgin (right).
A few takeaways from the discussion: do not let perfection hold you back from getting started on video to highlight your small business and brand as a small-business owner, always post external links on social platforms in the comment section, and, if you are going to invest in anything to get started with video for your small business, make sure it is audio.
Watch NSBA's foray into video, Hardwired, here (https://nsbaadvocate.org/podcasts).
The second panel explored AI in Practice for small business, including insights from moderator NSBA Board Member and Vice Chair of Membership Heidi Stone, owner of Heidi Stone Hospitality based in Pembroke, Va., Simon Morrison, 6-year leader of Amazon's federal AI policy, responsible for overseeing a team working on privacy, content, and consumer protection policy, as well as fellow NSBA Board Members Sanjyot Dunung, owner of Atma Global based in New York City, and Alex Cates, owner of OMS Group based in Parker, Colo.
A capstone message of the session: in an increasingly competitive arena, small businesses would be remiss to not consider how to begin integrating AI into their business, and NSBA was very privileged to be a part of this discussion to support our members and entire small-business community.
NSBA Board Chair Bill Belknap, alongside Mr. Todd McCracken then welcomed the WP'26 delegation to the keynote lunch, where attendees celebrated the Advocate of the Year Award finalists Ms. Dunung, Mr. Holliday, and Tony Roberts, owner of The Tony Roberts Company based in Fullerton, Calif.
NSBA's Rising Star, the runner up for the Advocate of the Year Award, for 2026 is Whitney Collela, Ph.D, owner of the Gaia Energy Research institute based in Alexandria, Va., and the Advocate of the Year Award winner for 2026 is Christine Hopkins, owner of ASCI Family of Companies based in Anchorage.
For her tireless advocacy across the nation to improve federal policies better serving of the small-business community, Ms. Hopkins is a previous Rising Star, as well an SBA Small Business Owner of the Year Award Winner for 2025, and the SBA Small Business Woman Owner of the Year Award for 2024.
Learn more about NSBA's Advocate of the Year Award Program here (https://nsbaadvocate.org/members/awards).
Despite the September rain showers covering D.C. for the duration of WP'26, the NSBA delegation then made its way to the White House, where we were fortunate to be joined by SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, as well as the White House Office of Public Liaison, who fielded questions and facilitated a thoughtful conversation with our members.
Before we wrapped up the day, NSBA's Director of Government Affairs Jack Furth led a Hill training session, and then it was time to toast the day of hard work with a networking reception at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center - a fantastic Bonvoy(R)-age to lead us into Day Two.
NSBA's Capitol Hill day began before sunrise, with attendees joined by Rep. Kevin Hern (OK-01) and Senators Johnson and Husted, of Wisconsin and Ohio, respectively, who shared real talk on the realities of the state of our nation's small-business programs and policies.
From there, the attendees were off for their meetings with their Members of Congress and Senators to discuss the other Priority Issues ratified for this year's fly-in, including increasing small-business owners' access to capital, lowering the cost of health care for small-business owners - particularly their opportunity to provide it to employees and workers, and fully eliminating the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) once and for all.
While NSBA is grateful to the administration for their efforts to defang the CTA, including eliminating its enforcement provisions against American small-business owners, the law remains codified, and we urge Congress to act to repeal this unconstitutional law. Learn more about our efforts to defend small-business owners Fourth Amendment rights, and join us in imploring Congress to properly invalidate this law through full repeal, here (https://nsbaadvocate.org/search?query=corporate+transparency+act).
Thank you to all of this year's attendees who made WP'26 another success. Hosting this event since the early 1940s, NSBA could not further its legacy of fighting for smarter small-business policy without the work of our members at events, like this, as well as through our advocacy programming year round.
Last, but not least, thank you to our sponsors of the event, including: Atma Global, AEONRG, LLC, ESO Ventures, Boston Engineering Corp., Alloy Precision Technologies, To The Rescue Bookkeeping, LLC, WMS Consulting, Inc., Widelity Management, LLC, Innovative Space Technologies, Gear Motions, EV Services, Inc., Cynthia Kay Consulting, Dell Technologies, EXIM Bank of the U.S., Amazon, Target, and Software Advice.
To keep our momentum going, please complete the WP'26 event survey to be emailed to attendees, and save the date now for our upcoming Small Business Congress, this Feb. 9-10, 2027, where NSBA members will vote on the Priority Issues to pursue for the 120th session of the U.S. Congress.
See you soon!
* * *
Original text here: https://nsbaadvocate.org/post/nsba-welcomes-wins-small-business-community-to-d-c-for-washington-presentation-2026
[Category: Business]
* * *
NSBA Welcomes Wins, Small-Business Community to D.C. for Washington Presentation 2026
September 24, 2026
America's Small Business Fly-In continues driving momentum for smarter small-business policy.
This week, nearly 100 small-business owners made their way to D.C. for NSBA's annual Washington Presentation.
Known across D.C. as America's Small Business Fly-In, NSBA members attend WP to advocate with Members of Congress, their staff, and officials from the administration on the small-business ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- The National Small Business Association issued the following news: * * * NSBA Welcomes Wins, Small-Business Community to D.C. for Washington Presentation 2026 September 24, 2026 America's Small Business Fly-In continues driving momentum for smarter small-business policy. This week, nearly 100 small-business owners made their way to D.C. for NSBA's annual Washington Presentation. Known across D.C. as America's Small Business Fly-In, NSBA members attend WP to advocate with Members of Congress, their staff, and officials from the administration on the small-businessPriority Issues of the day.
Kicking the week off with a win on one of those Priority Issues designated for advocacy at this year's Washington Presentation, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced a delay in the deadline for comments to its recent proposal to change the size standard definitions for a small business. After weeks of urging a comment deadline delay or cancellation of the proposal entirely from NSBA members and more than 65,000 small-business stakeholders who submitted their thoughts, NSBA commends the SBA for extending the comment period deadline through Nov. 1, 2026.
Read NSBA's comments on the proposal here, and our full press statement on the delay here.
Day One of Washington Presentation began with a dicsussion on the importance of video-forward content for your small business, featuring NSBA Board Member and Vice Chair of Communications Esther Monzon-Aguirre, owner of EV Services based in Miami and San Antonio (left), and NSBA Leadership Council Member LaMar Holliday, owner of the Holliday Collaborative Agency based in Indianapolis (center), joined by NSBA Director of Communications Chana Elgin (right).
A few takeaways from the discussion: do not let perfection hold you back from getting started on video to highlight your small business and brand as a small-business owner, always post external links on social platforms in the comment section, and, if you are going to invest in anything to get started with video for your small business, make sure it is audio.
Watch NSBA's foray into video, Hardwired, here (https://nsbaadvocate.org/podcasts).
The second panel explored AI in Practice for small business, including insights from moderator NSBA Board Member and Vice Chair of Membership Heidi Stone, owner of Heidi Stone Hospitality based in Pembroke, Va., Simon Morrison, 6-year leader of Amazon's federal AI policy, responsible for overseeing a team working on privacy, content, and consumer protection policy, as well as fellow NSBA Board Members Sanjyot Dunung, owner of Atma Global based in New York City, and Alex Cates, owner of OMS Group based in Parker, Colo.
A capstone message of the session: in an increasingly competitive arena, small businesses would be remiss to not consider how to begin integrating AI into their business, and NSBA was very privileged to be a part of this discussion to support our members and entire small-business community.
NSBA Board Chair Bill Belknap, alongside Mr. Todd McCracken then welcomed the WP'26 delegation to the keynote lunch, where attendees celebrated the Advocate of the Year Award finalists Ms. Dunung, Mr. Holliday, and Tony Roberts, owner of The Tony Roberts Company based in Fullerton, Calif.
NSBA's Rising Star, the runner up for the Advocate of the Year Award, for 2026 is Whitney Collela, Ph.D, owner of the Gaia Energy Research institute based in Alexandria, Va., and the Advocate of the Year Award winner for 2026 is Christine Hopkins, owner of ASCI Family of Companies based in Anchorage.
For her tireless advocacy across the nation to improve federal policies better serving of the small-business community, Ms. Hopkins is a previous Rising Star, as well an SBA Small Business Owner of the Year Award Winner for 2025, and the SBA Small Business Woman Owner of the Year Award for 2024.
Learn more about NSBA's Advocate of the Year Award Program here (https://nsbaadvocate.org/members/awards).
Despite the September rain showers covering D.C. for the duration of WP'26, the NSBA delegation then made its way to the White House, where we were fortunate to be joined by SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, as well as the White House Office of Public Liaison, who fielded questions and facilitated a thoughtful conversation with our members.
Before we wrapped up the day, NSBA's Director of Government Affairs Jack Furth led a Hill training session, and then it was time to toast the day of hard work with a networking reception at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center - a fantastic Bonvoy(R)-age to lead us into Day Two.
NSBA's Capitol Hill day began before sunrise, with attendees joined by Rep. Kevin Hern (OK-01) and Senators Johnson and Husted, of Wisconsin and Ohio, respectively, who shared real talk on the realities of the state of our nation's small-business programs and policies.
From there, the attendees were off for their meetings with their Members of Congress and Senators to discuss the other Priority Issues ratified for this year's fly-in, including increasing small-business owners' access to capital, lowering the cost of health care for small-business owners - particularly their opportunity to provide it to employees and workers, and fully eliminating the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) once and for all.
While NSBA is grateful to the administration for their efforts to defang the CTA, including eliminating its enforcement provisions against American small-business owners, the law remains codified, and we urge Congress to act to repeal this unconstitutional law. Learn more about our efforts to defend small-business owners Fourth Amendment rights, and join us in imploring Congress to properly invalidate this law through full repeal, here (https://nsbaadvocate.org/search?query=corporate+transparency+act).
Thank you to all of this year's attendees who made WP'26 another success. Hosting this event since the early 1940s, NSBA could not further its legacy of fighting for smarter small-business policy without the work of our members at events, like this, as well as through our advocacy programming year round.
Last, but not least, thank you to our sponsors of the event, including: Atma Global, AEONRG, LLC, ESO Ventures, Boston Engineering Corp., Alloy Precision Technologies, To The Rescue Bookkeeping, LLC, WMS Consulting, Inc., Widelity Management, LLC, Innovative Space Technologies, Gear Motions, EV Services, Inc., Cynthia Kay Consulting, Dell Technologies, EXIM Bank of the U.S., Amazon, Target, and Software Advice.
To keep our momentum going, please complete the WP'26 event survey to be emailed to attendees, and save the date now for our upcoming Small Business Congress, this Feb. 9-10, 2027, where NSBA members will vote on the Priority Issues to pursue for the 120th session of the U.S. Congress.
See you soon!
* * *
Original text here: https://nsbaadvocate.org/post/nsba-welcomes-wins-small-business-community-to-d-c-for-washington-presentation-2026
[Category: Business]
International Game Fish Association: Regional Councils Driving Growth, Conservation, and Engagement Around the World
DANIA BEACH, Florida, Sept. 26 -- The International Game Fish Association issued the following news:
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Regional Councils Driving Growth, Conservation, and Engagement Around the World
IGFA Regional Councils continue to support anglers, conservation, education, and responsible recreational fishing through local initiatives and volunteer leadership around the world.
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Over the past seven years, the IGFA has established Regional Councils throughout the world to help drive the organization's strategy at the regional level. These Regional Councils provide an organizational structure that allows ... Show Full Article DANIA BEACH, Florida, Sept. 26 -- The International Game Fish Association issued the following news: * * * Regional Councils Driving Growth, Conservation, and Engagement Around the World IGFA Regional Councils continue to support anglers, conservation, education, and responsible recreational fishing through local initiatives and volunteer leadership around the world. - Over the past seven years, the IGFA has established Regional Councils throughout the world to help drive the organization's strategy at the regional level. These Regional Councils provide an organizational structure that allowsIGFA Representatives and other constituents to collaborate on relevant issues in their respective areas of the world.
IGFA Regional Councils are made up of elected IGFA Trustees, IGFA Representatives, IGFA members, IGFA Captains and members of select local recreational angling NGOs who represent the interests, fisheries, and issues affecting specific areas within the Regional Council's purview.
Below is a summary of the recent activities of the six established IGFA Regional Councils. For any questions regarding the IGFA Representatives & Regional Councils programs, please contact Andy Saldana at asaldana@igfa.org.
South America: Supporting the Future of Recreational Fishing
The IGFA South America Regional Council met September 18-19 in Cartagena, Colombia, bringing together IGFA Representatives, Captains, and Clubs from across the region. We extend our sincere thanks to IGFA Representative and Council Officer Pedro Rodriguez and the Club de Pesca de Cartagena for their hospitality and for hosting the meeting.
A key focus was the importance of ensuring that the social, economic, and conservation benefits of recreational fishing are understood and considered in future fisheries management decisions. Following Colombia's previous restrictions on recreational angling, the Council discussed how recreational fishing supports local economies and jobs, can contribute valuable citizen-science data, and introduces young people to the outdoors and conservation through ethical angling and catch-and-release. Better recognition of these contributions, as well as the relatively limited impact of recreational angling on fishery resources, can help inform future policy decisions and protect the sport from unnecessary restrictions. The meeting also included a Colombian government official tasked with developing the country's new fishing legislation, providing an important opportunity for dialogue and a positive step forward for recreational anglers in Colombia. Members also discussed ways to strengthen IGFA's appeal and engagement among South American anglers.
The event also marked the transition of Council leadership from former Chair and IGFA Trustee Juan Pablo Gozio, who served since 2019, to IGFA Trustee Ricardo Sola. The IGFA thanks Juan Pablo for his years of service and leadership and also thanks Ricardo Sola for taking the helm of the South American Council.
The meeting included presentations by Juan Pablo on the IGFA Golden Dorado Research Project and Marina Marrari of FECOP on "Costa Rica: pesca deportiva, ciencia y conservacion para un desarrollo sostenible."
The Council is also providing Regional Council funding to support the First Argentine Congress of Ichthyology, taking place October 18-21 in Santa Fe, Argentina. Juan Pablo Gozio is helping advance science-based fisheries management and conservation, further strengthening the IGFA's engagement with fisheries science across South America.
Europe & Mediterranean: Building Partnerships and Expanding Outreach
The Europe & Mediterranean Regional Council continues to make steady progress on its 2026 Action Plan, with several initiatives focused on partnerships, conservation, education, and expanding the IGFA's reach throughout the region.
The Council is planning partnerships with major fishing shows, including Pescare Show 2027 in Italy and Sportfische Massan in Sweden, creating additional opportunities to connect with anglers and introduce new audiences to the IGFA.
Conservation remains another key focus. The Council has secured sponsorship funding from Ethical Anglers and Strike Footwear for tagging initiatives supporting the Mediterranean Spearfish Project and Red Sea Billfish Project.
North America: Volunteers Strengthening Member Engagement
The North America Regional Council continues to benefit from strong volunteer participation and committee leadership.
Sally Kurz has been appointed Chair of the Education Committee, and the IGFA extends its sincere appreciation to former Chair Dave Matagiese for his leadership and dedication to advancing the Council's educational initiatives. The Council has also welcomed Kelsey Gallagher and Steve Wozniak to the Rules & Recognition Committee.
Their appointments reflect the continued involvement of IGFA Representatives in supporting Council programs and initiatives throughout North America.
Central America & Caribbean: Supporting Recreational Fishing Advocacy
The Central America & Caribbean Regional Council continues to support initiatives that recognize the importance of responsible recreational fishing to communities and economies throughout the region.
In Costa Rica, Development Committee Co-Chair Federico Hampl has been actively involved in discussions surrounding the newly presented Ruta Estrategica Sectorial de Pesca Turistica y Deportiva, a national roadmap designed to strengthen sport and tourism fishing through improved coordination, sustainability, and public-private partnerships.
The Council will continue monitoring these developments and supporting initiatives that advance sustainable and responsible recreational fishing throughout Central America and the Caribbean.
Africa: Growing Participation Through Local Engagement
The Africa Regional Council continues to focus on strengthening its Representative network and increasing regional engagement.
The Council is focusing on providing current IGFA Representatives and Council members with practical tools to help grow IGFA participation throughout the region. Discussions included the Council/Representative Seeding Program, Tournament Relations Program, and IGFA Program Reports. These resources give Representatives practical ways to introduce new anglers to the IGFA, increase participation in IGFA programs, strengthen relationships with local fishing communities, and support continued membership growth across Africa.
Asia: Building the Foundation
The IGFA continues to move forward with the formation of the Asia Regional Council, the seventh and final IGFA Regional Council. Key IGFA Representatives and regional constituents have been appointed to Council committee chair positions, and the Council's first meeting is scheduled for October 2026. A formal announcement introducing the new Council and its leadership will follow.
One of the Council's primary priorities will be expanding the IGFA Representative network throughout Asia and strengthening engagement with anglers across the region. IGFA Members are encouraged to nominate qualified candidates who may be interested in serving as IGFA Representatives. Nominations can be submitted to IGFA Global Relations Manager Andy Saldana at saldana@igfa.org.
Oceania: Expanding Access and Supporting Conservation
The Oceania Regional Council continues to advance initiatives that benefit anglers across the region. Most recently, the Council helped establish a new partnership with New Zealand's Marine Deals, providing IGFA Members in Oceania with access to the Official IGFA Measuring Device for All-Tackle Length records at a discounted member price. The partnership makes IGFA measuring devices more accessible to anglers and supports greater participation in the IGFA Length Record Program.
Council committees are also actively advancing initiatives in conservation, rules and ethics, education, regional partnerships, funding, and member engagement. Conservation efforts include support for black marlin research in partnership with the Australian Black Marlin Foundation, while education and outreach initiatives continue to introduce more anglers to IGFA programs and resources.
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Original text here: https://igfa.org/2026/09/24/regional-councils-driving-growth-conservation-and-engagement-around-the-world/
[Category: Environment]
* * *
Regional Councils Driving Growth, Conservation, and Engagement Around the World
IGFA Regional Councils continue to support anglers, conservation, education, and responsible recreational fishing through local initiatives and volunteer leadership around the world.
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Over the past seven years, the IGFA has established Regional Councils throughout the world to help drive the organization's strategy at the regional level. These Regional Councils provide an organizational structure that allows ... Show Full Article DANIA BEACH, Florida, Sept. 26 -- The International Game Fish Association issued the following news: * * * Regional Councils Driving Growth, Conservation, and Engagement Around the World IGFA Regional Councils continue to support anglers, conservation, education, and responsible recreational fishing through local initiatives and volunteer leadership around the world. - Over the past seven years, the IGFA has established Regional Councils throughout the world to help drive the organization's strategy at the regional level. These Regional Councils provide an organizational structure that allowsIGFA Representatives and other constituents to collaborate on relevant issues in their respective areas of the world.
IGFA Regional Councils are made up of elected IGFA Trustees, IGFA Representatives, IGFA members, IGFA Captains and members of select local recreational angling NGOs who represent the interests, fisheries, and issues affecting specific areas within the Regional Council's purview.
Below is a summary of the recent activities of the six established IGFA Regional Councils. For any questions regarding the IGFA Representatives & Regional Councils programs, please contact Andy Saldana at asaldana@igfa.org.
South America: Supporting the Future of Recreational Fishing
The IGFA South America Regional Council met September 18-19 in Cartagena, Colombia, bringing together IGFA Representatives, Captains, and Clubs from across the region. We extend our sincere thanks to IGFA Representative and Council Officer Pedro Rodriguez and the Club de Pesca de Cartagena for their hospitality and for hosting the meeting.
A key focus was the importance of ensuring that the social, economic, and conservation benefits of recreational fishing are understood and considered in future fisheries management decisions. Following Colombia's previous restrictions on recreational angling, the Council discussed how recreational fishing supports local economies and jobs, can contribute valuable citizen-science data, and introduces young people to the outdoors and conservation through ethical angling and catch-and-release. Better recognition of these contributions, as well as the relatively limited impact of recreational angling on fishery resources, can help inform future policy decisions and protect the sport from unnecessary restrictions. The meeting also included a Colombian government official tasked with developing the country's new fishing legislation, providing an important opportunity for dialogue and a positive step forward for recreational anglers in Colombia. Members also discussed ways to strengthen IGFA's appeal and engagement among South American anglers.
The event also marked the transition of Council leadership from former Chair and IGFA Trustee Juan Pablo Gozio, who served since 2019, to IGFA Trustee Ricardo Sola. The IGFA thanks Juan Pablo for his years of service and leadership and also thanks Ricardo Sola for taking the helm of the South American Council.
The meeting included presentations by Juan Pablo on the IGFA Golden Dorado Research Project and Marina Marrari of FECOP on "Costa Rica: pesca deportiva, ciencia y conservacion para un desarrollo sostenible."
The Council is also providing Regional Council funding to support the First Argentine Congress of Ichthyology, taking place October 18-21 in Santa Fe, Argentina. Juan Pablo Gozio is helping advance science-based fisheries management and conservation, further strengthening the IGFA's engagement with fisheries science across South America.
Europe & Mediterranean: Building Partnerships and Expanding Outreach
The Europe & Mediterranean Regional Council continues to make steady progress on its 2026 Action Plan, with several initiatives focused on partnerships, conservation, education, and expanding the IGFA's reach throughout the region.
The Council is planning partnerships with major fishing shows, including Pescare Show 2027 in Italy and Sportfische Massan in Sweden, creating additional opportunities to connect with anglers and introduce new audiences to the IGFA.
Conservation remains another key focus. The Council has secured sponsorship funding from Ethical Anglers and Strike Footwear for tagging initiatives supporting the Mediterranean Spearfish Project and Red Sea Billfish Project.
North America: Volunteers Strengthening Member Engagement
The North America Regional Council continues to benefit from strong volunteer participation and committee leadership.
Sally Kurz has been appointed Chair of the Education Committee, and the IGFA extends its sincere appreciation to former Chair Dave Matagiese for his leadership and dedication to advancing the Council's educational initiatives. The Council has also welcomed Kelsey Gallagher and Steve Wozniak to the Rules & Recognition Committee.
Their appointments reflect the continued involvement of IGFA Representatives in supporting Council programs and initiatives throughout North America.
Central America & Caribbean: Supporting Recreational Fishing Advocacy
The Central America & Caribbean Regional Council continues to support initiatives that recognize the importance of responsible recreational fishing to communities and economies throughout the region.
In Costa Rica, Development Committee Co-Chair Federico Hampl has been actively involved in discussions surrounding the newly presented Ruta Estrategica Sectorial de Pesca Turistica y Deportiva, a national roadmap designed to strengthen sport and tourism fishing through improved coordination, sustainability, and public-private partnerships.
The Council will continue monitoring these developments and supporting initiatives that advance sustainable and responsible recreational fishing throughout Central America and the Caribbean.
Africa: Growing Participation Through Local Engagement
The Africa Regional Council continues to focus on strengthening its Representative network and increasing regional engagement.
The Council is focusing on providing current IGFA Representatives and Council members with practical tools to help grow IGFA participation throughout the region. Discussions included the Council/Representative Seeding Program, Tournament Relations Program, and IGFA Program Reports. These resources give Representatives practical ways to introduce new anglers to the IGFA, increase participation in IGFA programs, strengthen relationships with local fishing communities, and support continued membership growth across Africa.
Asia: Building the Foundation
The IGFA continues to move forward with the formation of the Asia Regional Council, the seventh and final IGFA Regional Council. Key IGFA Representatives and regional constituents have been appointed to Council committee chair positions, and the Council's first meeting is scheduled for October 2026. A formal announcement introducing the new Council and its leadership will follow.
One of the Council's primary priorities will be expanding the IGFA Representative network throughout Asia and strengthening engagement with anglers across the region. IGFA Members are encouraged to nominate qualified candidates who may be interested in serving as IGFA Representatives. Nominations can be submitted to IGFA Global Relations Manager Andy Saldana at saldana@igfa.org.
Oceania: Expanding Access and Supporting Conservation
The Oceania Regional Council continues to advance initiatives that benefit anglers across the region. Most recently, the Council helped establish a new partnership with New Zealand's Marine Deals, providing IGFA Members in Oceania with access to the Official IGFA Measuring Device for All-Tackle Length records at a discounted member price. The partnership makes IGFA measuring devices more accessible to anglers and supports greater participation in the IGFA Length Record Program.
Council committees are also actively advancing initiatives in conservation, rules and ethics, education, regional partnerships, funding, and member engagement. Conservation efforts include support for black marlin research in partnership with the Australian Black Marlin Foundation, while education and outreach initiatives continue to introduce more anglers to IGFA programs and resources.
* * *
Original text here: https://igfa.org/2026/09/24/regional-councils-driving-growth-conservation-and-engagement-around-the-world/
[Category: Environment]
Arkansas Surgeon Dr. Charles Mabry Receives ACS Distinguished Service Award
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 26 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release:
* * *
Arkansas Surgeon Dr. Charles Mabry Receives ACS Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Mabry honored for advancing trauma care and championing compensation efforts for surgeons
September 25, 2026
WASHINGTON -- Charles Mabry, MD, FACS, chief of surgery at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who has served the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in numerous leadership roles, will receive the ACS's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.
The award will be presented ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 26 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Arkansas Surgeon Dr. Charles Mabry Receives ACS Distinguished Service Award Dr. Mabry honored for advancing trauma care and championing compensation efforts for surgeons September 25, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Charles Mabry, MD, FACS, chief of surgery at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who has served the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in numerous leadership roles, will receive the ACS's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award. The award will be presentedto Dr. Mabry at Convocation during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C., September 26-29, where thousands of surgeons convene each year to advance surgical quality, patient safety, and access to care.
Established in 1957 by the ACS Board of Regents, the award recognizes exceptional and continuous service by an ACS Fellow, as well as a career marked by an outstanding emphasis on patient care and commitment to the ideals of surgical practice.
"I'm very honored," Dr. Mabry said. "I never thought I'd get such a prestigious award."
Transforming Trauma Care
Dr. Mabry's engagement with the ACS began during his residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, when he first encountered Advanced Trauma Life Support(R) (ATLS(R)). The program, now in its 11th edition and approaching its 50th anniversary, was brand new at the time.
As he completed his residency and began practicing surgery, Dr. Mabry was asked to develop the first trauma service at UAMS Medical Center. He became an ATLS instructor, serving for 12 years and receiving the 1986 ACS Young Surgeon Award in recognition of his work.
He has remained involved in trauma care and education ever since. As he advanced in his career to become chief of surgery at Jefferson Regional Medical Center, he also engaged with the ACS through several trauma care programs. These roles included serving as Arkansas state chair of the ACS Committee on Trauma and course director for the Arkansas Trauma Evaluation and Management (TEAM)(TM) Course, a collaboration between the Arkansas Trauma Society and Arkansas ACS Chapter.
Outside the ACS, he has served as medical director of the Arkansas Trauma Society and chair of the Governor's Trauma Advisory Council within the Arkansas Trauma System. He remains involved in training trauma teams, developing trauma education for the state as part of the Arkansas trauma system and the Arkansas Chapter of the ACS, including different courses to teach surgeons and emergency physicians, nurses, and paramedics.
"How we handle trauma patients now is really, truly, completely different than in the 1970s," he said. "It's been very interesting and very exciting to me to see the development of trauma over the years and how we've helped in managing trauma."
He credits the ACS with helping make that progress possible: "One of the things that has been very gratifying to me is to take the lessons learned at the national level and the international level and then incorporate that into our education here in Arkansas."
Dr. Mabry cited a 2024 study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons to further explain the impact. "One of the papers that I participated in was a study of the preventable mortality rate over time. Before the trauma system, around 30% of the trauma deaths were judged to be preventable or possibly preventable. Now we're down to around 1% or 2% preventable, and around 5% possibly preventable. So, it's really dropped over time," he said.
Defending Surgeon Compensation and Serving as a Lifelong Leader
Dr. Mabry also has contributed to the ACS General Surgery Coding and Reimbursement Committee (GSCRC) for nearly 35 years.
The work focuses on ensuring that Current Procedural Terminology codes and relative value units for surgical procedures are valued appropriately. Dr. Mabry is proud to be part of the team of Fellows who have represented general surgeons, who do not have a specialty-specific society outside the ACS, on the American Medical Association/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee.
"The GSCRC does a lot of defensive work to prevent incorrect valuation of codes," he explained. "We've been very successful at preventing damage to the reimbursement for general surgeons over many years."
His contributions to the ACS have encompassed many roles beyond trauma and compensation issues. These include serving as course director for the ACS Basic and Advanced Coding Seminar, president of the ACS Arkansas Chapter, a member of the ACS Advisory Councils on General Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, and Health Policy, and chair of the ACS Health Policy Advisory Committee. Dr. Mabry also served on the ACS Board of Regents from 2003 to 2011 and as 2016-2017 ACS first vice-president.
"In looking back over my career, I've gained so much from working in the College and working with the Regents, Governors, and Executive Directors, and all the directors in the College. It's just unbelievable how much I've learned from them. They are all very good mentors, and they want to teach you," he said.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/arkansas-surgeon-dr-charles-mabry-receives-acs-distinguished-service-award/
[Category: Medical]
* * *
Arkansas Surgeon Dr. Charles Mabry Receives ACS Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Mabry honored for advancing trauma care and championing compensation efforts for surgeons
September 25, 2026
WASHINGTON -- Charles Mabry, MD, FACS, chief of surgery at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who has served the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in numerous leadership roles, will receive the ACS's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.
The award will be presented ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 26 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Arkansas Surgeon Dr. Charles Mabry Receives ACS Distinguished Service Award Dr. Mabry honored for advancing trauma care and championing compensation efforts for surgeons September 25, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Charles Mabry, MD, FACS, chief of surgery at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who has served the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in numerous leadership roles, will receive the ACS's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award. The award will be presentedto Dr. Mabry at Convocation during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C., September 26-29, where thousands of surgeons convene each year to advance surgical quality, patient safety, and access to care.
Established in 1957 by the ACS Board of Regents, the award recognizes exceptional and continuous service by an ACS Fellow, as well as a career marked by an outstanding emphasis on patient care and commitment to the ideals of surgical practice.
"I'm very honored," Dr. Mabry said. "I never thought I'd get such a prestigious award."
Transforming Trauma Care
Dr. Mabry's engagement with the ACS began during his residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, when he first encountered Advanced Trauma Life Support(R) (ATLS(R)). The program, now in its 11th edition and approaching its 50th anniversary, was brand new at the time.
As he completed his residency and began practicing surgery, Dr. Mabry was asked to develop the first trauma service at UAMS Medical Center. He became an ATLS instructor, serving for 12 years and receiving the 1986 ACS Young Surgeon Award in recognition of his work.
He has remained involved in trauma care and education ever since. As he advanced in his career to become chief of surgery at Jefferson Regional Medical Center, he also engaged with the ACS through several trauma care programs. These roles included serving as Arkansas state chair of the ACS Committee on Trauma and course director for the Arkansas Trauma Evaluation and Management (TEAM)(TM) Course, a collaboration between the Arkansas Trauma Society and Arkansas ACS Chapter.
Outside the ACS, he has served as medical director of the Arkansas Trauma Society and chair of the Governor's Trauma Advisory Council within the Arkansas Trauma System. He remains involved in training trauma teams, developing trauma education for the state as part of the Arkansas trauma system and the Arkansas Chapter of the ACS, including different courses to teach surgeons and emergency physicians, nurses, and paramedics.
"How we handle trauma patients now is really, truly, completely different than in the 1970s," he said. "It's been very interesting and very exciting to me to see the development of trauma over the years and how we've helped in managing trauma."
He credits the ACS with helping make that progress possible: "One of the things that has been very gratifying to me is to take the lessons learned at the national level and the international level and then incorporate that into our education here in Arkansas."
Dr. Mabry cited a 2024 study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons to further explain the impact. "One of the papers that I participated in was a study of the preventable mortality rate over time. Before the trauma system, around 30% of the trauma deaths were judged to be preventable or possibly preventable. Now we're down to around 1% or 2% preventable, and around 5% possibly preventable. So, it's really dropped over time," he said.
Defending Surgeon Compensation and Serving as a Lifelong Leader
Dr. Mabry also has contributed to the ACS General Surgery Coding and Reimbursement Committee (GSCRC) for nearly 35 years.
The work focuses on ensuring that Current Procedural Terminology codes and relative value units for surgical procedures are valued appropriately. Dr. Mabry is proud to be part of the team of Fellows who have represented general surgeons, who do not have a specialty-specific society outside the ACS, on the American Medical Association/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee.
"The GSCRC does a lot of defensive work to prevent incorrect valuation of codes," he explained. "We've been very successful at preventing damage to the reimbursement for general surgeons over many years."
His contributions to the ACS have encompassed many roles beyond trauma and compensation issues. These include serving as course director for the ACS Basic and Advanced Coding Seminar, president of the ACS Arkansas Chapter, a member of the ACS Advisory Councils on General Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, and Health Policy, and chair of the ACS Health Policy Advisory Committee. Dr. Mabry also served on the ACS Board of Regents from 2003 to 2011 and as 2016-2017 ACS first vice-president.
"In looking back over my career, I've gained so much from working in the College and working with the Regents, Governors, and Executive Directors, and all the directors in the College. It's just unbelievable how much I've learned from them. They are all very good mentors, and they want to teach you," he said.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/arkansas-surgeon-dr-charles-mabry-receives-acs-distinguished-service-award/
[Category: Medical]
American College of Surgeons: Metastatic Colorectal Cancer is More Advanced in Younger Patients Than Older Ones, But They Survive Longer With the Disease, Study Finds
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 26 (TNSxrep) -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release:
* * *
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer is More Advanced in Younger Patients than Older Ones, but They Survive Longer with the Disease, Study Finds
Researchers urge a lower threshold for colonoscopy in patients aged 45 years and younger who have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms
September 25, 2026
Key Takeaways
* Patients aged 45 years and younger -- a group in which metastatic colorectal cancer continues to increase -- had advanced disease and received chemoradiation more often than ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 26 (TNSxrep) -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Metastatic Colorectal Cancer is More Advanced in Younger Patients than Older Ones, but They Survive Longer with the Disease, Study Finds Researchers urge a lower threshold for colonoscopy in patients aged 45 years and younger who have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms September 25, 2026 Key Takeaways * Patients aged 45 years and younger -- a group in which metastatic colorectal cancer continues to increase -- had advanced disease and received chemoradiation more often thanolder patients, though the study was not designed to formally compare the two age groups.
* Ten-year survival in younger patients significantly exceeds that of older patients (17.8% vs. 11.4%) but "remains quite grim."
* Clinicians may need to lower their threshold for colonoscopy when younger patients have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.
* The findings will be presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, Sept. 26-29.
-
WASHINGTON -- Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) continues to increase in patients aged 45 years or younger, and their longer survival and different disease patterns compared with older patients may warrant more aggressive scrutiny of gastrointestinal symptoms, according to new study findings.
The research will be presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, Sept. 26-29, where thousands of surgeons will convene to advance surgical quality, patient safety, and access to care.
"Unfortunately, our study shows that 10-year survival remains quite grim for younger patients, which was the most important thing we learned," said study co-author Winifred M. Lo, MD, FACS, assistant professor of general surgery at Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.
The retrospective cohort study used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program database from 2004 to 2024. It included 50,802 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), 4,256 (8.4%) of whom were aged 45 years and younger. Younger patients had longer median disease-specific survival (32 months vs. 22 months) and a higher rate of 10-year survival (17.8% vs. 11.4%) than those 45 years and older.
"That's valuable data to share with patients who are building families, planning for college, and getting married - all of these important life events," Dr. Lo said. "It's important to know what the average patient might face, even if the answer is terrible."
The study focused on mCRC in younger patients because few studies have done so, according to co-author Mary Green, DO, a resident physician at Virginia Health Sciences. "We wanted to know whether the patterns we see in older patients still hold in younger ones, and to look at other prognostic factors for anything new we could learn, given the increase in colorectal cancer," she said.
She noted the younger patients were more often female, of Black or Asian descent, and more likely to live in metropolitan areas. The nature of their cancer also differed notably from their older counterparts, Dr. Green said. They more frequently had tumors in the left-sided colon (47.8% vs. 39.8%) and rectum (28.4% vs. 18.7%).
The study also demonstrated a pattern toward a higher incidence of N2 disease (disease that has spread to four or more lymph nodes) in younger patients, although the study was not powered to compare the two cohorts. "It was interesting that both chemoradiation and advanced disease were more common in the younger population," Dr. Green said.
Based on her clinical experience, Dr. Lo said it seems younger patients with mCRC tend to have more advanced disease when they are first diagnosed compared with older patients. Younger patients who otherwise feel healthy may downplay their common, nonspecific symptoms of colorectal cancer and clinicians need to be attuned to that, she noted.
"My big recommendation is for primary care doctors and gastroenterologists. When a patient has nonspecific bloating, rectal pain, bleeding, or other unusual GI symptoms you wouldn't expect from everyday living, that person should have a very low threshold for colonoscopy," Dr. Lo added.
Disclosures: Authors have no disclosures to report.
Citation: Green M, Lo WM, et al. Young Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Experience Longer Disease-Specific Survival than the Typical Population Despite Advanced Disease: A SEER Database Analysis. Scientific Forum, American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2026.
Note: Research abstracts presented at the ACS Clinical Congress Scientific Forum are reviewed and selected by a program committee but are not yet peer reviewed.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/metastatic-colorectal-cancer-is-more-advanced-in-younger-patients-than-older-ones-but-they-survive-longer-with-the-disease-study-finds/
[Category: Medical]
* * *
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer is More Advanced in Younger Patients than Older Ones, but They Survive Longer with the Disease, Study Finds
Researchers urge a lower threshold for colonoscopy in patients aged 45 years and younger who have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms
September 25, 2026
Key Takeaways
* Patients aged 45 years and younger -- a group in which metastatic colorectal cancer continues to increase -- had advanced disease and received chemoradiation more often than ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 26 (TNSxrep) -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Metastatic Colorectal Cancer is More Advanced in Younger Patients than Older Ones, but They Survive Longer with the Disease, Study Finds Researchers urge a lower threshold for colonoscopy in patients aged 45 years and younger who have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms September 25, 2026 Key Takeaways * Patients aged 45 years and younger -- a group in which metastatic colorectal cancer continues to increase -- had advanced disease and received chemoradiation more often thanolder patients, though the study was not designed to formally compare the two age groups.
* Ten-year survival in younger patients significantly exceeds that of older patients (17.8% vs. 11.4%) but "remains quite grim."
* Clinicians may need to lower their threshold for colonoscopy when younger patients have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.
* The findings will be presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, Sept. 26-29.
-
WASHINGTON -- Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) continues to increase in patients aged 45 years or younger, and their longer survival and different disease patterns compared with older patients may warrant more aggressive scrutiny of gastrointestinal symptoms, according to new study findings.
The research will be presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, Sept. 26-29, where thousands of surgeons will convene to advance surgical quality, patient safety, and access to care.
"Unfortunately, our study shows that 10-year survival remains quite grim for younger patients, which was the most important thing we learned," said study co-author Winifred M. Lo, MD, FACS, assistant professor of general surgery at Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.
The retrospective cohort study used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program database from 2004 to 2024. It included 50,802 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), 4,256 (8.4%) of whom were aged 45 years and younger. Younger patients had longer median disease-specific survival (32 months vs. 22 months) and a higher rate of 10-year survival (17.8% vs. 11.4%) than those 45 years and older.
"That's valuable data to share with patients who are building families, planning for college, and getting married - all of these important life events," Dr. Lo said. "It's important to know what the average patient might face, even if the answer is terrible."
The study focused on mCRC in younger patients because few studies have done so, according to co-author Mary Green, DO, a resident physician at Virginia Health Sciences. "We wanted to know whether the patterns we see in older patients still hold in younger ones, and to look at other prognostic factors for anything new we could learn, given the increase in colorectal cancer," she said.
She noted the younger patients were more often female, of Black or Asian descent, and more likely to live in metropolitan areas. The nature of their cancer also differed notably from their older counterparts, Dr. Green said. They more frequently had tumors in the left-sided colon (47.8% vs. 39.8%) and rectum (28.4% vs. 18.7%).
The study also demonstrated a pattern toward a higher incidence of N2 disease (disease that has spread to four or more lymph nodes) in younger patients, although the study was not powered to compare the two cohorts. "It was interesting that both chemoradiation and advanced disease were more common in the younger population," Dr. Green said.
Based on her clinical experience, Dr. Lo said it seems younger patients with mCRC tend to have more advanced disease when they are first diagnosed compared with older patients. Younger patients who otherwise feel healthy may downplay their common, nonspecific symptoms of colorectal cancer and clinicians need to be attuned to that, she noted.
"My big recommendation is for primary care doctors and gastroenterologists. When a patient has nonspecific bloating, rectal pain, bleeding, or other unusual GI symptoms you wouldn't expect from everyday living, that person should have a very low threshold for colonoscopy," Dr. Lo added.
Disclosures: Authors have no disclosures to report.
Citation: Green M, Lo WM, et al. Young Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Experience Longer Disease-Specific Survival than the Typical Population Despite Advanced Disease: A SEER Database Analysis. Scientific Forum, American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2026.
Note: Research abstracts presented at the ACS Clinical Congress Scientific Forum are reviewed and selected by a program committee but are not yet peer reviewed.
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About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
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Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/metastatic-colorectal-cancer-is-more-advanced-in-younger-patients-than-older-ones-but-they-survive-longer-with-the-disease-study-finds/
[Category: Medical]
Air Line Pilots Association International: Pilot-Backed Mental Health Reforms Clear Senate
MCLEAN, Virginia, Sept. 26 -- The Air Line Pilots Association International issued the following news release:
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Pilot-Backed Mental Health Reforms Clear Senate
Bill Would Implement FAA Rulemaking Committee Recommendations
September 25, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate today passed the Mental Health in Aviation Act (S. 3257), bipartisan legislation to fix a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certification process that can keep pilots who seek mental health treatment grounded for more than a year. A similar bill passed the House in September 2025. The legislation would ... Show Full Article MCLEAN, Virginia, Sept. 26 -- The Air Line Pilots Association International issued the following news release: * * * Pilot-Backed Mental Health Reforms Clear Senate Bill Would Implement FAA Rulemaking Committee Recommendations September 25, 2026 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate today passed the Mental Health in Aviation Act (S. 3257), bipartisan legislation to fix a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certification process that can keep pilots who seek mental health treatment grounded for more than a year. A similar bill passed the House in September 2025. The legislation wouldimplement recommendations from the FAA's Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), which the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) co-chaired.
"Airline pilots helped write these recommendations, and today the Senate voted to put them into action," said Capt. Jason Ambrosi, ALPA president. "We thank Senators John Hoeven and Tammy Duckworth for their bipartisan leadership in getting this bill through the Senate. This legislation acknowledges that a pilot's psychological well-being is just as important as their physical health."
According to the ARC's final report, about 20 percent of pilots and controllers who report a mental health diagnosis are initially disqualified, leaving them unable to work until the FAA resolves their case. While very few, around 0.1 percent, are ultimately denied, approval can take months or years. A pilot who begins taking an antidepressant can wait more than a year for an initial FAA authorization. The FAA's psychiatric review stage alone takes 150 to 180 days. These delays discourage pilots from seeking help and pose unacceptable safety risks.
"For far too long, pilots have faced a difficult choice between seeking necessary mental health care and maintaining their careers," said Ambrosi. "When pilots know that reporting treatment won't sideline them for months on end, they'll come forward, and the FAA gets the information it needs to make sound medical decisions. This bill would create a system that makes flying safer for passengers and crews alike."
The Mental Health in Aviation Act would:
* Continue collaboration on worker education campaigns that reduce the stigma around mental health care, explain the process from recognizing a condition through recovery, and encourage workers to seek help early.
* Break down barriers that discourage aviation workers from seeking help and, for those who do seek treatment, improve the process to help them safely and expeditiously return to work when able.
* Expand existing peer-support programs that train pilots to confidentially discuss concerns and connect colleagues with resources.
"The safety of the flying public and our crews is the foundation of everything we do," said Ambrosi. "ALPA stands ready to work with Congress, the FAA, and our partners across the industry to see this bill signed into law and implemented quickly and effectively. Seeking mental health care should be viewed not as a career risk but as a professional responsibility."
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Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 80,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit ALPA.org or follow us @ALPAPilots on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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Original text here: https://www.alpa.org/press-room/2026/09/pilot-backed-mental-health-reforms-clear-senate
[Category: Transportation]
* * *
Pilot-Backed Mental Health Reforms Clear Senate
Bill Would Implement FAA Rulemaking Committee Recommendations
September 25, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate today passed the Mental Health in Aviation Act (S. 3257), bipartisan legislation to fix a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certification process that can keep pilots who seek mental health treatment grounded for more than a year. A similar bill passed the House in September 2025. The legislation would ... Show Full Article MCLEAN, Virginia, Sept. 26 -- The Air Line Pilots Association International issued the following news release: * * * Pilot-Backed Mental Health Reforms Clear Senate Bill Would Implement FAA Rulemaking Committee Recommendations September 25, 2026 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate today passed the Mental Health in Aviation Act (S. 3257), bipartisan legislation to fix a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certification process that can keep pilots who seek mental health treatment grounded for more than a year. A similar bill passed the House in September 2025. The legislation wouldimplement recommendations from the FAA's Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), which the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) co-chaired.
"Airline pilots helped write these recommendations, and today the Senate voted to put them into action," said Capt. Jason Ambrosi, ALPA president. "We thank Senators John Hoeven and Tammy Duckworth for their bipartisan leadership in getting this bill through the Senate. This legislation acknowledges that a pilot's psychological well-being is just as important as their physical health."
According to the ARC's final report, about 20 percent of pilots and controllers who report a mental health diagnosis are initially disqualified, leaving them unable to work until the FAA resolves their case. While very few, around 0.1 percent, are ultimately denied, approval can take months or years. A pilot who begins taking an antidepressant can wait more than a year for an initial FAA authorization. The FAA's psychiatric review stage alone takes 150 to 180 days. These delays discourage pilots from seeking help and pose unacceptable safety risks.
"For far too long, pilots have faced a difficult choice between seeking necessary mental health care and maintaining their careers," said Ambrosi. "When pilots know that reporting treatment won't sideline them for months on end, they'll come forward, and the FAA gets the information it needs to make sound medical decisions. This bill would create a system that makes flying safer for passengers and crews alike."
The Mental Health in Aviation Act would:
* Continue collaboration on worker education campaigns that reduce the stigma around mental health care, explain the process from recognizing a condition through recovery, and encourage workers to seek help early.
* Break down barriers that discourage aviation workers from seeking help and, for those who do seek treatment, improve the process to help them safely and expeditiously return to work when able.
* Expand existing peer-support programs that train pilots to confidentially discuss concerns and connect colleagues with resources.
"The safety of the flying public and our crews is the foundation of everything we do," said Ambrosi. "ALPA stands ready to work with Congress, the FAA, and our partners across the industry to see this bill signed into law and implemented quickly and effectively. Seeking mental health care should be viewed not as a career risk but as a professional responsibility."
* * *
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 80,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit ALPA.org or follow us @ALPAPilots on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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Original text here: https://www.alpa.org/press-room/2026/09/pilot-backed-mental-health-reforms-clear-senate
[Category: Transportation]