October 28, 2008

Dear CSAAI Member and California allergists:

Or 2008 annual meeting in Huntington Beach was a great success with record attendance and very positive comments by the attendees. For those of you who have never been to a CSAA annual meeting, let me encourage you to consider joining us next summer. Please mark your calendars for July 10-12, 2009. This will be an opportunity to renew old acquaintances, network with your colleagues and enjoy a great educational program in a relaxing beach setting.

The Executive Committee of CSAAI has been hard at work over the summer planning for next year's event. As in the past, we try to invite the most renowned speakers and researchers in the field of allergy, asthma and immunology to our annual meeting. We also try to select a hotel venue that will be attractive to the majority of California allergist-immunologists as well as a location convenient for our speakers.

For the 2009 annual meeting we have carefully evaluated numerous N. California resort hotels but have regretfully been unable to locate a good fit (price, location, easy access, resort facilities) for the time period (July 2009) that is our traditional meeting time. Hence, after much debate, we have decided to stay with the Huntington Beach Hilton for 2009.

To our N. California colleagues we ask that you plan to join us for this event., especially if you missed the last annual meeting. Organized by our program chairman and current V.P., Dr. Richard Barbers, next year's event is already attracting superb faculty that may prove to be the best conference in recent years.

Flights to either Long Beach, John Wayne Santa Ana or LAX airports provide easy acess to the Huntington Beach Hilton and we encourage all California allergists to mark their calendars for the weekend of July 10-12, 2009. To register for the meeting you may contract David Arriola (323-442-2546) at the USC Keck School of Medicine or Francene Lifson at AAFA (1-800-624-0044). Details on the meeting will be mailed out in the Spring.

Your CSAAI Executive Committee is also working to represent the interests of our members in Sacramento by monitoring pending legislation. Dr. Larry Posner is our key designated person reporting to us on bills of vital interest to the specialty of allergy-immunology and we thank him for all his efforts.

Additionally our Policy Planning Committee has been formed with stated purpose to communicate with insurance companies and 3rd party payers on matters relevant to allergy-immunology services.

These are just a few of the ways we are supporting you the practicing board-certified allergist-immunologist in California. Get active in CSAAI by joining us at our next meeting in Huntington Beach in 2009. Check out our website at www.csaai.org for more information including a forum to communicate your concerns.

I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.
Sincerely,

Mark S. Sugar, MD, M.D.
President