ATLANTA - The Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA) announced its officers and directors at its 2004 Annual Meeting, June 12-15, in Austin, Texas. Jim Hladnik, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Ill., was inducted as president.

Other 2004-2005 HCEA officers are: President Elect - Juleanne Dawson, Bard Access Systems, Salt Lake City; Vice President - Cynthia Holloway, United States Surgical/Tyco Healthcare, Norwalk, Conn.; Treasurer - Geri-Dee Shaffer, Aesculap, Inc., Lawrenceville, Ga.; Secretary - Sue Jones, Boston Scientific Corporation, Natick, Mass.; and Immediate Past President - Joyce Banister, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, N.J.

The association's 2004-2005 directors are Laura Byrne, GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia; Susan Huff, Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis; Riki Metzger, Merck Human Health Division, North Wales, Pa.; Barbara Orr, Poretta & Orr, Inc., Doylestown, Pa.; Sandra Ratcliffe, Pfizer, Inc., New York; and Kevin Wohlfort, American Urological Association, Linthicum, Md.

The association's 2004-2006 directors are Barbara Costa, Organon Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., Roseland, N.J.; Karen Kingston, B. Braun Medical, Bethlehem, Pa.; Judy Peak, Spectranetics Corporation, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Karen Prieto, Forest Laboratories, New York; and Kim Thompson, Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, Calif.

2004-2005 appointed directors are George Feehan, GWF Associates, Hamilton, N.J.; Linda Possinger, Aventis Pasteur, Swiftwater, Pa.; and Sherri Sujai, American Society for Microbiology, Washington.

HCEA is the only association solely dedicated to improving the effectiveness of all conventions, meetings and exhibitions for the healthcare industry. HCEA represents nearly 700 member organizations involved in healthcare exhibitions and conventions.

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