L-R: Sheila Hess, Philadelphia City Representative; Frederic Bertley, PhD, Senior VP of Science and Education at The Franklin Institute; Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), CEO of the American Association for Cancer Research; Julie Coker Graham; President and CEO of the PHLCVB; Bonnie Grant, Executive Director of PHL Life Sciences; David King, Co-Chair of PHL Life Sciences and Daniel J. Keating III, Chairman of Keating Consulting. Photo by Jim McWilliams Photography for PHLCVB)
On September 14 at the National Constitution Center, PHL Life Sciences, a division of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, presented its Ultimate Solution Award to the American Association for Cancer Research and its CEO Margaret Foti, Ph.D., MD (hc). The award is given annually to an individual or organization who has raised Philadelphia’s profile as a life sciences meeting and convention destination. The PHLCVB currently has 378 life sciences related meetings & conventions booked for the future and the life sciences industry accounts for more than 50 percent of the bookings at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
AACR and Dr. Foti were selected for contributions made to the field of cancer research. Headquartered in Philadelphia, AACR is the first and largest cancer research organization in the world, and under the guidance of life-long Philadelphian Dr. Foti, its membership has grown from 3,000 to 37,000 across 107 countries.
The program included remarks from hospitality leaders including Julie Coker Graham, President and CEO of the PHLCVB; Bonnie Grant, Executive Director of PHL Life Sciences; Sheila Hess, City Representative for the City of Philadelphia; Daniel J. Keating III, Chairman of Keating Consulting; and David King, Co-Chair of PHL Life Sciences.
After Foti accepted the Ultimate Solution Award, she and Frederic Bertley, PhD, Senior Vice President of Science and Education at The Franklin Institute, were announced as the new co-chairs of PHL Life Sciences. Further enhancing Philadelphia’s appeal as a meeting destination, the pair will offer the expertise and reputation of a global association and global education center and attraction, respectively.
Past Ultimate Solution award recipients include former Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, former president of the Wistar Institute and former chair of PHL Life Sciences Dr. Russel Kaufman; Senior Vice President of Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Fritz Bittenbender and Joan Randolph, RN, for her achievements as chairperson of the PHL Life Sciences Nursing Leadership Committee.
For more information on PHL Life Sciences, visit: www.PHLLifeSciences.com
