ISTM News

• Letter from the ISTM president Charles Ericcson
• Notes from the ISTM Secretariat
• CISTM in Innsbruck, Austria

Letter from ISTM President Charles Ericcson

Dear All:

I am happy to report that Hans Lobel has agreed to continue as the editor of our Clinic Directory on a permanent basis. This publication has needed a permanent head to guarantee that the rules are predictable and followed. As one of our best, if not the best membership benefit, the clinic directory deserves this level of attention. I am pleased that Hans is willing to assume this role. Hans will also continue to work closely with Robert Steffen in his role as Chair of the Industry Liaison Committee.

Because the clinic directory is so intimately involved with membership, I am also appointing Hans to the membership committee. As such, any proposed changes in format, style, content, etc. should be discussed at the membership committee level and brought forward to the Executive Board as necessary by the membership committee chair, Graham Fry. In addition, Hans has excellent ideas about how to go about improving membership. I am certain the committee will be all the stronger because of his input.

Warm regards,

Charlie Ericsson

Notes from the ISTM Secretariat:

Greetings from the ISTM Secretariat in Atlanta. We are busy counting your ballots, responding to your membership renewals, and making plans for CISTM7 in Innsbruck, Austria. Please note that your name and address must accompany checks and wire transfers so that you are properly credited for extending your membership. Thank you, as always, for your continued participation and support of ISTM.

If you have not received your renewal packet, please contact the ISTM secretariat.

Results of the Executive Board ballot and changes in the by-laws will be announced in Innsbruck at the ISTM Business Meeting. Every vote is important as reflected in the recent election of the President of the United States. Please return your ballot. Without court order, your votes will be hand counted, and we guarantee accuracy.

Please plan to attend the business meeting for updates on ISTM status, progress and new initiatives and an opportunity to meet the newly elected Executive Board members.

Please review your listing in the ISTM Membership Directory. If there are revisions required, please let us know. We make every attempt to accurately list your name and location.

We are preparing for the ISTM exhibit booth at CISTM7. Please make an effort to stop by for a visit. It is a wonderful opportunity to put names with faces and, as in the past, conference T-shirts will be available.

We hope you will encourage your non-member colleagues to attend our meeting and to join our organization. For your colleagues who are interested in becoming a member please ask them to visit the booth. Everything necessary to join will be available.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact the ISTM secretariat if you have questions, problems, or suggestions.

Susan Stokes, Administrative Director
Brenda Bagwell, Administrative Assistant
email = istm@istm.org
telephone = 770-736-7060

CISTM in Innsbruck, Austria

Preparations are well under way for what promises to be an unforgettable meeting. You can find up-to-the-minute details – program, downloadable forms for registration, hotel reservation, and an on-line abstracts submission facility at www.istm.org.

Innsbruck is a fascinating city, an old university town that is at the center of Europe. The spectacular backdrop of the surrounding mountains and a successful blend of old world charm and ultramodern technology, including one of the most modern convention center in Europe, makes Innsbruck the perfect place for both education and recreation.

Consider coming early and attending the Wilderness Medicine pre-meeting course featuring an excellent International/Austrian faculty – reason enough to attend the meeting.

We recommend that you reserve your hotel room as soon as possible and that you use the Hotel Reservation Form. Mail/fax the form to PCO Tyrol Congress. Please do not send the form to the CISTM secretariat. Note that there are no 1,000 room conventional hotels in Innsbruck but there are many hotels with 100 to 200 beds, and many smaller ones. All are excellent and charming, and accustomed to providing excellent personal services for their guests. Most of the hotels are within walking distance of the conference center. CISTM7 has reserved rooms in about 25 hotels in order to accommodate your special needs. PCO Tyrol Congress is also very experienced and will try to satisfy your requests; two winter Olympic games have been held in Innsbruck. For more information about the Congress Center, please visit, www.congress-innsbruck.at.

There are many ways to get to Innsbruck. There are direct flights from some of the major airports in Europe. Innsbruck can also be reached via Munich International Airport (MUC) which is served by most major world airlines. Good deals are often available. The airport has both train and bus service to Innsbruck and no advanced tickets are necessary. Trains leave every hour and the trip takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes. Often you arrive much earlier in Innsbruck via the Munich airport than you do by changing planes somewhere in Europe and then continuing to Innsbruck.

Frank von Sonnenburg
Chairman, CISTM7