June 23, 2016, American Heart Association -- The American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, presented its 2016 Gold Heart Award to Emelia J. Benjamin, M.D., ScM, FAHA; William H. Roach, Jr.; and Gordon F. Tomaselli, M.D., FAHA. The Gold Heart Award is the highest honor the association gives in recognition of continued, distinguished service. The awards were presented at the association's 2016 Gold Heart Banquet in Dallas on June 21.
Benjamin is a professor of medicine and assistant provost for faculty development at Boston University School of Medicine, a professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health, an attending cardiologist and vice chair of faculty development/diversity within the department of medicine at Boston Medical Center, and director of the Vascular Function Laboratories of the Framingham Heart Study in Framingham, Massachusetts. She was recognized by the association for outstanding contributions supporting the development and mentoring of early career investigators. A volunteer since 1992, Benjamin is a member of the Council on Functional Genomics and Translational Biology and was the council’s 2010-12 chairperson. She is also an associate editor for Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association and the 2015-17 chairperson of the association’s Statistics Committee.
Roach, a retired partner of the McDermott, Will and Emery law firm in Chicago, was the association’s chairman in 2011-12 and secretary-treasurer in 2009-10. A volunteer since 1992, Roach has contributed his expertise as an attorney to advance the AHA mission in numerous areas, including nonprofit governance, business processes, operations and corporate affairs.
At Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Tomaselli is chief of the Division of Cardiology, co-director of the Heart and Vascular Institute and the Michel Mirowski M.D. Professor of Cardiology. He was the association’s president in 2011-12, and was chairperson of the Committee on Scientific Sessions Program and the Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee. Tomaselli has had a profound impact on the association through his tireless dedication to initiatives focused on healthcare quality improvement, hospital accreditation, science acceleration and professional education.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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