LEIPZIG — The World Assembly during the 13th ISPO World Congress,
here, gave Dan Blocka, CO and president of ISPO, a chance to reflect on his
3-year term. During that time, the ISPO headquarters moved to Brussels, Belgium
and is now under the direction of a professional management company.
“They have done a great job in the transition of the first 4 or 5
months,” Blocka said. “I made a visit there in January and think it
is a successful start.”
ISPO has also taken on a new mission statement, a new vision statement
and a new tagline — Moving Beyond Physical Disability.
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| Jan Geertzen | |
Blocka, who became emotional saying thanks to everyone in ISPO, shared a
slideshow of events from his presidential term which included his many trips
around the world meeting with other member organizations.
As Blocka’s triennium comes to an end, he welcomed Prof. Dr. Jan
Geertzen, of the Center for Rehabilitation, University Medical Center
Groningen, to take on the next 3 years of ISPO leadership which will culminate
in Hyderabad, India in 2013.
“I hope I will fulfill, together with your new elected board
members, your expectations. I thank you also for your confidence. I don’t
know why you have it,” Geertzen joked. “As a new board, we will
continue to work as we did in the last triennium. I hope it brings the same
pleasure and the same laughs as the last 3 years.”
The 2010-2013 ISPO executive board consists of: Bengt Soderberg of
Sweden; John Michael of the United States; Mads Harbo of Denmark; Margaret
Hodge of Austrailia; Rosie Jovane of Panama/United States; Takaaki Chin of
Japan; Rajiv Hanspal of the United Kingdom; Hung-Hei Kwan of China; Harmen van
der Linde of the Netherlands; and Blocka will fill another year in the role of
past-president.
