The Board of Certification/Accreditation, International (BOC) announced
that it has expanded, adding four new directors effective immediately. All four
seats were filled as appointment, Sharon Nichelson, CMF, COF, BOC board of
directors chairwoman, stated in a press release.
The new board members are:
- Mark L. Parris, PharmD, COF, president and chief executive officer
of Parris Pharmacy and Parris Medical Services in Blue Ridge, Ga. He has been a
BOC certificant since 2003, and also currently serves on the board of directors
of the Academy of Independent Pharmacies, the Academy of Compounding Pharmacies
and Fannin Regional Hospital.
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| Mark L. Parris |
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| Robbin Wright |
- Robbin Wright, BOCP, chief prosthetist at Mid State Artificial Limb
Inc. in Jackson, Miss. She earned certification in 2000, and has served on
BOC’s prosthetics examination item writers committee since 2005.
- Jeff Hedges, president of R.J. Hedges & Associates in New
Florence, Pa. He retired after 27 years in the U.S. Air Force, and has become a
recognized leader and advocate for community pharmacies, according to the
release.
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| Jeff Hedges |
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| William J. Powers |
- William J. Powers, a retired military Medical Service Corps officer
and a retired nonprofit health care executive residing in Midlothian, Va.
Powers is a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
“Our board of directors is expanding in both size and
diversity,” Nichelson stated. “In fact, an additional slate of
candidates will be presented to our certificants this fall. It’s a
pleasure to welcome Mark, Robbin, Jeff and Bill to the board. The expertise
they bring will make us a stronger deliberative body, expanding our perspective
on O&P and our certified practitioners’, accredited facilities’
and patients’ needs.”
BOC’s board of directors approved both the expansion of its
membership and the nominations of Parris, Wright, Hedges and Powers during its
July 26 meeting. BOC board members typically are selected by direct vote of BOC
certificants. However, BOC’s bylaws call for directors to be appointed if
a vacancy occurs during a standard term. Parris and Wright were appointed to
fill vacancies. Because neither Hedges nor Powers are O&P practitioners,
the bylaws provide for them to serve by appointment as ex officio voting
members.
“Part of the board’s reason for expanding is to refine the
balance among the five specialties represented on our board,” Claudia
Zacharias, MBA, CAE, BOC president, stated. “We also wanted to even out
the rotation of how many board members’ terms expire each year. Immersing
oneself in a board’s work takes time; it’s helpful for new members to
serve with experienced ones, and experienced board members benefit from the
energy new board members bring.”
