Grider Says Tearful Goodbye
Deborah Grider, CPC, CPC-I, CPC-H, CPC-P, COBGC, CEMC, CCS-P, said an emotional goodbye as she passed the gavel to incoming AAPC National Advisory Board (NAB) President Terry Leone, CPC, CPC-P, CIC. Grider received several standing ovations during today's awards luncheon, and got choked up a few times. She received pieces of luggage from AAPC and from the outgoing NAB.
As members munched on chicken Ceasar salads and chocolate and cherry mousse, the awards for Coder of the Year, Networker of the Year and Local Chapter of the Year were given out. Barbara Fontaine garnered the Coder of the Year award, while Freda Brinson was named the Networker of the Year. The Local Chapter of the Year went to the Savannah, GA, chapter, which put together a time capsule listing chapter and individual goals.
During the ceremony, Johnny Biscuit entertained the crowd with rousing rounds of high or low. The Bahamas chapter also showed a video of AAPC CEO/President Reed Pew's visit to the chapter and entertained the crowd with on-stage dancing and getting the membership up and moving at their tables.
Later, the new NAB was announced, after Leone took the reigns, and the academy is looking to the future. "We have now become a true force in the health care industry, and we should all be proud," Grider said.
Leone's theme of his presidency is personal growth, and he used a tree as a metaphor, while leaves with names flashed up on the screen behind him. He encouraged local chapters to think of fundraisers that could help members challenged by the economy to receive training and certification through AAPC.
The day's already been action-packed, and coders flocked to a breakfast with exhibitors, took in sessions and are heading off to an afternoon session and later, an ice cream social in the exhibit hall.
In a couple of hours, I'll be on a plane back to Philadelphia, and I wish I could pack up the 82-degree sunny weather and take it along (I hear horror stories about temperatures in the 40s at home--eek!).