AASA does not overlook an opportunity to recognize those who served as the elected leaders in the past. At the conference’s 2nd General Session on Friday morning, 17 of the past presidents were formally acknowledged at the front of the assembly hall.

Gail Pletnick, the immediate past president, did the honors. She said from the podium she was honored to introduce “all those who worked so hard on behalf of this great association in their role as president. As immediate past president I am honored to now be part of this group.”

She added: “We have a great history, and we have built on that history from those who went before us.”

The past presidents in attendance in Los Angeles were:

A. Dean Speicher, 1989-90; Robert P. Fox, 1993-94; Karl V. Hertz, 1997-98; Daniel A. Domenech, 1998-99; Joseph J. Cirasuolo, 1999-2000; Donald L. Kussmaul, 2004-05; Sarah D. Jerome, 2007-08; Randall H. Collins, 2008-09; Mark T. Bielang, 2009-10; Edgar B. Hatrick III, 2010-11; Patricia E. Neudecker, 2011-12; Benny L. Gooden, 2012-13; Amy F. Sichel, 2013-14; David K. Pennington, 2014-15; David R. Schuler, 2015-16; and Alton L. Frailey, 2016-17.