In July 2023, we changed our name from AACC (short for the American Association for Clinical Chemistry) to the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM). The following page was written prior to this rebranding and contains mentions of the association’s old name. It may contain other out-of-date information as well.
2015 Past President's Award
Dr. Wong is professor of pathology, director of the clinical chemistry and toxicology laboratory, and co-director of the Clinical and Translational Mass Spectrometry Center at the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. He led the the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (formerly AACC) through another successful year in 2014, which was the first time in many years that the membership grew, thanks to a dedicated effort by the staff, well-coordinated promotions with local sections, and a successful annual meeting with a new management firm. Dr. Wong focused on the continued implementation of the three-year strategic plan, including international initiatives, such as completing a memo of understanding with the Chinese Society of Laboratory Medicine. Concerned about maintaining the American Association for Clinical Chemistry's (AACC's) position as a global clinical scientific organization and a player in important healthcare trends such as the growth of the “omic” sciences, he chaired the first “President’s Invited Session: From Translation Research to Precision/Personalized/Predictive Medicine” at the annual meeting. He continued strengthening the AACC's relationship with other organizations and key government agencies, an effort that followed a previously established memorandum of understanding with the National Cancer Institute. The culmination of several years of effort, he created a consensus on the need for a Mass Spectrometry and Separation Science Division, and recruited a dedicated group of AACC members to bring it about. Other important initiatives that happened during his tenure in office – achievements he credits to the dedicated AACC staff – include a new, well-received format for Clinical Laboratory News, a redesigned website, a major rebranding, and strengthened advocacy via a proactive visit to Capitol Hill lawmakers by AACC officers and staff.