Illinois Section Inducts Thirteen New Fellows at Midwinter Meeting

The Illinois Section of the Pierre Fauchard Academy held their annual reception and induction
ceremony on Thursday Feb. 24, 2023, in conjunction with the Chicago Midwinter Meeting. The grand event was held in the ballroom of Maggiano’s Little Italy in downtown Chicago, where thirteen very impressive colleagues were welcomed as new fellows.  Illinois has had the distinction of welcoming forty-nine new fellows over the last three years!

The key to a great event is live music! Thanks to a sponsorship by Heartland Dental, Illinois PFA was again able to welcome the band Burnt Biscuits!

The Illinois Section was honored to welcome very distinguished guests, including PFA International President Hal Hale, Region 4 Trustee Ghabi Kaspo, along with the past and present deans of Midwestern University SDM, Drs. Lex MacNeil and Hal Haering. Dr. Hale installed interim Section Chair, Jessica Gibbs, who will take over for a brief time due to Chair Paul Obrock being elected to the position of Region 3 Trustee. Dr. Hale, Dr. Kaspo, Dr. Gibbs and Dr. Obrock conducted the presentations for the new fellows, and Dr. Gibbs presided over the remainder of the meeting.

The new fellows inducted were:

Peter Contos
Hillary Hudson
Joseph Kim
Katie Kosten
Bryce Larson
Mary-Margaret Looker
Richard Stiles
Alex Tzanos
Manisha Virdi
Sam Willens
Rick Workman
Ben Youel
Gordon Ziols

All inductees are exemplary volunteers and leaders in Illinois dentistry and in their communities. We are very proud of the incredible talent, leadership and service exhibited by these new fellows and we want to congratulate them again on receiving this high honor.
Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Jessica Gibbs

Illinois Interim Section Chair