LAUREN D. HOLINGER, MD

Presenting the Guest of Honor to the Fellowship is one of the great privileges of the President of the American Laryngological Association. The Guest of Honor should be an individual who has made major contributions to the Association or to our specialty; a role model who is dedicated and committed to upholding the highest standards of character, integrity, and of medicine: teaching, research, and patient care. Selection as Guest of Honor is a measure of respect and admiration.

The 1999 American Laryngological Association Guest of Honor, Byron J. Bailey, MD, exemplifies all of these attributes. Born in Oklahoma City, he earned his BA and MD at the University of Oklahoma, then trained in head and neck surgery at the University of California-Los Angeles. Since 1968, he has been Wiess Professor and Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Dr Bailey is Editor-in-Chief of the Laryngoscope.

In addition to serving as President of the American Laryngological Association, he has also been president of the American Society for Head and Neck Surgery (now the American Head and Neck Society), the American Board of Otolaryngology, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Inc, the Association of Academic Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the Society of University Otolaryngologists-Head and Neck Surgeons, and the National Association of Physicians for the Environment, and is now President-Elect of the Christian Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He has participated in 4 annual medical missions to Vietnam. Dr Bailey is chief editor of the 2-volume text Head and Neck Surgery-Otolaryngology, has been invited to over 70 visiting professorships, and has written innumerable monographs published in the peer-reviewed literature.

I have long been a great admirer of Dr Bailey. He is one of those unique otolaryngologists who stand out as original, creative thinkers and clear, concise writers. When you see his name as author of a publication, you can be assured that it will be well-written, effective, and concise and that you will be enlightened in some wonderful way. And you will retain something tangible to apply in your daily activities or the practice of medicine and surgery. I particularly recall Dr Bailey's many insightful editorials written when he was Editor-in-Chief of the Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, which reflected his clear, analytical thought process. This is interesting, because Dr Bailey regards himself primarily as a teacher and will focus his presentation today on some issues that deal with the teaching of laryngology during residency and how it is perceived by those whom we have taught.

When I asked Dr Bailey what he feels are his most important contributions to otolaryngology, he responded with his typical humility that he sees himself more as a facilitator of learning, and as an individual who happened to be in the right place at the right time when some of our national organizations were in a period of transition as the world was changing rather quickly around them. Our specialty of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery is indeed fortunate to have Dr Bailey, who has so generously committed so much time and energy as an important force when our specialty struggled for a leadership role in head and neck surgery. He was also involved in the organization of the Society of University Otolaryngologists- Head and Neck Surgeons and of the Association of Academic Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Dr Bailey has been a strong supporter of the American Laryngological Association and has devoted many years of service to the Council and to various committees. In addition to serving as President, in 1996, he received the prestigious De Roaldes Award. Dr Bailey has always had a personal love of laryngology. Clearly, this is a two-way street: laryngology and, indeed, all of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery holds Dr Bailey in the highest esteem. I first met Ron when I was invited to present our pediatric airway endoscopy course in Galveston. It was a delight to observe the admiration and respect that he engendered among his residents and colleagues in his own institution.

Through all of his service to his specialty, his university, and, indeed, to humankind, he has been supported by his wonderful wife Margi. Together, they have raised and educated 5 productive, successful, and healthy young adults and have 4 grandchildren. Those of you who know Dr Bailey, whether as an educator or wnter, surgeon or scientist, humanist or exemplary role model, or through one of his leadership roles in otolaryngology, know that he is not just an inspirational leader, but a true gentleman. I present the 1999 Guest of Honor of the American Laryngological Association, Byron J. Bailey, MD.