SOCIETY FOR HEART ATTACK PREVENTION & ERADICATION
ANNOUNCES NEW NATIONAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Houston, TX, August 8, 2012:-The Society for Heart Attack Prevention and Eradication (SHAPE), a nonprofit organization that promotes early detection and preventive intervention to eradicate heart attacks (www.shapesociety.org), is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard T. Hellner as the CEO to assume staff responsibilities for the organization including its strategic expansion throughout the United States and internationally.
Hellner has a twenty-five year background running nationwide nonprofit health and human service organizations and has a strong background in strategic management, fund development, marketing and advocacy. He joins the organization with executive experience leading other national nonprofits including Prevent Blindness America, the National Hemophilia Foundation, the Arthritis Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Also, having worked to start a health and human service organization in a developing country, he is well suited to position SHAPE to provide its life-saving programs internationally.
“SHAPE is poised to make a significant impact in the detection and prevention of heart attacks. The board of directors regards Mr. Hellner’s arrival as a vital next step in fulfilling its strategic expansion goals,” said Ms. Zawitoski, Board Chair.
Hellner begins his responsibilities immediately and is located in the organization’s national office in Houston.
The SHAPE Task Force, an international group of leading cardiovascular physicians and researchers, issued the SHAPE Guideline which encourages physicians to do more than cholesterol and blood pressure (risk factor) measurement. The Task Force calls for using new noninvasive screening tools for detection of asymptomatic atherosclerosis (hidden cholesterol plaque build-up) in men age 45 and older, and women age 55 and older who are at risk for heart attack or stroke. SHAPE recommends two scientifically proven non-invasive atherosclerosis tests: coronary artery calcification scoring (CACS) by CT scan and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) scanning by ultrasound. These tests have improved physicians’ ability to assess near-term heart attack risk in otherwise seemingly healthy individuals. Using these tests, timely interventions can be implemented to prevent a near future heart attack or stroke.
About SHAPE:-
The Society for Heart Attack Prevention and Eradication (SHAPE) is a tax-exempt organization founded by Dr. Morteza Naghavi, former faculty member of the Texas Heart Institute and the University of Texas in Houston. The mission of SHAPE is to promote education and research related to early detection, prevention and treatment of arterial plaque, the most prevalent source of heart attacks. SHAPE is committed to raising public awareness about noninvasive, cost effective screening programs that detect potential heart problems in asymptomatic populations. Additional nformation is available at www.shapesociety.org or call 713-529-4484
About SHAPE Task Force:
The SHAPE Task Force includes the following:-
Morteza Naghavi, M.D.:- Executive Chairman
PK Shah, M.D. – Chair of Scientific Board
Erling Falk, M.D., Ph.D. – Chief of Editorial Committee
SHAPE Task Force Members:-
Daniel S. Berman, M.D., Matthew J. Budoff, M.D., Michael H. Davidson, M.D., Jim Ehrlich, M.D., Raimund Erbel, M.D., Erling Falk, M.D., Ph.D., Steven B. Feinstein, M.D., Kirk Geter, D.P.M., Craig Hartley, Ph.D., Harvey S. Hecht, M.D., Howard Hodis, M.D., Sanjay Kaul, M.D., M.P.H., Iftikhar J. Kullo, M.D., Daniel Lane, M.D., Ph.D., Marge Lovell, R.N., Ralph Metcalfe, Ph.D., Tasneem Z. Naqvi, M.D., Morteza Naghavi, M.D., Paolo Raggi, M.D., George P. Rodgers, M.D., PK Shah, M.D., David Spence, M.D., H. Robert Superko, M.D., Henrik Sillesen, M.D., Ph.D., Pierre-Jean Touboul, M.D.
SHAPE Task Force Advisors:-
Valentin Fuster, M.D., Ph.D., Leslee Shaw, Ph.D.
SHAPE Task Force II Executive Coordinator
Jeff Fine, M.S., Ph.D.