Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14The term “Kaizen,” which is Japanese for continuous improvement, was first intro- duced to the West in 1988 by Masaaki Imai in his book Kaizen: The Key to Ja- pan’s Competitive Success. When used in the business sense, “Kaizen” refers to activities that continuously improve all functions and involve all employees, ranging from the CEO to the assembly line workers. Today, Kaizen is recognized worldwide as an important pillar of any organization’s long-term competitive strategy. EAST, which is dedicated to providing “leadership and development for young surgeons active in the care of the injured patient through interdisciplinary collaboration, scholarship, and fellowship,” is now stronger than ever. Kaizen is a part of our everyday organizational culture. Over the course of the last four years, we have revised the governing structure of our organization, re-aligned our committees, and made our structure more transparent. Our Board of Directors has complet- ed its evolution into a “strategic board.” What is a “strategic board?” In simple terms, it is a board that looks to the future, establishes goals, monitors our progress towards those goals, thinks critically, and promotes accountability. Kaizen. But we do not rest, and we continue to strive. “What do our members need?” “How does this initiative benefit our members?” “How would the young surgeon feel about this?” “How does this benefit patients?” These are common questions asked at our annual assembly, in our committees, are part of every Division leader’s mantra, and are asked at our Board Meetings. Daily, we labor to improve. Message from the President 2017 ISSUE ONE Bruce A. Crookes, MD, FACS In This Issue Strategic Goals Continued on page 2 E A S T E R N A S S O C I A T I O N F O R T H E S U R G E R Y O F T R A U M A news LEADERSHIP  Prepare young surgeons to become leaders DEVELOPMENT Promote unique programs for the career development of young surgical leaders SCHOLARSHIP  Provide education and training across the con- tinuum of acute surgical care FELLOWSHIP  Encourage a sense of community for personal professional growth COLLABORATION  Work with our stakehold- ers to advance patient care and trauma systems •  30th Annual Scientific Assembly Review •  Donor Stories • Award Recipients •  Upcoming Events A D V A N C I N G S C I E N C E • FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS • B U I L D I N G C A R E E R S