History
Presidents & Lectureships
Since 1949 the Society has been led by an elected president each year. Three lectureships honor those who gave the Society its foundation and its enduring culture. Each register below begins with the most recent years; the full record opens at the fold.
Past Presidents
Colon & Rectal Surgeons, Year by Year
Elected presidents of the Society, 1949 to the present.
2027–2028Dr. Kelly Finan
2025–2026Dr. Patrick Culumovic
2023–2024Dr. David Vargas
2021–2022Dr. Heidi Chua
2018–2020Dr. George Blestel
2016–2017Dr. F. Brooks Hodnette
2014–2015Dr. Charles B. Whitlow
2012–2013Dr. James W. Fleshman
2010–2011Dr. David Gibbs
2008–2009Dr. Guy R. Orangio
2006–2007Dr. Douglas Brewer
2004–2005Dr. Terry Hicks
2002–2003Dr. Richard G. Saleeby, Jr.
2000–2001Dr. Frank G. Opelka
1998–1999Dr. Harvey Shub
1996–1997Dr. Jon S. Palmintier
1995Dr. Emmet Ferguson, Jr.
1994Dr. William Harry Dickson
1992–1993Dr. Vendie H. Hooks, III
1991Dr. W. Bruce Stewart
1990Dr. Daniel J. Coyle, Jr.
1989Dr. Frank L. Weakley
1988Dr. Shed Roberson
1987Dr. Charles C. Massey, Jr.
1986Dr. David P. Pickens, Jr.
1985Dr. M. Felton Hagood
1984Dr. Louis F. Knoepp, Jr.
1983Dr. Matthew A. Larkin
1982Dr. Joseph S. Nichols, Sr.
1981Dr. Joseph I. Garcia, Sr.
1980Dr. Walter W. Hamilton
1979Dr. Manuel L. Carbonell
1978Dr. Jack M. Levin
1977Dr. William H. Folk
1976Dr. John E. Ray
1975Dr. C. Jackson Ray
1974Dr. Charles E. Hannon
1973Dr. Julius E. Linn
1972Dr. Henry McKenzie Finch
1971Dr. Patrick H. Hanley
1970Dr. Richard G. Saleeby, Sr.
1969Dr. George Vaughn
1968Dr. Alejandro F. Castro
1967Dr. John Cheleden
1966Dr. Orville C. Gass
1965Dr. Leon Banov, Jr.
1964Dr. R. Leeves McCarthy
1963Dr. Vincent T. Young
1962Dr. Carl Sweatman
1961Dr. Earl Rasmussen
1960Dr. Fred Hodges, Jr.
1959Dr. Isaac E. Harris, Jr.
1958Dr. Glenn G. Perry
1957Dr. W. Slough Wallace
1956Dr. G. Farrar Parker
1955Dr. Robert V. Terrell
1954Dr. Edgar Boring
1953Dr. Charles S. Drummond
1952Dr. J. Milton Stockman
1951Dr. Charles Ross Deeds
1949–1950Dr. W. Tom Brockman
Lectureship
The John E. Ray, MD, Lectureship
In memory of John E. Ray, MD, president of the Society in 1976.
Matthew Kalady, MDMarch 2025
Traci Hedrick, MDMarch 2024
David Beck, MDMarch 2023
Neil Hyman, MDMarch 2022
Martin Luchtefeld, MDMarch 2021
Scott Kelley, MDMarch 2019
Matthew Mutch, MDMarch 2018
David Schoetz, MDMarch 2017
Donald Buie, MDMarch 2016
Heidi Chua, MDMarch 2015
Steve Hunt, MDMarch 2014
Bruce Wolff, MDMarch 2013
Anthony Senagore, MDMarch 2012
Eric Dozois, MDMarch 2011
Alan B. Thorson, MDApril 2003
James W. Fleshman, MDAugust 2001
Robert D. Fry, MDApril 2001
James W. Fleshman, MDApril 1998
Victor Fazio, MDApril 1997
Patricia L. Roberts, MDApril 1996
Stanley M. Goldberg, MDApril 1995
Robin S. McLeod, MDAugust 1994
David A. Rotherberger, MDApril 1993
Frank L. Weakly, MDAugust 1992
Lectureship
The J. Milton Stockman, MD, Lectureship
In honor of J. Milton Stockman, MD — co-founder of the Piedmont Proctologic Society, 1949.
Vincent Obias, MDMarch 2025
Shane McNevin, MDAugust 2024
Alessandro Fichera, MDMarch 2023
Sonia L. Ramamoorthy, MDMarch 2022
David Dietz, MDMarch 2021
H. Randolph Bailey, MDMarch 2019
Steven Wexner, MDMarch 2018
David Rothenberger, MDMarch 2017
Martin Luchtefeld, MDMarch 2016
Scott R. Steele, MDMarch 2015
Philip Paty, MDMarch 2014
Jorge Marcet, MDMarch 2013
Robert Fry, MDMarch 2010
Michael Stamos, MDAugust 2009
John Mellinger, MDAugust 2008
James W. Fleshman, MDAugust 2006
Lectureship
The Richard G. Saleeby, Sr., MD, Lectureship
In honor of Richard G. Saleeby, Sr., MD — the Society’s longtime secretary-treasurer, whose lectureship is delivered each year by the annual invited professor.
Dana Hayden, MDAugust 2026
Sean Langenfeld, MDAugust 2025
Daniel Chu, MDAugust 2024
Matthew Mutch, MDAugust 2023
Bradley Davis, MDAugust 2022
Peter Marcello, MDAugust 2021
Jan Rakinic, MDAugust 2019
Steve Hunt, MDAugust 2018
Virgilio George, MDAugust 2017
Jason Hall, MDAugust 2016
Tracy Hull, MDAugust 2015
Michael Stamos, MDAugust 2014
Jason Hall, MDAugust 2013
Rocco Ricciardi, MDAugust 2012
Richard Devine, MDAugust 2011
Tom Read, MDAugust 2010
James W. Fleshman, MDAugust 2009
W. Donald Buie, MDAugust 2008
The record of presidents dates to the Society’s founding in 1949. Corrections to earlier entries may be directed to the Society’s secretary-treasurer.