Newswise — WASHINGTON – AACC, a global scientific and medical professional organization dedicated to better health through laboratory medicine, is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has appointed Mark J. Golden as CEO effective August 17. 

Prior to joining AACC, Golden served for 7 years as Executive Director and CEO of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), an organization with 30,000 members. At the NSPE, Golden helped redesign the society’s membership and business model, expanded its certification programs for engineering technicians and technologists, rebuilt the relationships between the society’s national office and its chapters, and rebranded the association. He also grew NSPE’s public policy programs by increasing coordination with state chapters around key policy priorities, strengthening engagement with external partners and building coalitions, and by creating robust nationwide and state-specific resources on licensures, ethics, and professional practices in the field. 

As CEO of AACC, Golden will lead the association as it implements a new strategic plan that debuted in 2019, and that is designed to ensure that AACC continues to meet the needs of its diverse membership base. The five goals of the new plan include building AACC’s advocacy programs and influence; driving scientific advancement in laboratory medicine; highlighting the essential value of labs to other healthcare professionals and the public; promoting scientific discussion and development around the role of data analytics and artificial intelligence in the field; and expanding to serve the broader laboratory medicine community while still preserving AACC’s role as the professional home for clinical chemists. 

“Following an extensive search that considered many qualified candidates, it is with great excitement that AACC’s Board of Directors announces Mark Golden’s appointment as CEO,” said AACC President Dr. Carmen Wiley. “AACC has undergone tremendous changes over the last several years as we have sought out new and innovative ways to help our members do what they do best and provide vital insight so patients get the care they need. As we enter a new stage of growth with this ambitious strategic plan, we are confident that Mark’s leadership skills and experience with professional associations make him the ideal choice to serve as AACC’s CEO and to guide us forward.” 

“It is a privilege to be chosen as AACC’s CEO,” said Golden, “and I am excited to advance the association’s mission to provide lab professionals with the resources they need to continue to adapt to the rapidly changing healthcare environment and solve challenging patient care problems. I look forward to working with the AACC Board of Directors and staff to shape the association’s current programs and to launch new initiatives with a focus on advocacy, scientific advancement, the value of lab professionals, data analytics, and expanding our community. Together, we will improve patient outcomes by advancing lab testing and diagnosis.” 

BACKGROUND ON MARK J. GOLDEN 

Golden began his association career as an editor with the Association of Telemessaging Services International, and since then, he has served in various association leadership roles for the last 35 years. Prior to his time at the NSPE, he served as Executive Director and CEO of the National Court Reporters Association from 1998-2012, as Vice President of Government Relations and Senior Vice President of Industry Affairs at the Personal Communications Industry Association from 1991-1998, and as Vice President of the Association of Telemessaging Services International from 1985-1991. 

Golden holds a bachelor of arts in drama and English language and literature from the University of Virginia, and he is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives as well as a Certified Association Executive. 

About AACC

Dedicated to achieving better health through laboratory medicine, AACC brings together more than 50,000 clinical laboratory professionals, physicians, research scientists, and business leaders from around the world focused on clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, mass spectrometry, translational medicine, lab management, and other areas of progressing laboratory science. Since 1948, AACC has worked to advance the common interests of the field, providing programs that advance scientific collaboration, knowledge, expertise, and innovation. For more information, visit www.aacc.org.