Dr. Racusen conducted the meeting and informed the RPS membership of the following initiatives approved by the BOD:

1. Plaque (Lifetime Career Achievement Award) to be given to Gloria Gallo was agreed upon by the entire membership.
2. Tree of Life art renditions will be offered to members who wish to make a donation to RPS.  How much this donation should be and mechanism to accomplish this will be decided later.  The membership agreed that this was a good fundraising opportunity and thanks Dr. Gallo for her donation.
3. The Young Investigator Award will be named the Lilliane Striker Young Investigator Award as of next year in recognition of Dr. Striker’s many contributions to renal research.
4. Membership informed of extension of ISN/COMGAM application deadline to April 1, 2005.
5. Results of RPS/KUFA grant application provided to membership.  There were 20 excellent applications. The funding went to: Charles Alpers, Wilhelm Kriz, and Kelly Smith.
6. All Committee Chairs gave their reports.  Copies of reports in attachments.
7. Dr. Truong was commended for organizing an excellent Companion Meeting.

New business:

• Dr. Arthur Cohen brought up an issue regarding the possibility that pathologists interpreting biopsies from other states may need to be licensed in the states where biopsies are obtained.  This issue is not clear at the present time. 
• The RPS membership was reminded that files of nominees for the Churg Award that are not selected are not kept for the following year for consideration.  A new nomination is required every year.
• The membership approved a joint RPS/Society for Ultrastructural Pathology (SUP) meeting for USCAP 2006.  Dr. Nickeleit, as Chairman of the RPS Program Committee, will contact John Hicks, President of the SUP to design the program.
• The 2005 ASN RPS-sponsored symposium will be on renal amyloidosis.  Dr. Truong is organizing this symposium.