CHICAGO, IL — July 13, 2011 — SmithBucklin Corporation, the world’s largest association management company, announced today that it acquired The France Foundation, Inc., a recognized leader in accredited continuing medical education (CME) in the United States. The announcement was made by Henry S. Givray, President and CEO of SmithBucklin, and Kelly Angelini, founder and owner of The France Foundation.
The France Foundation will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of SmithBucklin and will retain its highly respected brand name and headquarters location in Old Lyme, Conn. Stacy Miller, who previously served as executive vice president and COO of The France Foundation, assumes the role of president, and Ted Bruno, MD, will continue in his role of chief medical officer. David Schmahl, chief executive of SmithBucklin’s Healthcare & Scientific Industry Practice, assumes corporate oversight of The France Foundation.
“The France Foundation is looking forward to becoming part of SmithBucklin,” said Angelini. “Both of our companies are passionate about client stewardship and extremely employee focused. We believe the acquisition will enhance and strengthen our service offering and the news was welcomed by our employees, supporters, collaborators and Education Alliance Board members.”
In 2010, The France Foundation received accreditation with commendation as a provider of CME by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). ACCME accreditation with commendation, or Level 3, means that The France Foundation is among the top tier of all CME providers, including some of the nation’s most prestigious medical schools and professional societies. Earlier in 2010, The France Foundation received the highest level of accreditation for its pharmacist education program as an accredited provider of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
“We are excited to welcome The France Foundation to the SmithBucklin family,” Givray said. “The France Foundation is a highly respected leader in CME with an impeccable reputation for serving as a trusted collaborator with numerous stakeholders in the CME community, including academic medical centers, hospitals, national quality assurance organizations and medical specialty societies.”
About The France Foundation
Since its inception in 1999, The France Foundation has been at the forefront of planning, developing, and implementing multidisciplinary accredited medical education. The France Foundation specializes in curriculum-based education and in educational collaborations that improve providers’ knowledge, competence, and practical performance to ultimately improve the care practices provide. The France Foundation is accredited with commendation by the ACCME (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education) and by the ACPE (Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education) to provide CME credit for physicians and pharmacists respectively. For more information about The France Foundation, please visit www.francefoundation.com or call 1-860-434-1650.
About SmithBucklin
SmithBucklin is the world’s largest association management and professional services company. Founded in 1949, the company provides full-service management and outsourcing services to trade associations, professional societies, technology user groups, corporations, government institutes/agencies and other nonprofit organizations. SmithBucklin’s mission is to drive growth for its client organizations and provide uncompromised stewardship for their long-term prosperity. SmithBucklin offices are located in Chicago, Washington, D.C., St. Louis and St. Paul, Minn. and the SmithBucklin + MCI Worldwide Partnership provides client organizations with seamless association and event management services from more than 40 offices throughout the world. The company is 100 percent employee-owned. For more information, please visit www.smithbucklin.com or call 1-800-539-9740.
