Gianni Merlo News AIPS President

By Don Goodwin

Gianni Merlo of Italy became the 8th president in AIPS history when he won election over former AIPS First Vice President Alain Lunzenfichter of France duriing the quadrennial election of officers held during the recent AIPS Congress in Morocco. Merlo replaces the retiring Togay Bayatli of Turkey who had served as president for the past 12 years.

Gianni Merlo (left) and Carlos Garcia

Gianni Merlo (left) and Carlos Garcia


Canada’s Carlos Garcia was elected First Vice President. The pair headed a new slate of officers with only General Secretary Charles Camenzuli of Malta returning from the previous Executive. Esat Yilmaer of Turkey becomes Deputy General Secretary and Jorge Ribiero of Portugal assumes the Treasurer’s portfolio.

Carlos Garcia moved up from one of the five Vice President positions on the previous Board of Directors. The five incoming vice presidents are: Yannis Theodorakopoulos of Greece, Fasal al Qanai of Kuwait, Nikolai Dolgopolov of Russia and Manoucher Zandi of Iran, all returning from the previous administration and newcomer Laima Janusonyte of Lithuania, the only woman on the incoming Board.

The six other members of the incoming Board of Directors are Yaoming Gu of China, Jaber Al Harami of Qatar, Hans-Joachim Zwingmann of Germany, Obi Mitchell of Nigeria, Aderson Maia Nogueira of Brazil and Emanuel Fantaneanu of Romania.

The new Executive and Board of Directors will serve until 2009.