Staffing Advisors is proud to have partnered with the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) in the selection of its Executive Director, Andre Williams. IARS is a $5MM scientific society focused solely on research and education to generate and disseminate transformative breakthroughs in anesthesiology and perioperative medicine while supporting scientists worldwide. IARS serves 7,000 members globally and operates with eight staff. Read IARS’s full announcement here.

“As the Board Chair, I am thrilled to welcome Andre as our new Executive Director. His visionary leadership will undoubtedly propel our organization toward even greater success. I eagerly anticipate working closely with Andre to achieve the strategic goals necessary to continue guiding our global anesthesiology community in advancing the science and practice of medicine.”

— IARS Board Chair Y.S. Prakash, MD, PhD

About the Search for IARS’s Next Executive Director

After a deep discovery process to identify the organization’s most critical business issues and strategic priorities, Staffing Advisors sought an executive director to ensure the organization’s continued financial resilience amid an evolving healthcare landscape. The new leader would meet the challenge of expanding relevance globally and diversifying revenue beyond membership dues and the academic journal while maintaining IARS’s esteemed reputation for promoting research to advance the field and supporting scientists around the world.

The search was led by Staffing Advisors Founder & President Bob Corlett, with the support of Vice President of Operations and Strategy, Brooke Lockhart, and the entire Staffing Advisors team.

Working closely with the search committee, board, and key stakeholders, Staffing Advisors surfaced several key focus areas in which the new leader would drive impact. A summary of each is listed below:

  • Revenue Generation and Financial Management. Strengthen the organization’s finances by evaluating all aspects of the business model and stewarding finances to mitigate risk, including the upcoming academic journal contract renewal, membership model, and events/meetings. Explore non-dues revenue opportunities, including industry sponsorships.
  • Building Alliances and Partnerships. Work with the board to set and implement a strategic vision that considers IARS’s current position and strategic direction in relation to other organizations and leverages relationships to enhance collaboration, share resources, and advance impact for the global anesthesia community.
  • Engaging Members. Strengthen the membership model to serve current and future member needs. Explore potential redefinition of the value proposition to appeal to a broader audience and better serve the specialty at large, including early- and mid-career clinicians and researchers globally.
  • Enhancing the Annual Meeting. Develop the future vision of IARS’s Annual Meeting and other educational activities to increase revenue and value for participants while continuing to deliver high-quality science that advances research and practice. Leverage the meeting’s intimate setting and esteemed reputation to attract a broader audience and strengthen relationships with industry.
  • Staff Leadership and Program Operations. Support the professional staff and utilize their expertise for strategic decision-making and implementation. Assess the organizational structure, including the board, staff, and programs, to maximize productivity and value. Prioritize key initiatives and continue nurturing a positive and supportive work environment.
  • Leveraging Board Expertise (Governance). Evaluate the board and staff structure to optimize the value of volunteer time, embracing technology as appropriate. Monitor the external landscape, identify issues, and distill research and background information into focused agendas and supporting materials to encourage purposeful discussion and facilitate decision-making. Support the development and implementation of the Society’s strategic plan.

The Staffing Advisors team was honored to support IARS in this important leadership transition. Following Andre Williams’s appointment, we partnered with IARS on a support role to build capacity for the membership and communications function.