In his letter of nomination, Dr. Frank Counselman wrote:

"I am writing this letter in support of Robert Powell, MD, for the Virginia ACEP Heatwole Career Achievement Award. I have had the good fortune of knowing Dr. Powell for the past thirteen years and feel qualified to comment on his significant contributions to Emergency Medicine in general, and Virginia ACEP in particular. I feel he is very deserving of this award.

"Dr. Powell served on the Board of Directors of Virginia ACEP for many years, culminating in his election to President in 1988. He did such a phenomenal job that he was re-elected two more times, servicing as President for a total of three years. If Dr. Powell had been willing, we would certainly have had him continue as President. Dr. Powell did an outstanding job as President. He served as a role model for many future Presidents, including Michael Bono, David Groopman Jim Kirksey and myself. Dr. Powell is considered the standard by which all other Virginia ACEP Presidents, past and present, are measured.

"Dr. Powell always listens to every individuals viewpoint, and asks probing questions that cut to the heart of the issue at hand. While he has a quiet demeanor, he has no problem whatsoever making difficult decisions. In additional, Dr. Powell always takes the time to explain the rationale behind his decisions. He is consistently fair in all of his dealings and actions.

"Dr. Powell, along with Gwen, made many changes in the operation of Virginia ACEP to make it an extremely efficient and effective organization.

"Dr. Powell, both before and after serving as Virginia ACEP President, was intimately involved with Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Virginia. He was Chair of our EMS Committee for too many years to count, and continued to serve in this position even after his Presidency, well into mine (1996). He effectively represented Emergency Medicine and Virginia ACEP’s interests and positions on EMS at the local and state level. This was by no means an easy job at the time, and involved many, many tough meetings with organizations attempting to usurp Virginia ACEP’s authority on the subject. It is due to the incredible number of hours that Dr. Powell committed to EMS issues that Virginia ACEP is now considered the professional organization to talk to on the subject. Because of his recognized expertise, Dr. Powell served on the State EMS Board with distinction for many years.

"Dr. Powell was also greatly involved in representing the College in t he Virginia legislature. He is well respected by our state legislators and would often bring our issues to their attention and garner their support. He has, and continues to be, a very effective advocate of Virginia ACEP’s legislative agenda.

"Dr. Powell is highly respected as an Emergency Medicine physician. He possesses outstanding clinical skills. He has served in numerous leadership positions in his hospital, as well as for his local rescue squads.

"On a personal note, you will find Dr. Powell to be honest and forthcoming in all of his interactions. He serves as an excellent role model for all Emergency Medicine physicians. There are not many people that you only hear good things about; Dr. Powell is one of those rare individuals. He is a true gentleman in every sense of the word.

"In short, I give you my highest recommendation and without reservation for the Virginia ACEP Heatwole Career Achievement Award for Robert Powell, MD. I can think of no one more deserving of this prestigious award."