The Academy honored its history and celebrated new beginnings Thursday in its Headquarters of the Future in Itasca, Ill.
Current and former leaders and staff gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the new building designed to help the Academy fulfill its mission of serving pediatricians and children.
“I think this building is the third chapter of the Academy, it’s our third building,” said AAP CEO/Executive Vice President Karen Remley, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., FAAP. “But it also is another time to stop, reflect, start anew.”
The five-story, 183,000-square-foot building is located at 345 Park Blvd. in Itasca, Ill., about 10 miles from O’Hare International Airport. It features 81 meeting rooms and is wired with state-of-the-art technology to connect pediatricians around the world. The headquarters also contains a member lounge, fitness center, cafeteria and catering facility, and floor-to-ceiling windows that let daylight stream in from all sides.
Creating an environmentally friendly facility was a priority, as seen in features like LED lighting, a high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, reflective roof and a charging station for electric cars.
“The new headquarters for the future of the AAP will be a state-of-the-art facility that promotes innovation, teamwork and creativity that advances optimal health and well-being for all children, adolescents and young adults, and those who care for them,” the Academy’s Headquarters of the Future vision statement reads.
The building replaces the Academy’s home in Elk Grove Village, Ill., which opened in 1984 when there were 26,000 members and 125 employees. Today, there are 66,000 members and more than 450 employees working to formulate recommendations to improve children’s health, advocate for better public policies, publish medical journals with the latest research and provide continuing medical education to pediatricians.
“Our Academy and our members look very different in 2018 than they did in 1985 or 1950 and we have challenges, new challenges for child health,” said AAP President Colleen A. Kraft, M.D., FAAP. “… Our new headquarters creates an environment where we can better communicate with each other, where we can address all these challenges, while it celebrates our diversity and our continued commitment to children, families and pediatricians.”
The Academy has reached about 72% of its $4 million fundraising goal, much of which has come from AAP members and staff.
“It’s a testament to our commitment to our organization, to our profession and to the children that we’re helping that we’ve built this home ourselves,” said Sally Goza, M.D., FAAP, chair of the For Our Future Campaign Steering Committee.
For information about donating and naming opportunities, visit http://bit.ly/2vGyhIo.
