Join UsWelcome to the International Association of Torch Clubs where you are invited to share your knowledge, your experience and your perspective with other professionals in an ideal social setting.
We are a highly interactive organization where members participate and discuss stimulating subjects ranging from current events, historical significance, folklore and much more. Our members are professionals with a broad range of experience creating knowledge expansion with diverse view points. Membership not only includes idea generating presentations but outstanding atmospheres to freely exchange questions, concepts, views and interaction. Each club chooses its own unique venue, happy hours and dinner meeting program. Clubs and members are connected through our International newsletter, magazine and annual convention. All presentations are eligible to be published in our peer reviewed magazine publication, The Torch. Conventions are sponsors by local clubs showcasing new areas of the country each year. Our vast organization has clubs in both the United States and Canada and is growing in cities everywhere! |
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Meet Our Executive Board Members
Sue Breen-Held
President With over thirty years of financial services experience specifically in defined benefit pension consulting, Sue brings a full breath of business best practices and management to the International Association of Torch Clubs and within her current role of the President of the Torch Foundation. She is frequently an industry speaker, involved in defined benefit legislative support and a published author.
Sue's specialties include consulting with single-employer defined benefit plans around funding and accounting decisions, clear and concise communication of complex information, research and support for legislative and regulatory positions and influencing conversations and leading successful communication and operational project teams from design to delivery. |
Art Bloom
Vice President A graduate of Washington & Lee University, Art began his career as an investment counselor and municipal bond trader. Wachovia Bank recruited him to serve as retail advertising manager prior to moving to joining his family’s business as President of Bloom Brothers Furniture. He returned to Winston-Salem to become a partner with Horn Stronach Bloom and in 2000, he founded The Bloom Agency, a successful marketing, advertising and PR firm. As a certified business coach and private board facilitator to help others grow their businesses and develop effective succession plans. In 2016, he assumed the two-year role as Chief Operating Officer for the Winston-Salem Symphony. Art currently serves in leadership roles on the Arbor Acres Board, UNCSA Foundation Board, Piedmont Triad JDRF, Piedmont Opera, Senior Services and Winston-Salem Torch club. He is also a member of the Reynolda Rotary. He has held leadership positions with the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus, Piedmont Wind Symphony, Interfaith Winston-Salem, and Little Theater of Winston Salem. Art is a certified personal fitness trainer and has competed in many triathlons and bike races. He enjoys hiking, white water kayaking and rock climbing and is a frequent vocal soloist, musical theater performer and pianist.
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Rich Davis
Treasurer & Director At Large Conventions Rich completed his Bachelors and Masters degrees at Carnegie Mellon University and Doctorate from The Ohio State University, all specializing in BioMedical Engineering. He directed the Ohio State University Hospital biomedical department serving in multiple roles until his final retirement after 39 years. Rich directed and taught in an allied health baccalaureate program and lead the cardiovascular services program, culminating in the construction and operational leadership of the OSU Ross Heart Hospital. Post retirement he rejoined OSU as associate project manager for the $1.1B OSU James Cancer Hospital replacement. He has been a member of Columbus Torch club since 2011, joining its Board in 2015. He has served as Convention Planning Committee member, President-Elect and President, Chair of the Program & Publications and Awards Committee as well as his current roles at the International level. Rich has been an avid cyclist for the last 10 years.
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Gerald Stulc
Secretary & Region 1 Gerald obtained his MD degree at the University of Iowa, and completed his General Surgery residency at Georgetown University. He completed a Transplant Surgery fellowship at Loyola University in Chicago, and a Cancer Surgery fellowship at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, where he remained as a staff member. He then became a clinical assistant professor in surgery at the University of Louisville, and entered private practice. He has written a number of scientific articles for surgery journals, was involved in cancer research, and was scientific editor of the state medical journal. He served for over fifteen years in the US Naval Reserve as a flight surgeon, retiring with the rank of Captain (06). Following his retirement, he obtained his MFA in Creative Writing at Spalding University in Louisville. He has published a historical fiction novel, The Surgeon’s Mate, is completing a nonfiction biography, and is working on a comprehensive history of military medicine, from Greece and Rome to Iraq and Afghanistan, The Red Badge. He teaches Advanced Learning for Life courses at Empire State College and for OLLI, State U. of Florida. He is a member of the Society for Military History, the Naval Historical Foundation, the Association for Military Surgeons of the United States, and current president and Regional Director of the Saratoga Torch club. He has presented papers on the history of military medicine for the Society of Military History and at the McMullen Symposium, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, and published medical history articles.
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