X-Message-Number: 17699
From: Alcor <>
Subject: This Week at Alcor
Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2001 15:03:10 -0700 (PST)
Week of October 1 through 7, 2001
*please note: staff member names are hyperlinked to
profiles where available
Mathew Sullivan, Facility Operations Manager &
Patient Care Manager
Cryotransport-- Packed MHP-2 washout solution for the
future bound project in Southern California.
Researched medical products for Alcor staff
vaccinations.
Spent a little time cleaning up from the training
class, and rebuilt the ATP that was used during the
training class.
Attended several meetings regarding BioTransport
expenditures, and researched previous expectations
and promises made by BioTransport.
Facility Operations-- Removed computer viruses from
two computers and scanned all Alcor computers.
Purchased and installed RAM on two computers and
upgraded a third with recycled RAM. Assisted with
the installation of System Works software on one
computer, and installed a typing tutorial program on
another computer. Organized computer files on my
computer and backed up.
Reprogrammed two phones and reset the phone system
clock, and purchased software that can reprogram the
phone system via a desktop computer.
Wrote a Facility Operations report for the upcoming
Alcor Board meeting.
Updated membership growth data and printed graphs.
Patient Care-- Assisted with the transfer of patient
A-1894 to long-term storage.
˜ ˜
Mike Perry, PhD., Patient Care Assistant
Much of the intended activities this week were
preempted by a marketing project I worked on with
Jerry Searcy, to update the information package we
send out to inquirers who may become members. This
involved creating new masters for several pages that
are photocopied and included with the package. Other
projects I worked on included locating electronic
images for possible use on the cover of our update of
*Cryonics: Reaching for Tomorrow* (to be retitled),
and searching archived email messages for Mathew's
effort at reconstructing the financial dealings
between Alcor and Biotransport. I did further data
entry for the last suspension (A-1894, which started
Aug. 22). (Getting closer on this, though still not
finished due to the intrusion of other work.) There
was also the usual, routine work including topping
off the patient dewars on Tuesday. To maintain our
suspension readiness we are maintaining three 230-
liter cylinders of liquid nitrogen; these are topped
off with the patient dewars. Finally, I kept records
when A-1894 was transferred from temporary to long-
term storage on Monday.
˜ ˜
Paula Lemler, Volunteer
I continue to assist Joe Hovey with accounting
matters, writing checks for bills and filing the
receipts. this week I have also done a lot of work
entering data from deposits into the main data base.
I want to thank Rudi Hoffman, my cryonics insurance
agent, for the cheerful birthday card and flower
seeds; it was a treat I needed. If anyone would like
an Alcor t-shirt or lightweight sweatshirt, they are
$5 and $10 respectively, plus postage, and while we
have most sizes available, they are about gone.
˜ ˜
Jennifer Chapman, Membership Administrator
Over the last several days, a significant amount of
effort was devoted to composing my Membership Report
for the upcoming Board Meeting, which outlined the
membership growth statistics for the third quarter.
Of particular interest, it was noted that sixteen new
memberships were approved, although a loss of seven
members also occurred. Overall, there was a net gain
between July 1 and September 30 of nine new members,
which maintains the current net average of three new
memberships per month. A comparison was also made
between the average monthly statistics reported in
2000 as compared to this year. For example, the
number of membership finalizations has increased by
25%, cancellations have increased 53%, and the net
gain of new members has grown by 6.5% thus far in
2001.
Obviously, the ideal balance is achieved by
maximizing the number of membership finalizations,
while minimizing the number of membership
cancellations. It was noted that cancellation due to
member request accounted for 83% of the total loss
this quarter, with all such requests made by
international members. Although my employment at
Alcor did not begin until after a substantial
conflict had developed between Alcor and its
international clients, my general understanding of
the primary causes of this loss was presented for
Board consideration.
According to my understanding, the insurance policies
proposed by these clients were under review for a
year or more prior to my arrival. Unfortunately, a
mutually agreeable solution was not established at
that time. During the Board Meeting of November 5,
2000, The Board of Directors resolved that all
clients funding with life insurance were required to
use an American insurance policy. In early 2001,
several European representatives and prospective
clients convened to discuss the membership
restrictions that had been accruing for several
years. Unfortunately, it was decided that pursuing
European membership growth for Alcor was hopeless and
the pre-existing community of cryonicists decided to
establish a support network through a different
organization.
Since April of this year, numerous international
members and applicants have requested cancellation.
To emphasize the significant impact this has had on
the organization, it is astonishing to realize that
the net membership growth rate would be approximately
+ 40 % for 2001 as compared to 2000 (rather than +
6.5 %) if this unfortunate occurrence had not taken
place. However, it is important to note that under
the management of Dr. Jerry Lemler, substantial
efforts are now being made to alleviate these funding
restrictions and develop a program to benefit our
international clients, particularly those residing in
the United Kingdom.
˜ ˜
Joe Hovey, Accounting Manager
Fourth quarter dues billing. Must send out over 300
billings after analyzing the status of the individual
accounts. Will take until the end of next week to
finish completely. No time to do anything else except
the usual administrative trivia. Paula was a big help
this week keeping the payables and data entry records
up to date.
˜ ˜
Jessica Lemler, Administrative Associate/Webmaster
What a week! This has been an incredibly busy week!
Trying to prepare for the Board meeting this coming
Sunday has kept me on my toes. On Monday, I worked
some more on the Board Meeting minutes from the
September 9, 2001 meeting. Mathew and I also
installed Norton's Anti-Virus, and I had large
amounts of typing and correspondence to attend to to
fulfill my duties as Administrative Assistant.
On Tuesday, we had our weekly staff meeting. I met
with Dr. Lemler to do a website review, and we
eliminated a lot of old news and events from the
website. It is exciting to see the old news go, and
we are anticipating putting up new news and events
soon. I also worked on the preparation of Dr.
Lemler's report for the Board.
On Wednesday, I emailed to the Alcor Board and
Advisors the minutes from the September 9, 2001
meeting. I assisted Jennifer with some problems she
has been having with her email, and met with Joe to
set up an account with a new conference call service
which we will be using for this Sunday's Board
meeting. I also revised the letterhead for Mathew.
On Thursday, Dr. Lemler and I did more website
revision, I had more correspondence typing work, and
I had some computer problems of my own to work out,
which Mathew was most helpful in fixing.
Today, Friday, has been website day for me! I enjoy
immensely being able to make changes to the site and
put them on the web. So far this morning, I have
updated Jennifer's profile and posted this page.
˜ ˜
Dr. Jerry Lemler, President, CEO
I do hope you were there! Last Friday night
Paula and I (along with the driving companions Hugh
Hixon and Jerry Searcy) ventured west to attend the
inaugural Alcor Outreach reception. Kat and Dave
Kekich were our gracious hosts, and we enjoyed a
festive evening overlooking the beautiful Pacific,
greeting over 40 folks-- Alcor members and
prospective life extensionists. We nearly had a Board
quorum with Michael Riskin joining Kat and Hugh.
Our program was highly interactive. Hugh and I
gave short presentations after which we fielded a
variety of questions from the assembled. Karla Steen
and Ron Wise did likewise with Cells4Life, and
Natasha Vita-More announced the annual SoCal
Cryofeast (Saturday, December 1) would be hosted by
herself and Max. Then it was on to the buffet and
more mingling.
Saturday was a work day, as the SoCal Project
Future Bound team gathered at Joe Klockgether’s Buena
Park facility. I’d like to personally thank the
attendees: Russell Cheney, Louise Gold, Dr. Mark
Schumacher, Bobby June, Peter Voss, Keith Dugue, and
Hugh Hixon. Future Bound is an imminent reality!
My traveling days are hardly behind me. I guess
I’m feeling a wee bit like Ricky Nelson, but in any
event Paula and I will be attending the Alcor
Northern California Cryonics meeting on Sunday,
October 14 at the home of Tim Freeman and Jane Zhu. I
look forward to once again meeting as many Alcor
members and their guests as possible.
My daughter Jessica (Alcor Administrative
Associate and Webmaster) and I have been cleaning up
our website. It’s an arduous never-ending process,
but we’ve clearly made some headway. Check it out,
and let us know if there are any additional links
you’d like to see us tack on.
I’ve been quite occupied this week preparing for
our up-coming Board of Directors meeting on Sunday
afternoon. As you know this will be my first such
event to chair cover to cover. There’s lots of
business to transact, but I’m aiming for us to
accomplish it all in under six hours.
Oh, let me throw in one semi-superfluous tidbit.
For those few of you who derisively commented on my
1996 excursion to eastern Turkey to check out the
alleged ruins of Noah’s Ark, I prevailed upon my
Scottsdale traveling mates to return to Arizona via
the southern route so I could visit the Salton Sea.
Glad I did, though admittedly as with the Ararat
region, it’s not for everyone. Have a great week!
˜ ˜
Hugh Hixon, Facilities Engineer
Thursday, continued. Made several tubing looms for
the head rings (ran out of scrap sheet aluminum).
Made another head perfusion dummy load. Ordered some
useful IV and surgical bits and pieces; there's a
check valve with Luer connections that should make
post-pronouncement meds administration faster, safer,
and easier, and a gadget that can replace the rather
unusual surgeon's skill in knot tying, at least in
vessel cannulation.
Friday, went to southern California with the Lemlers
and Jerry Searcy. Party at Kat Kekich's and RON at
Russell Cheney's.
Saturday, met at the mortuary with the southern
California transport group, left some equipment and
supplies there, went through the facility, and looked
at the instrument tray with our surgeon. Lugged some
training equipment back to Scottsdale.
Monday, list surgical instruments that the surgeon
thinks would be nice to have (no particular time
pressure, the stuff already on the tray can do the
job). Get a hammer and chisel for the tray.
Transfer our most recent patient to permanent
storage. Thanks to Jessica Lemler, Mathew Sullivan,
and Dr. Jose Kanshepolsky for various improvements to
make this the most hassle-free transfer in my
memory. A pleasure, even. Work over additional
instructions for the new perfusion manifold for
Russell Cheney, other correspondence.
Tuesday, attend (< or =) one-hour meeting. Pick up
some small plastic vascular clamps that I ordered.
Get some small pieces of sheet aluminum for making
things (sticker shock, at $4/sq ft; I've been living
off scraps for too long.). Complete additional
instructions for the new perfusion manifold for
Russell Cheney. Look at expenses for the last
suspension and see if anything leaps off the page.
Wednesday, minister to my computer. Viruses and
worms have been seen in the area. Got some
suggestions about the transport instrument tray from
Dr. Kanshepolsky. Do some inventory reconciliation.
Shorten hammer handle. Minor electronics calculations
for tubing pump controller.
Thursday, strategize with Dr. Lemler. Field
education in how to change a tire. Send off draft of
perfusion manifold instructions to Russ Cheney. Pre-
sheared some aluminum sheet for more tubing looms.
Came up with a better way than screws to attach them
to a head ring. Picked up some electronic parts to
breadboard controllers. Replaced a fluorescent
ballast in the kitchen.
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