Through a variety of approaches, the physicians nominated by the Mutual Protection Trust Board of Trustees to represent the membership share a core value in their desire to serve: Enhancing patient care by keeping medical liability protection costs low.
“Serving on the Board of Trustees is actually an opportunity to serve fellow physician members,” says Stewart Shanfield, MD, an Orange County orthopedic surgeon who has served for 10 years on the Cooperative of American Physicians Board of Directors. “As your trustee, I will work to maintain MPT as a powerful voice in medicine, protect its resources, and provide support to our excellent physicians.”
Phillip Unger, MD, a radiologist in Fullerton and a current member of the MPT Board, expanded on what motivates leaders at MPT. “I want to do everything I can to ensure that MPT’s founding goals are achieved and maintained – providing the highest quality medical liability protection at the lowest possible cost.”
Lisa Thomsen, MD, a family practitioner in Glendora and a CAP director since 2011, says her daily medical practice experience will be an asset to MPT: "I believe in CAP and MPT and the strong work the enterprise performs in supporting and providing resources to our members. I look forward to bringing my full-time active clinical perspective to the MPT Board of Trustees as we navigate the ever-challenging medical landscape."
Glendora neurologist Bruce Weimer, MD, points to his experience at CAP as a foundation for a new role governing MPT. “As vice chair of the CAP Board of Directors and as chair of the CAP Nominating and Governance Committee, I've had the privilege of participating in CAP's growth to its now nearly 12,000 members. As an MPT trustee, I will carry that experience forward as MPT provides cost-effective medical malpractice coverage to California’s best physicians.”
Another current MPT trustee, Newport anesthesiologist Charles Steinmann, MD, says his leadership and finance experience enables him to promote important MPT goals. “I am passionate about CAP and MPT. Having served as the chair of the CAP and MPT Finance Committee for many years and currently as chair of the MPT Board of Trustees, I am well qualified to protect our physicians through keeping MPT competitive, protecting our financial integrity, and grooming future leaders.”
In addition to the election for the five-member MPT Board of Trustees, the CAP Board of Directors also has nominated candidates to serve on the seven-member CAP Board. Those candidates are Sheilah Clayton, MD, a general surgeon in Pasadena; Béla S. Kenessey, MD, a family practice physician in Danville; Wayne Kleinman, MD, an anesthesiologist in Tarzana; Gregory Lizer, MD, a pediatrician in La Cañada-Flintridge; Amir Moradi, MD, a plastic surgeon in Vista; Graham Purcell, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Santa Monica; and Paul Rocky Weber, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Long Beach.
In making their nominations, both boards benefited from an evaluation process overseen by the respective CAP and MPT Nominating and Governance Committees. The ballot and proxy package also includes several governance and coverage proposals for membership approval.
The 2017 CAP ballot and MPT proxy materials were mailed to the membership in late May. Members who have not yet submitted their votes may return the ballot and proxy pages by mail or by fax at 213-576-8574. Members also may vote online by going to www.CAPphysicians.com. If you need another ballot, please contact Membership Services at 800-610-6642.
Stewart Shanfield, MD
Charles Steinmann, MD
Lisa Thomsen, MD
Phillip Unger, MD
Bruce Weimer, MD