Happy New Year! As we kick off 2026, I wanted to provide a quick recap of our December Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting, which served as a great springboard for reflecting on 2025 accomplishments and looking ahead to the new year. Membership, innovation, advocacy, and education were among the key topics on the agenda, and we were privileged to hear from staff and leaders across each of these areas about recent successes, strengths and opportunities for growth. In addition, we reviewed the College's 2025 financial performance to date and approved the College's proposed budget for 2026.

On the membership front, we reviewed insights from recent member listening sessions and discussions with institutional leaders, and shared feedback on member personas and strategies to both attract new members and deepen engagement with those already in our community. These conversations reinforced that ACC members highly value the College’s networking opportunities, advocacy efforts, personal connections, and career and leadership development offerings. At the same time, we are navigating significant challenges related to workforce pressures, financial constraints, limited research funding and evolving training requirements. Addressing these realities requires a shared commitment to sustain and expand meaningful efforts, both large and small, that support members where they need it most.

Encouragingly, membership momentum remains strong, with more than 1,300 new FACCs joining the College in 2025. In addition, we saw an 87% increase in the number of members contributing philanthropic gifts to the ACC Foundation. This extraordinary response reflects the strength of our community and affirms our collective work to ensure the College remains the professional home for cardiovascular professionals around the world. You can learn more about giving back to the ACC Foundation at ACC.org/Support.

We heard from the BOT Revenue Security Task Force on early progress on potential new revenue concepts. We are hopeful to begin moving from concept to product development and testing on several options in the New Year, so stay tuned!

Education at the ACC continues to evolve to prepare members to lead in a rapidly changing scientific and clinical landscape. The College is redefining education by moving beyond content delivery to provide personalized, adaptive learning experiences that integrate human expertise with digital intelligence and empower members to discern, apply and lead with confidence. Current initiatives reflect this approach, including five new topic-focused pre-conference sessions launching at ACC.26, an enhanced Personalized Skills Zone, as well as the JACC Peer Review Certificate Program. By modernizing live education to focus on cultivating mastery and strengthening clinical judgment – alongside expanded AI-enabled online learning and more flexible, on-demand offerings – the ACC remains committed to delivering high-value education that supports lifelong professional growth for cardiovascular professionals.

The BOT also heard about ways the ACC continues to lead in digital health and AI innovation, creating tools and resources that deliver actionable knowledge for clinicians. Recent efforts include the AI Resource Center, which offers streamlined access to practical insights into emerging technologies, ACC/MedAxiom Care Transformation workbooks and resources, and more. Other standout achievements include the CardiaCast “Innovation in Action” podcast series and the Apple Watch integration tool, empowering clinicians to leverage wearable data in care. Additional initiatives such as the new partnership with OpenEvidence, along with advocacy on digital health policy and resources like JACC Journals and the Health Care Innovation Member Section, position the College at the forefront of transforming cardiovascular care through technology.

The past year was a busy one for ACC Advocacy. We heard how the ACC drove major wins to advance cardiovascular care, including pushing for Medicare payment reform, securing funding for cardiovascular awareness and research, and mobilizing 400+ clinicians on Capitol Hill. Key victories included bipartisan support for prior authorization reform, state-level progress on noncompete laws and AED access, as well as expanded payer coverage for innovative therapies. The ACC also championed maternal health legislation and supported specialists in new value-based care models, ensuring patient access and clinician well-being remain top priorities. Many of these issues will remain hot topics in 2026 and it will be critical that we, as leaders, continue to encourage active engagement at state and national levels. More information on Advocacy priorities and opportunities to get involved with grassroots activities and/or HeartPAC is available at ACC.org/Advocacy.

Hope your 2026 is off to a great start! Thank you for your continued commitment to the College’s Mission.

Christopher Kramer, MD, FACC
ACC President

Keywords: Leadership