Northwest Society of Plastic Surgeons

Our History

More Than Sixty Years of Meetings

From a 1952 gathering of twenty surgeons at the Heathman Hotel in Portland to the 65th Annual Meeting on Kauai: the story of the Society, every meeting it has held, and the historians who kept the record.

Since 1911

How the Society Came to Be

  1. 1911

    Dr. Adelbert Bettman begins practicing in the Pacific Northwest — the region’s first surgeon to limit his practice to plastic surgery.

  2. 1937

    Dr. Charles Gurney, trained with Gillies in England and at the Mayo Clinic, opens his practice in Portland — the first formally trained plastic surgeon to arrive in the region.

  3. 1952

    A predecessor organization, the Pacific Northwest Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, holds its first meeting at the Heathman Hotel in Portland on March 27 and signs its constitution on April 5 at the University of Oregon Medical School, with Dr. Bettman as president.

  4. 1961

    On an attorney’s advice, the predecessor society dissolves and rewrites its bylaws to comply with the constitution of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, limiting active membership to board-certified plastic surgeons.

  5. 1962

    The Northwest Society of Plastic Surgeons holds its first meeting at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, B.C., with Willard Rowland presiding as president.

  6. Today

    From its original footprint of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, the Society has grown to include Idaho, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Alaska, and Hawaii — more than 350 active members, plus a growing list of honorary members who have been guests at our annual meetings.

The Historian’s Account

Early Plastic Surgery in the Northwest

Plastic surgery was first practiced as a specialty in the Pacific Northwest by Dr. Adelbert Bettman, who began his practice in 1911. As was common at the time, Dr. Bettman had not completed a residency in the field, but he limited his work to plastic surgery and studied with Dr. Staige Davis in Baltimore and Dr. Vilray Blair in St. Louis. Whether he or a Los Angeles contemporary was the first plastic surgeon on the West Coast remains open to conjecture — as does the claim that he performed the first facelift in the United States.

Formally trained plastic surgeons began arriving in 1937 with Dr. Charles Gurney, who had trained with Gillies in England and at the Mayo Clinic before opening his practice in Portland. Edward Olin Schreiner began practicing in Seattle in the late 1930s, and the years around the end of the Second World War brought Robert Langston to Vancouver — and his residents to practices across the region — with new plastic surgery practices opening in Spokane, Tacoma, Seattle, and Portland through 1951.

Before the Northwest Society existed, these surgeons met as the Pacific Northwest Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, first at the Heathman Hotel in Portland on March 27, 1952. Twenty people attended — plastic surgeons, pediatric surgeons, and an otolaryngologist from the Seattle area — and with Dr. Bettman as president the members signed a constitution on April 5, 1952, at the University of Oregon Medical School. The group met annually until 1961, when, on an attorney’s advice, it dissolved and rewrote its bylaws to comply with the constitution of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, limiting active membership to board-certified plastic surgeons. The Northwest Society of Plastic Surgeons held its first meeting the following year.

Historical information provided by Linton G. Weed, M.D., Historian of the Northwest Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Plaque listing the presidents of the Northwest Society of Plastic Surgeons since 1962
Presidents of the Society, 1962 to today
Conference center with international flags at Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler, British Columbia
Resort lagoon and pools lit at night during a past Hawaii meeting
A past meeting in Hawaii

Sixty-Five Meetings

Where We've Met, and Who Presided

Every meeting of the Society and its predecessor since 1952, with the president who presided, as published by the Society — and, for the meeting ahead, the President who will. The 65th Annual Meeting on Kauai in February 2027 will be the Society's third at the Grand Hyatt Kauai, after 2010 and 2016.

1950s

Pacific Northwest Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons

  • 1952March

    Adelbert G. Bettman

    Heathman Hotel, Portland, OR

  • 1952April

    Adelbert G. Bettman

    University of Oregon Medical School

  • 1953March

    Adelbert G. Bettman

    Shaughnessy Hospital, Vancouver, BC

  • 1954

    Herbert E. Coe

    Location not recorded

  • 1955May

    Robert G. Langston

    Sacred Heart Hospital

  • 1956April

    Charles M. Mackenzie

    Empress Hotel, Victoria, BC

  • 1957April

    Charles E. Gurney

    Benson Hotel, Portland, OR

  • 1958May

    Ernest E. Banfield

    Winthrop Hotel, Tacoma, WA

  • 1959May

    Carl E. Chism

    Harrison Hot Springs Hotel, Harrison Hot Springs, BC

1960s

  • 1960May · Predecessor society

    Verner V. Lindgren

    The Sands of Gearhart, Gearhart, OR

  • 1961

    The Pacific Northwest Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons is dissolved

  • 1962

    The Northwest Society of Plastic Surgeons is founded

  • 1962May · 1st meeting

    Willard D. Rowland

    Empress Hotel, Victoria, BC

  • 1963May · 2nd meeting

    Robert J. Cowan

    Benjamin Franklin Hotel, Seattle, WA

  • 1964May · 3rd meeting

    Carl E. Chism

    Bayshore Inn, Vancouver, BC

  • 1965May · 4th meeting

    Carl E. Chism

    Benjamin Franklin Hotel, Seattle, WA

  • 1966May · 5th meeting

    David E. Sullivan

    Alderbrook Inn, Hood Canal, WA

  • 1967May · 6th meeting

    David E. Sullivan

    Salishan Resort, Gleneden Beach, OR

  • 1968May · 7th meeting

    G. C. Pow

    Capri Motor Hotel, Kelowna, BC

  • 1969May · 8th meeting

    Mathew Piling

    Good Samaritan Hospital, Portland, OR

1970s

  • 1970March · 9th meeting

    James V. Meyer

    Sun Valley Lodge, Ketchum, ID

  • 1971May · 10th meeting

    Joseph J. Badre

    Bayshore Inn, Vancouver, BC

  • 1972April · 11th meeting

    Gilbert E. Eade

    WA Plaza Hotel, Seattle, WA

  • 1973April · 12th meeting

    Verner V. Lindgren

    Maui Surf Hotel, Kaanapali Beach, HI

  • 1974May · 13th meeting

    J. T. B. Quayle

    Empress Hotel, Victoria, BC

  • 1975September · 14th meeting

    John R. Alger

    The Admiralty, Port Ludlow, WA

  • 1976September · 15th meeting

    Theodore F. Wilkie

    The Harrison Hotel, Harrison Hot Springs, BC

  • 1977May · 16th meeting

    Linton G. Weed

    Sunriver, Bend, OR

  • 1978August · 17th meeting

    Eugene R. Perrin

    Elkhorn, Ketchum, ID

  • 1979August · 18th meeting

    John G. Colbert

    Trail Regional Hospital, Trail, BC

1980s

  • 1980April · 19th meeting

    James R. Stilwell

    Sheraton Maui, Kaanapali, HI

  • 1981September · 20th meeting

    Ivar Barwell-Clarke

    Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver, BC

  • 1982September · 21st meeting

    Robert V. DeVito

    Four Seasons Olympic, Seattle, WA

  • 1983September · 22nd meeting

    Fred W. Bieker

    Marriott Hotel, Portland, OR

  • 1984August · 23rd meeting

    Gary E. Carlson

    Cape Fox Sheffield Hotel, Juneau, AK

  • 1985September · 24th meeting

    Sherwood P. Smith

    Kona Surf Resort, Kailua-Kona, HI

  • 1986September · 25th meeting

    Erwyn W. Bissell

    Four Seasons Hotel, Edmonton, AB

  • 1987September · 26th meeting

    Ralph G. Cutler

    Salishan Resort, Gleneden Beach, OR

  • 1988September · 27th meeting

    Gerald W. Olmstead

    Coeur d'Alene Resort on the Lake, Coeur d'Alene, ID

  • 1989September · 28th meeting

    Carl F. Berner

    Four Seasons Olympic, Seattle, WA

1990s

  • 1990September · 29th meeting

    Victor Hay-Roe

    Stouffer Waiohai Hotel, Poipu, HI

  • 1991September · 30th meeting

    Alastair Baird

    Empress Hotel, Victoria, BC

  • 1992August · 31st meeting

    Earl Parrish

    Sunriver, Bend, OR

  • 1993August · 32nd meeting

    Frank Walchak

    Coeur d'Alene Resort, Coeur d'Alene, ID

  • 1994

    The annual meeting moves from late summer to winter; no meeting falls in 1994

  • 1995January · 33rd meeting

    Michael Leff

    Manele Bay Hotel, Lanai, HI

  • 1996January · 34th meeting

    Kimit Rai

    Chateau Whistler Resort, Whistler, BC

  • 1997February · 35th meeting

    Fred Leist

    Royal Waikoloan Hotel, Kona, HI

  • 1998February · 36th meeting

    Louis H. McCraw

    Sun Valley Lodge, Ketchum, ID

  • 1999January · 37th meeting

    Larry Schlesinger

    Kea Lani Resort, Wailea, HI

2000s

  • 2000February · 38th meeting

    Dan Downey

    Chateau Whistler Resort, Whistler, BC

  • 2001February · 39th meeting

    Richard Warren

    Princeville Resort, Princeville, HI

  • 2002February · 40th meeting

    Charles Layman

    Sun Valley Lodge, Ketchum, ID

  • 2003February · 41st meeting

    Joseph Welch

    Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, Big Island, HI

  • 2004February · 42nd meeting

    Lorne Brown

    Lake Louise Resort, Lake Louise, AB

  • 2005February · 43rd meeting

    Richard Baxter

    Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Maui, HI

  • 2006February · 44th meeting

    Patricia Clugston

    Chateau Whistler Resort, Whistler, BC

  • 2007February · 45th meeting

    Nicholas Vedder

    Manele Bay Hotel, Lanai, HI

  • 2008February · 46th meeting

    Peter Lennox

    Fairmont Orchid, Kohala Coast, HI

  • 2009February · 47th meeting

    Brian Peterson

    Silver Star, Vernon, BC

2010s

  • 2010February · 48th meeting

    Drew Welk

    Grand Hyatt, Poipu, Kauai, HI

  • 2011February · 49th meeting

    Lisa Lynn Sowder

    Sun Valley Lodge, Sun Valley, ID

  • 2012February · 50th meeting

    Aysel K. Sanderson

    JW Marriott Ihilani, Ko Olina, Oahu, HI

  • 2013February · 51st meeting

    Richard Hopper

    Grand Wailea, Wailea, Maui, HI

  • 2014February · 52nd meeting

    J. Scott Williamson

    Delta Sun Peaks, Kamloops, BC

  • 2015February · 53rd meeting

    Geoffrey Yule

    Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa, Keauhou, HI

  • 2016February · 54th meeting

    Kiya Movassaghi

    Grand Hyatt, Poipu, Kauai, HI

  • 2017February · 55th meeting

    Craig Birgfeld

    Yellowstone Conference Center, Big Sky, MT

  • 2018February · 56th meeting

    Frederick Ehret

    Kahala Hotel, Honolulu, HI

  • 2019February · 57th meeting

    Earl Campbell

    Hapuna Beach Hotel, Big Island, HI

2020s

  • 2020February · 58th meeting

    Paul Faringer

    Sun Valley Lodge, Sun Valley, ID

  • 2021February · 59th meeting

    Chad Wheeler

    Grand Wailea, Wailea, Maui, HI

  • 2022February · 60th meeting

    Nick Carr

    Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, Kaanapali, HI

  • 2023February · 61st meeting

    Emily Williams

    Fairmont Chateau Resort, Whistler, BC

  • 2024February · 62nd meeting

    H. Daniel Zegzula

    Fairmont Orchid, Waimea, HI

  • 2025February · 63rd meeting

    Shahram Salemy

    Fairmont Kea Lani, Wailea, Maui, HI

  • 2026February · 64th meeting

    Christopher Pannucci

    Snowbird, UT

  • 2027February · 65th meetingUpcoming

    Nancy Van Laeken

    Grand Hyatt, Poipu, Kauai, HI

The Society's published list runs through the 2024 meeting; the 2025 and 2026 entries were confirmed by the Society in September 2026.

Keepers of the Record

Historians of the Society

YearsHistorianLocation
1962 – 1971Gilbert G. Eade, M.D.Seattle, WA
1972 – 1973Robert G. Langston, M.D.Vancouver, BC
1974 – 1978Ernest E. (“Bud”) Banfield, M.D.Tacoma, WA
1979 – 1981Dale C. Birdsell, M.D.Calgary, AB
1982 – 1986Kenneth R. Tucker, M.D.Seattle, WA
1987 – 1988Robert J. Demuth, M.D.Portland, OR
1989 – 1995Linton G. Weed, M.D.Portland, OR
1996 – 1998Eugene R. Perrin, M.D.Portland, OR
1999 – 2015Louis H. McCraw, M.D.Portland, OR
2015 – presentMichael Workman, M.D.Vancouver, WA

The Next Chapter Is Written on Kauai

Join us for the 65th Annual Scientific Meeting in February 2027, or meet the officers who lead the Society today.

2027 Annual MeetingOur Leadership