American College of Cardiology archives

The American College of Cardiology was founded in the winter of 1949 by three cardiologists, Drs. Franz Groedel, Max Miller, and Philip Reichert, from the New York Cardiological Society. Their goal was to build a nationwide organization dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge on cardiovascular science and the promotion of cardiovascular research.

After incorporating the College in Delaware and the District of Columbia, the three founders were joined by eleven more members of the New York Cardiological Society and the College began the effort to expand its membership base. Dr. Groedel became President and Dr. Reichert, Secretary; unfortunately, Dr. Groedel died as a result of a freak accident shortly before the College's first meeting in December 1951. He was replaced as President by Dr. Bruno Kisch.

From 1949 to 1954 the College operated out of the New York homes of Drs. Kisch and Reichert. By 1954 the growth of the College's membership and programs led the College to seek a more centralized facility and the College's offices were moved to the Empire State Building in Manhattan.

The College maintained offices in the Empire State Building until 1965. During that time a number of programs were initiated, including but not limited to the Annual Scientific Sessions, Preceptorship Workshops, Electronmicroscopic Laboratory, International Circuit Courses, and ACCEL -- an audio tape journal. In addition, it began publishing a written journal, the American Journal of Cardiology, later known as the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Major transitions occurred for the College in 1965. First, Dr. Reichert, who had been serving as the College's Executive Director since 1959, retired and was replaced by William Nelligan, a medical education administrator from Emory University. Secondly, the College relocated its offices to Bethesda, Maryland, near the District of Columbia, to be closer to the national centers of politics and medical research.

From 1965 to 1977 the College operated out of the offices of a medical society located near the National Institutes of Health. The continued growth of the College's programs and membership resulted in the decision to build its own administrative and educational facility in the late 1960s. Construction on this facility, called Heart House, was started in 1975 on a parcel of land just northwest of the National Institutes of Health. In 1985, a new wing was built and by the late 1980s plans were developed for a third wing.