APMA News - November/December 2021 - 16

Tiffany Kildale
Associate Director, Students and Young Physicians
Jay is the reason I work for APMA-he hired me 11 years ago
(if you take issue with this, blame him). Revising a document
with Jay felt a bit like wordsmithing gymnastics; Jay taught
me how to be strategic with my writing, thoughtful in my
intentions, and the value in viewing every possible perspective
to a situation before planning a decision.
I am grateful for Jay's counsel, friendship, humor, generosity,
kindness, and wit. Every Christmas, he would make the best
pepperoni bread, and we frequently bonded over a mutual love
of vintage McCoy pottery and donuts. While I truly miss working
with him daily, Jay will forever be a part of some of my favorite
APMA memories. I'm a better employee [for] having
worked for him, and a better person for knowing him.
Michael J. King, DPM
Past President
Jay was instrumental in helping me to develop the Center for
Professional Advocacy (CPA) leading up to and during my
presidency. He was an invaluable resource for me. He and I
would talk almost daily while I was president.
Jay's work ethic is impeccable. His attention to detail can be
exhausting and refreshing at the same time. Jay helped develop
many board members into better leaders through his guidance
and teachings about all topics APMA. Although not a
DPM, he worked for the profession as if he was.
After my inaugural speech, I got a pretty nice ovation and
response. Jay came up to me to say, " I knew it would be good,
but I did not expect that. It was one of the most impressive
I've seen. " That meant a great deal to me.
Jay worked tirelessly so that you, the DPM, could be prosperous,
have a better scope of practice, and have an amazing
career. He is a silent hero.
Ronald Lepow, DPM
Past President
When I came onto the board in 1984 or 1985, Jay was in
charge of CPME and did a wonderful job-he transformed
CPME from a less comprehensive operation to what it has
become, which is a first-class, top-of-the-line educational department
that helped to facilitate so much within the profession
in terms of education, requirements, and credibility.
His confidence in what he was doing, his dedication, and
his accomplishments impressed me. I always appreciated everything
he did. You could call him any time of the day or
night, and he was standing ready to help you.
William S. Long, DPM
Trustee
Jay welcomed me as a new trustee on the board. During my
[orientation] visit to headquarters, he answered all of my
questions and impressed me with his wealth of knowledge
concerning our profession and his desire to ensure our profession
continues to flourish.
16 APMA News November/December 2021
I want Jay to know that he is truly missed, and I wished
I had more time to learn from him. Jay is humble and did
not need to be in the limelight, but everyone should know
that he had an unwavering dedication to the advancement
of our profession.
Laura J. Pickard, DPM
President-Elect
Jay Levrio's leadership style is truly unique! He knew how to
balance his listening skills with his advice. On more than one
occasion, Jay listened intently to the board's thoughts and then
just at the right time chimed in with, " Well, you could do that,
but you might want to consider this. " He would then go on to
explain the possible outcomes, both good and bad, that would
probably [result from] our decisions. He often referenced all existing
board documents, which he knew by heart and rarely had
to look up. His command of APMA history was truly remarkable.
He was the true example of a gentle giant in so many ways.
Chris Robertozzi, DPM
Past President
During my two years on the Health Systems Committee and
13 on the APMA Board of Trustees, Jay never ceased to amaze
me with the outstanding quality of work he produced. His
analysis of the HOD resolutions or anything else always
seemed to have valid points that no one else had considered.
His dedication and loyalty to the podiatric profession
are unmatched for an individual who is not a podiatrist. He
cared more about the profession and its place in health care
than many podiatrists. Being the chief operating officer of
APMA wasn't just a job for Jay. It was a passion. He raised the
bar for all those who follow in his footsteps. They have a
tough act to follow. Thank you, Jay, for all you have done for
the podiatric profession. You will surely be missed.
Denis Russell, CPA, CAE
Deputy Executive Director and Chief Business Officer
Jay Levrio is one of my greatest friends and mentors. He and I
worked closely on financial and staff issues for almost 20 years.
Jay might be the most talented professional I've ever worked
with. His intelligence, humor, and empathy are a rare combination
that have led to nothing but excellence throughout his career.
The Bylaws, Administrative Procedures, Code of Ethics,
etc., were developed/reviewed/updated with the guidance of
Jay's thoughtful counsel. Jay dedicated his professional life to the
podiatric profession, and he has left an indelible mark from his
time with CPME and as the deputy executive director of APMA.
Janette Russell
Executive Assistant and Meetings Manager
Jay made work fun, and I feel very blessed to have been in his
department! I always enjoyed when a few of us would have
late nights working in the staff office at the HOD. We would
all be silly tired and end up laughing a lot. But even in a regular
workday, it wasn't unexpected to have him bouncing out
APMA News - November/December 2021

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