International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Announces New CEO

DENVER – The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) announces Dave Mesko as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately.  Mesko replaces Fred R. Hirsch, who left the IASLC after his five-year term ended on Oct. 31, 2018. Mesko will have primary responsibility for the overall operation of the organization. He reports to the IASLC Board of Directors and has eight direct reports.

“Dave Mesko brings a wealth of management experience to the IASLC at a time when the organization is experiencing unprecedented growth,” said Dr. Giorgio V. Scagliotti, President of the IASLC Board of Directors. “Dave’s promotion recognizes that, while the IASLC remains committed to maintaining its scientific leadership as the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of thoracic malignancies, the association also needs a CEO well-versed in the management, finance, strategy and processes that organizations need to run effectively and to thrive in the 21st century.”

Over the past five years, the IASLC has grown from a staff of five to a staff of 23, and from an average of four scientific meetings per year to 10 meetings in 2018. The IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer, the world’s largest meeting focusing on all aspects of thoracic malignancies and the IASLC’s flagship event, achieved record attendance, and featured practice-changing abstracts and four simultaneous publications in the New England Journal of Medicine this year.

“The progress both in lung cancer and at the IASLC is exciting. We are poised for growth, and I look forward to honoring the mission of the IASLC while enhancing our member experience and our strategic focus,” said Mesko. “I share the passion of our members, partners and  staff in collaborating across borders and disciplines to conquer thoracic cancers worldwide.”

As a part of Mesko’s promotion, the IASLC will restructure, maintaining its key initiatives, mission and commitment to science while enhancing the member experience. Details about the restructure will be released in January 2019.

Mesko joined the IASLC in February as Managing Director with a strong background in running organizations and in creating new initiatives, and proved himself an able leader. In his most recent position prior to joining the IASLC, Mesko was Chief Operating Officer at the Council on Foundations.  Mesko also served as Chief Financial Officer at Georgetown University, School of Nursing and Health Studies. Mesko has an M.B.A. from the American University and a B.A. in Business Administration from Western Carolina University. 

About the IASLC
The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) is the only global organization dedicated solely to the study of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Founded in 1974, the association's membership includes more than 6,500 lung cancer specialists across all disciplines in over 100 countries, forming a global network working together to conquer lung and thoracic cancers worldwide. The association also publishes the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the primary educational and informational publication for topics relevant to the prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of all thoracic malignancies. Visit www.iaslc.org for more information.