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Board Profiles
 Jerre
Minor Freeman, M.D.
Founder
Dr. Jerre M. Freeman,
a lifelong Memphian, has been in private practice since 1968,
specializing in cataract surgery, intraocular lens implant
surgery, Laser Vision Correction Surgery and other surgical
procedures. He is the designer of several lens implants and
the Punctum Plug, a surgical insert to help dry eyes. Before
receiving his M.D. degree from the University of Tennessee
Medical School, Dr. Freeman received his engineering training
from Auburn University and served as a pilot with the U.S.
Navy.
He had two fellowships
with Harvard Medical School and trained in intraocular lens
implantation in the Netherlands. Dr. Freeman, a world renowned
surgeon, founded the Memphis Eye and Cataract Associates.
Dr. Freeman is Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the
University of Tennessee, Memphis.
In 1978 Dr. Freeman
founded the World Cataract Foundation and remains a driving
force in the vision and growth of the WCF. He has performed
free surgery for the poor in many countries, including Zaire,
Pakistan, Mexico, Kenya, China, Egypt, Holland, England, and
Russia.
 Lori
Hudson
Executive Director
Lori Hudson has
been involved in the World Cataract Foundation since 1996
when she accompanied a medical team to Ometepec, Mexico. After
seeing sight restored to people blinded by cataract, Lori
returned home excited and motivated to work with the WCF to
reach many more people blinded by cataract.
Lori became Program
Director in December of 1998. Since joining the WCF, she has
organized ten mission trips to Ometepec, Mexico. In addition
to organizing the Mexico trips, she works with ophthalmologists
to coordinate their efforts to join larger medical mission
teams to other third world countries such as Papua New Guinea
and the Philippines. Lori's other responsibilities include
overseeing the Medical Personnel Exchange Program, organizing
the monthly board meetings, and office management. The World
Cataract Foundation Board of Directors named Lori Executive
Director in May 2004.
Lori graduated from
Memphis State University with a B.S. in Education. Lori and
her husband, Jeff, have three children.
 Pat Beech
President
Hometown:
St. Louis, Missouri
Education:
B.A. Fontbonne College, St. Louis, MO.
M.Ed. Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
Business:
Arlena Enos, Realtors, Owner / Broker
Member:
Memphis Area Association of Realtors, President 2000
Memphis Area Association of Realtors Educational Foundation, President 1996
Multi-Million Dollar Club, Life Member
Women's Council of Realtors, President 1997
Tennessee Association of Realtors, Director
National Association of Realtors, Director 2000
Awards and Honors:
Memphis Area Association of Realtors Presidential Award 1992 and 1991
Women's Council Member of the Year 1998
Memphis Area Association of Realtors Realtor of the Year 2001
Designations:
Graduate Realtors Institute (GRI)
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
Leadership Training Graduate (LTG)
Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR)
Community Involvement:
World Cataract Foundation, Director
Church of the Holy Communion, Member and former vestry member
Personal:
Married, three grown children, one grandchild
Raleigh Crawford
Vice President
Raleigh Crawford is a partner in McVean Trading and Investments, a Memphis based investment firm specializing in managed futures accounts. His interest in the WCF evolved through his friendship and association with Dr. Jerre Freeman and his sincere belief in the work that the WCF is doing worldwide to help eradicate cataract blindness.
Raleigh earned a B.A. degree from the University of Virginia and after graduation joined the military and served as a Special Agent in Military Intelligence in Europe. Upon returning to Memphis in 1972, Raleigh began his corporate career as a research analyst with Morgan Keegan & Company, following agricultural stocks. In 1978 he joined a division of Conwood Corporation in Memphis as Vice President of Corporate Development with the responsibility of overseeing growth and expansion. In 1986 when the opportunity to become a part of a small but rapidly growing company presented itself, Raleigh joined McVean Trading where his experience in investments and agriculture could be fully utilized. For the last 18 years Raleigh has dealt with high net worth individuals and institutions advising them on the appropriate allocation of their investment assets in the futures markets.
David Cuicchi
Treasurer
David Cuicchi has
served the World Cataract Foundation as Treasurer for five
years, but the firm he heads has donated accounting and tax
services to the WCF for over a decade. David believes that
eyesight is one of our most previous gifts. Because of his
involvement with the WCF, he became aware of the prevalence
of cataract blindness worldwide and welcomed the opportunity
to become more involved to further the WCF's mission to restore
normal vision.
A native of the
Mississippi Delta, David earned accounting and law degrees
at Ole Miss, where he met his wife Leslie. Upon graduation,
he joined the Arthur Andersen office in Memphis and later
served as Tax Manager of a local investment company. In 1982
he joined Cannon & Company CPAs and was named Managing
Director in 1993. David and Leslie have two children, Brandon
and Natalie, both of whom are in college.
Thomas C. Gettelfinger, M.D.
Director
Co-Founder of Memphis Eye and Cataract Associates (MECA), Dr. Tom Gettelfinger is an honors graduate from the University of Notre Dame and received his M.D. degree from Harvard Medical School. He has served as a national committee member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, has received its National Honor Award, as well as the Good Samaritan Award for his international volunteerism.
He founded the Tennessee Ophthalmic Personnel Society, an organization active in training ophthalmic assistants, has served as President of the Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology, and is currently on the TeleMedicine Advisory Board for Project ORBIS. Dr. Gettelfinger is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. He has been active in teaching and training in Ophthalmology programs in developing countries, including Afghanistan, India, Mexico, Zaire, Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Mynmar.
He is an avid photographer, and espouses an interest in Tango
dancing.
K.C. Lam
Director
K. C. Lam was born
in a small village in Southern China (200 miles from Guanzhou,
formerly Canton). He moved to Hong Kong with his parents when
he was 7 or 8 years old. He grew up there and finished both
elementary and secondary education in Hong Kong. After moving
to Memphis to attend college at Memphis State University,
he received both his BBA (1976) and MBA (1978) from MSU. K.
C. received his CLU (Chartered Life Underwriter) designation
in 1984 and ChFC (Chartered Financial Consultant) in 1985.
In 1990 he received
his CFP (Certified Financial Planner) designation from the
college of Financial Planning (Denver, CO). Currently he is
the principal of Financial Planning Group of Memphis, Inc.
and K. C. Lam & Associates. K. C. is also the Principal
Broker of Cordova Realty, Inc. His memberships include Chinese
Association of Memphis (4 times as president and twice as
vice president), Million Dollar Round Table, Who's Who in
Financial Planning, National Association of Insurance &
Financial Advisors, Financial Planning Association and National
Association of Realtors. K. C always takes time to entertain
our Chinese doctors during their participation in our Medical
Personnel Exchange Program.
 Albert W. Morris, M.D.
Director
Dr. Morris, a Memphis radiologist, was recently elected as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Medical Association. The NMA is the collective voice of the more than 25,000African American physicians in the United States and around the world. He previously served as President of the Bluff City Medical Society, the local NMA affiliate. During his tenure as President, Bluff City Medical Society was selected as the National Medical Association’s “Chapter of the Year” award for outstanding programming, community involvement, and physician recruitment. In 2000, Dr. Morris organized and chaired the Task Force on Environmental Health and Bioterrorism of the NMA, developing protocols for physicians and patients in the advent of a bioterroism attack. He has been a member of the World Cataract Foundation Board since 1998.
 Diana Threadgill
Director
Diana brings her advertising and public relations skills
to the World Cataract Foundation. Currently the Director of Development for Girls Incorporated of Memphis,
Diana has extensive experience in business development, media
presentations and fundraising. Her BFA degree from the University
of Memphis and her continued involvement in the arts enhance
the aesthetic dimension of the WCF's public appeal. Because
of her own cataract surgery at an early age, Diana appreciates
in a personal way the WCF's work in helping the world to see.
She and her husband John have two children.
Janice Vanderhaar
Director
Janice Vanderhaar
has served on the World Cataract Foundation Board since 1996
and has lived in Memphis since 1970. Professionally an educator
and social worker, she has a master's degree in religious
studies from Mundelein College in Chicago. She worked in emergency
services with the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA)
for sixteen years, and shares her social work experience as
a member of the Adult Protective Services Multidisciplinary
Team. She serves on the board of the M.K. Gandhi Institute
for Nonviolence. She is actively involved in Pax Christi,
the International Catholic Peace Movement, as well as the
Mid-South Peace and Justice Center. She has traveled on peace
missions to Russia, Ukraine, Philippines, Japan, Israel, and
throughout Europe. She has participated in World Cataract
Foundation missions to China, and twice to Mexico
Walker L. Wellford, III
Director
As a long-time friend of Dr. Jerre Freeman, Walker has been familiar with the work of the World Cataract Foundation for many years. A native of Memphis and a graduate of Rhodes College, he is a career agent with the Mass Mutual Financial Group. In 1986 Walker received his CLU designation, and is a Life Member of the Million Dollar Roundtable. During his business career he has served voluntarily in leadership roles with many organizations, including the Memphis Red Cross, Sales and Marketing Executives, Society of Financial Service Professionals, and the Kiwannis Club. In September of 2003 he was named "Kiwannian of the Year."
Julia Barredo Willhite
Director
Owner of Bilingual Integrated Services, the bridge between a company and its Spanish-speaking customers, clients or employees. Developer of “Concentric Circles Marketing System.”
A native speaker from Cuba and veteran of the Memphis City & Shelby County schools, she offers the “insider’s view” of the Latino market and how to reach it effectively. Julia specializes in seminars, classes and workshops on reaching this highly-lucrative yet untapped market.
Education: St. John’s University, NY and Southern Illinois University, IL.
Julia is a member of OneMemphis/Regional Chamber, Germantown Chamber of Commerce, Memphis Area Women’s Council, SCORE counselor, Small Business Chamber charter member, National Federation of Independent Business, League of Women Voters, Alzheimer’s Association Board member, YCAP Branch YMCA Board member, World Cataract Foundation Board, Crescent Club Ambassador’s Council and many others.
Both the owner and the company have been featured in Memphis Women’s Magazine, the Commercial Appeal and Memphis Magazine.
Married for 31 years, she is the very busy mother of teenage girl.
Remaining World Cataract Foundation Board Members
Bill Burk
Noble Crigler
Anne Freeman
International Advisory Board Members
Pan Awsumb
Joseph Birch, Jr.
Rober E. Craddock, Jr.
Ralph F. Hamilton, M.D.
William T. Harrell
William C. Johns, DPh
Lawrence Madlock, MD
Satish Mehra, PhD
Mark Ruleman
Frank Stockdale Carney
Toby Redshaw
Gerard Vanderhaar, S.T.D.
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