The World Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons was established in 1990, and the inaugural Meeting was held in Chiang Mai (Thailand) in 1991. The founding Chancellor was the late Juro Wada of Japan, and Honorary Founding Members Christian Cabrol (France), Denton Cooley (USA), Charles Hahn (Switzerland), and Norman Shumway (USA). The founding concept of the Society was the need to have a truly international forum for
the exchange of ideas and progress in clinical care and research, without geographical bias. Serving that concept, subsequent Meetings were held in different parts of the globe. In 2007, Juro Wada conferred the Chancellorship of the Society upon Professor Dr. Stuart Jamieson (San Diego, USA). Additional leadership of the Society includes Vice Chancellor, Dr. Sotirios N. Prapas (Athens, Greece) and the Secretary General Dr. Michael Madani (San Diego, USA). The Steering Committee is made up of the Past Presidents of the Society as well as the WSCTS Regional Representatives. Each year the Steering Committee and Chancellor select a venue for the Annual Meeting, three years in advance. Consideration in this selection is given to the geographical area, with as yet unrepresented countries favored, and essential to the selection is a local Chairman who carries an international reputation and who is capable of organizing a Congress worthy of the Society. The Chairman of the last years Congress assumes the role of President for the ensuing year, and is President for the subsequent Meeting. At the conclusion of the Annual Meeting the Chancellor of the Society confers upon the Chairman of the Meeting the next years Presidency. The current President is Dr Vipin Zamvar (Edinburgh, UK)
The 26th Annual Meeting will be held in September 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa, organized by Dr. Robert Kleinloog.
