He also admired Lung Association's strong reputation and really liked how the organization carried out its mission with an emphasis on community programs, advocacy and research.  Having worked for another health organization before coming here, he was familiar with the Lung Association’s reputation and solid work in the community.  Finally, but one of the most important reasons, is that he had a family connection to the mission - his grandfather died of lung cancer after being a chain smoker, and at the time he joined the Lung Association, his father was a lifelong smoker.  He has since quit smoking, and did it by joining an American Lung Association Freedom From Smoking program.