Ronald L. Krome, MD, FACEP (E), the sixth president of the ACEP, died May 23. He was 77.

Dr. Krome graduated from the Wayne State University surgery residency in 1969 and had staff oversight responsibility for the Detroit General Hospital emergency room – a position that became necessary after the 1967 Detroit riots. By the early 1970s, he had begun to develop an emergency physician staff and the emergency department became a formal part of the hospital’s administrative structure.

In 1971, he joined ACEP and ultimately became a life member. In 1972, he was chosen editor in chief of JACEP, which became Annals of Emergency Medicine in January 1980, and strong credibility was established by the publication under Dr. Krome’s guidance.

He served as ACEP President from 1976-77 and was presented the John G. Wiegenstein Leadership Award in 1979 for effectively promoting excellence in emergency medicine education.

Dr. Krome was on the team that successfully negotiated recognition for emergency medicine as a specialty in 1979, and chaired the Test Committee appointed to develop the first certification exam. As an active chapter member, he served as a Councillor from Michigan for nine years.

A decade after he was president, Dr. Krome received the John D. Mills Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Medicine Award in 1987 for his exemplary long-term contribution to both ACEP and the specialty.

Dr. Krome continued to be diligent in striving for increased legitimacy of the specialty through expanding the body of research. His contributions to the Blue Ribbon Commission on the Future of Emergency Medicine and his commitment to Annals of Emergency Medicine have had lasting effects on emergency medicine, as has his work as a teacher and mentor.

In addition to being a past president of ACEP, he was also a past president of the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM).

He was the first recipient in 1983 of the Michigan ACEP chapter’s Meritorious Service Award, which was then named in his honor. He also published a book, “The Floaters’ Log,” about his emergency department experiences.

He served as chief of the division of emergency medicine at Wayne State University as well as chief of emergency medicine at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich. He attracted many to the field, and mentored many physicians who have since achieved professional prominence.

In 2008 he was named one of ACEP’s Heroes of Emergency Medicine, and reported that his favorite saying was that he receives the greatest joy from seeing his students achieve successes even greater than his.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the Emergency Medicine Foundation: www.emfoundation.org.