Antonio Cucalon, Jr.

In response to your inquiry to ascertain why I selected to create in 1996 a Charitable Remaining Trust as a component vehicle of my estate planning to benefit the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation, let me say that aside from the obvious legal and otherwise personal benefits, this irrevocable instrument provided me with various practical ways throughout the years to reach my objectives.

I felt strongly inspired through my sense of loyalty, morality and sensibility of doing this as a jest of gratitude—allow me to digress—as I remember there were about half a dozen members, including myself in 1996 listed in the official publication of the specialty, as donors using a Charitable Trust as a vehicle for the benefit of the Foundation, as the denomination of a Keystone Member was not as yet established.

I also remember then, as well as now, my strong motivation of gratitude and pride specially since I was traveling in an un-chartered territory, being one of the first, or maybe the first Latin American Diplomate in the early 60s of the American Board of Orthodontists and having my thesis published in the AAO Journal.

Again, I remember in school at USC as a young man, the privilege of meeting personally many of the great personalities of that time or better yet, pioneers, of our specialty. Clearly in my memory I recall the convictions, contradictions and mutual respect manifested by each one of them, regarding the various treatment modalities, with almost a fanatical drive and empirically as some of these modalities were, they never lacked the dedication and honesty that drive and determination served me as an undying guidance that perhaps my son saw in me and decided to be an orthodontists and a Diplomate.

As the years went by I became more aware of the need for more scientific research in our specialty and with the advent of the Foundation, we now are and will be in a much better position to achieve it though grants to the different interested groups and universities.

The involvement of a majority of our members in the Foundation, is a must in my opinion.

In a world where globalization is here it is important to proceed ahead and make the Foundation the "Sunrise" to our dreams with the ultimate effect being crystallized for the benefit of our future students and the wellbeing of our patients.

Thank you for the opportunity to let me express my convictions and memories.

Antonio Cucalon, Jr.