Home Page | 2010 Meeting | Membership Application | History | Contact Us | Links History The Southeast/Southwest Regional Association of Polysomnographic Technologists (SE/SW RAPT) was founded in 1981 at the National Meeting of the Association of Polysomnographic Technologists (APT) in Dallas, TX. The membership organization was founded to provide an opportunity for local technologists to attend educational meetings in their region, particularly those who were unable to attend national meetings. The organization was originally called the Southwest Region of the Association of Polysomnographic Technologists. The first meeting was held in 1982 and hosted by Marietta Bellamy (Bibbs) at the Baylor College of Medicine Sleep Disorders Clinic in Houston. The second meeting was held in Dallas and hosted by the staff of the Sleep Disorders Center at Presbyterian Hospital. In 1984, the meeting moved further East. It was hosted by Ron McCain of Baptist Medical Center, Montclair, Birmingham, AL. It was at this meeting that the organization's name was changed to "The Southeast/Southwest Regional Association of Polysomnographic Technologists." Following the 1984 meeting in Birmingham, the organization continued to evolve, and now encompasses fourteen states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. The meetings have been hosted throughout the region. Timeline 1982 First meeting held in Houston, TX 1983 Hosted by Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas, TX 1984 Hosted by Ron McCain at Baptist Medical Center, Montclair, Sleep Disorders Center, Birmingham, AL 1985 Hosted by Baptist Medical Center, Montclair, Sleep Disorders Center, Birmingham, AL 1986 Hosted by Joe Hernandez of Metropolitan General Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, at the Tropicana Hotel, San Antonio, TX 1989 Hosted by Marietta Bellamy (Bibbs) of Baylor College of Medicine Sleep Disorders Center, held at the Adams Mark Hotel, Houston, TX 1990 Hosted by the staff of the University of Mississippi Sleep Disorders Center at the Holiday Inn, Jackson, MS 1991 Hosted by Robin Williams in Clearwater, FL 1992 Hosted by Ron McCain of Northside Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, Atlanta, GA 1993 Hosted by Gay Matherne (Bourgouis) of Tulane Medical Center Sleep Disorders Center, at the Clarion Hotel, New Orleans, LA 1994 Hosted by Debbie Akers of Norfolk General Hospital at the Cavalier Hotel, Norfolk, VA 1995 Hosted by Shirley Buie and Sharon Hudson, of New Hanover Memorial Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, at the Bladerunner Hotel, Wrightsville Beach, NC. It was during the business session of this meeting that the organization officially voted to change its name to The SE/SW Regional Polysomnographic Technologists Association (RPTA) 1996 First cruise meeting hosted by Joanne Hernandez and Richard Nixon of Baptist Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, Miami, FL, held aboard the Nordic Empress, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines 1997 Second Cruise Meeting hosted by Joanne Hernandez and Joanne Hebding of Baptist Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, Miami, FL, held aboard the Norwegian Majesty, Norwegian Cruise Lines 1998 Hosted by Marietta Bellamy (Bibbs) of Baylor/VA Sleep Disorders Center and Andrea Zebrak (Clark) of Hermann Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, at South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center, League City, TX 1999 Hosted by Scott Cole, Northeast Medical Center Sleep Disorders Center, Concorde, NC 2000 Hosted by Terrance Malloy and Gail Reid of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology at the Doubletree Hotel, Atlanta, GA