Dr. I. Dodd Wilson Named Inaugural Recipient of Ward Chair

APRIL 26, 2005 | Chancellor I. Dodd Wilson, M.D., of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences became the first recipient of the new Harry P. Ward Chancellor’s Chair – the first chancellor’s chair endowed at an Arkansas university – during an April 20 investiture ceremony at UAMS hosted by University of Arkansas System President B. Alan Sugg.

The event, at the Fred W. Smith Conference Center in the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute at UAMS, brought together several hundred UAMS faculty members, employees and supporters to honor the current and previous chancellors.

The chair is named for Chancellor Emeritus Harry P. Ward, M.D., who served as UAMS chancellor from 1979 to 2000. He is credited with leading UAMS’ transformation from a small medical school with a charity hospital to an academic health center and research leader that today receives more than $100 million annually in national research grants and contracts and has an annual economic impact in Arkansas of more than $4.1 billion.

Wilson, who previously served as dean of the UAMS College of Medicine, succeeded Ward in October 2000. He led UAMS to sustained growth in enrollment and funding that has positioned the campus for its largest planned expansion, a $200 million plan that will ensure it has facilities to meet its patient care, education and research needs in the future.

“Creating a chair in honor of Dr. Ward that will allow for continued growth and pursuit of excellence at UAMS and making Dr. Wilson the inaugural recipient is a fitting tribute to these two giants in the history of health care and higher education in Arkansas,” said Sugg in announcing the chair.

“Dr. Ward’s vision ushered in an era of unprecedented growth in clinical, education and research programs at UAMS, making it one of the outstanding academic health centers in the world,” Sugg said. “Dr. Wilson’s tireless efforts have bolstered the reputation of UAMS as a center for world-class patient care, education and research and he is now presiding over the largest planned expansion in the campus’ history.”

The tributes to Ward included a special video that featured friends, family and supporters from Gov. Mike Huckabee to Arkansas legislators to Wilson and Sugg singing verses from the tune “I’m Just Wild About Harry.” Speakers on the formal program praising Ward’s vision, accomplishments and character included Kent Westbrook, M.D., a distinguished professor in the Department of Surgery; Thomas Bruce, M.D., professor emeritus and former UAMS College of Medicine dean; UAMS College of Nursing Dean Linda Hodges, Ed.D., R.N.; Richard Pierson, M.B.A., M.H.A., vice chancellor for clinical programs; Larry Milne, Ph.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs and research administration and former dean of the UAMS College of Pharmacy; and UAMS College of Health Related Professions Dean Ronald Winters, Ph.D.

“Our success has been due to a magnificent partnership between the staff, faculty, community, legislature and everyone who worked to make this institution what it is,” Ward said.

Ward pointed to the medallion given as part of the investiture ceremony and the symbolism of its various images. The medallion, he said, shows the responsibility UAMS has to the state to provide health care as well as its other missions of education and research that have an impact on the state and the world.

Most important, he said, were the images of people with arms interlocked around the edge of the medallion, which he said symbolized the partnership. “We can only be as strong as this partnership.”

Ward then paid tribute to Wilson. “His leadership is moving UAMS to the next level,” Ward said. “It’s a very exciting future for the institution and the state.”

In honoring Wilson, UAMS College of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., talked about Wilson’s uncanny ability to read ahead on a presentation, analyze it, ask questions or find errors before the presenter was finished. He noted the coincidence that Pierson had earlier said the same thing about Ward.

“It must be a chancellor’s thing,” Reece joked.

Wilson said he was honored to become the first Ward chair recipient. He praised Ward’s skills – not the least of which was his treating employees as members of “the University family.”

He noted the excellent facilities that have been built on campus because of the dedication of UAMS supporters. He also pointed out how research funding to UAMS had grown exponentially – or as Sugg said earlier, is “going up like a rocket.”

The challenge ahead, he said, especially with an aging population that will further strain health care resources, is to build new facilities to improve patient care and allow recruitment of faculty that will allow UAMS to continue meeting its mission to heal, teach, search and serve in the future.

Throughout the ceremony, speakers also praised and thanked Ward’s wife, Betty Jo, and Wilson’s wife, Ginger.

During 21 years as UAMS chancellor, Ward saw student enrollment nearly double as each college and the area health education centers expanded their education programs. Ward’s tenure as chancellor also saw new facilities and financial support that allowed UAMS to build on its ability to deliver patient care, provide health care education and support groundbreaking research.

Ward was named UAMS chancellor in 1979 after previously serving as professor and dean of the University of Colorado College of Medicine.

Wilson came to UAMS in 1986 as a professor and dean of the UAMS College of Medicine from the University of Minnesota Medical School, where he was a professor and vice chairman of the Department of Medicine. He was named executive vice chancellor at UAMS in July 1994.

As chancellor, Wilson has led UAMS to continued growth and increased enrollment. Federal grants and contracts have grown from about $6 million in 1984 to about $106 million today, while funding for the College of Medicine from the National Institutes of Health has doubled every five years for the last 20 years. Wilson’s leadership has positioned UAMS to begin the planned campus expansion.

Links on This Page

UAMS News Release on Ward chair investiture: http://www.uams.edu/update/absolutenm/templates
/news_release_liz.asp?articleid=3130&zoneid=86

The Ward Era – 21 Great Years: http://www.uams.edu/info/Updates/October00
/WardEra.pdf

UAMS Chancellor I. Dodd Wilson, M.D.: http://www.uams.edu/chancellor.asp

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