As many of you know and as previously planned, Dr. Edward Valenstein stepped down as chair of the department of Neurology on June 30, 2008. On behalf of the entire University of Florida College of Medicine, I want to formally express my appreciation to Dr. Valenstein, the William L. and Janice M. Neely professor of Neurology and Clinical & health Psychology, for his eight years of distinguished service as chair of the department of neurology. His years at the helm have been marked by stability, collegiality and steady growth of high-quality programs.

Since beginning as chair in September 2000, Dr. Valenstein has worked to improve the infrastructure of the department, increase grant support and encourage fiscal accountability. Through careful management, the neurology faculty has nearly doubled in size and clinic operations have improved, especially patient access.

During his tenure as chair, he has been a pillar in support of the department’s high standards for patient care, teaching and residency training, and research in the fields of behavioral neurology, neurorehabilitation, motor disorders and epilepsy. At the same time, working closely with the department of neurosurgery, he recruited outstanding young physician-scientists to build one of the country’s leading programs in movement disorders. He recruited outstanding faulty to lead the development of an accredited stroke program at Shands at UF and to foster the growth of the Memory and Cognitive Disorders Program. And he has worked with neurosurgery and others to advance our program in neuro-oncology.

We are fortunate Dr. Valenstein is remaining on the faculty. He is a superb clinical neurologist and an excellent teacher and scholar. Indeed, he is a thoughtful, compassionate academic physician who will continue to serve as an exemplary role model for our students, residents and junior faculty. Please join me in thanking Dr. Valenstein for his many years of dedicated service as chair of the department of neurology.

Additional information concerning appointment of an interim chair and the already in progress national search will be provided shortly.

Mike