Oct. 18, 2022 — Surrounded by friends and family, some of the University of Florida’s most accomplished faculty members were formally recognized as endowed chairs and professors, receiving specially engraved chairs as a symbol of their dedication to medical education, research and leadership.

Thirty-three faculty members from the UF colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Medicine – Jacksonville, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health & Health Professions and Veterinary Medicine were honored at the 2022 Celebrating Distinction ceremony, which took place at the Health Professions, Nursing and Pharmacy Auditorium on Oct. 13. It was the first time the event had been held since 2019.

“This event acknowledges our best faculty and programs and leverages that relationship with the outside world, donors, families and grateful associates,” said David R. Nelson, M.D., senior vice president for health affairs at UF and president of UF Health. “And that’s really what allows us to do a lot of things right. It takes money, it takes commitment, it takes effort and it takes relationships to build something that we can then convert into research, clinical care, innovations in education and special community engagement projects.”

During the program, three deans were honored with endowed chairs or professorships: Colleen G. Koch, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., dean of the College of Medicine and the Folke H. Peterson Dean’s Distinguished Professor; Anna M. McDaniel, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, dean of the College of Nursing and the Linda Harman Aiken Chair; and Beth Virnig, Ph.D., M.P.H., dean of the College of Public Health & Health Professions and the Robert G. Frank Professor.

The College of Medicine installed more than half this year’s honorees, with 18 new endowed professors and chairs. Among the honorees was Rashmin C. Savani, M.B., Ch.B., the Nemours Eminent Scholar Chair in Pediatrics, who said his maple hardwood chair will be kept in a prized position in his office for use by his visitors.

“I’m deeply honored to be part of this institution and to receive this recognition,” said Savani, who joined the UF faculty in August. “The breadth and depth of excellence at UF is astounding and we are a beacon for the entire state. I hope to live up to these ideals of distinguished clinical care, innovation and education.”

Below is a complete list of the faculty members who were honored with a professorship or chair during the 2022 Celebrating Distinction ceremony: