ALABAMA HEALTHCARE HALL OF FAME - Key Persons
Born in Mississippi, Alston Callahan received his medical education at Tulane University. During World War II he was Chief of the 300-bed Eye Section at Northington Army Hospital in Tuscaloosa. Afterwards, Dr. Callahan opened his practice in Birmingham in an old converted home, as he dreamed of an eye hospital where more ophthalmologists could serve more patients than one could alone. By enlisting wealthy patients and friends whom he declined to charge they bought the site on which the Eye Foundation Hospital was built, and began to serve patients in 1964. Continuing its expansion with added indigent services, in 1971 they assisted the Residency Program of UAB's Department of Ophthalmology. In 1989, the Trustees completed the Research and Professional Office Building.
In 1990, he discontinued his practice and as a volunteer Director of Development, raised more than 10 million dollars for eye research and indigent care.
Now that UAB has acquired the hospital, he and his associates are accelerating retinal research with a new organization, the International Retinal Research Foundation.
Anne Mangum Smith began her public health nursing career in 1938 in Randolph County, Alabama. Her career lasted over four decades, included service in seven counties, and eventually lead to the most esteemed position in public health nursing in Alabama. Mrs. Smith was the Director of Public Health Nursing in Alabama from 1964 until her retirement in 1984. Under her tenure as Director of Public Health Nursing, the Governor assigned her department the responsibility of implementing Medicaid and Medicare home health services.
During Anne Smith's career as Director of Public Health Nursing, many advancements in public health nursing are recognized. In part they include the establishment of the home health program and Pap smear program, as well as the development of in-service programs, a school health manual for public health nurses, and the nurse midwifery bill. Anne Smith was recognized nationally having served as the president of the Association of State Directors of Nursing, and was also the first nurse to be president of the Alabama Public Health Association. In 1976 she received the prestigious D.G. Gill Award from the Alabama Public Health Association.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Nursing, Auburn, Montgomery / past President ASNA
Dr. Benjamin M. Carraway left a tremendous legacy in the Alabama healthcare field. As a young surgeon, Dr. Carraway and his father pioneered research in the development of sodium pentothal anesthetizing agents. A man of boundless energy, Dr. Carraway's drive shaped the growth of Birmingham's Carraway Methodist Medical Center. During his 50 years at Carraway, he oversaw continuous expansion while ensuring that the hospital was at the forefront of leading technology. Under his leadership the hospital would equip some of the first intensive care units in Alabama; create one of the state's leading cardiology surgery programs; establish Carraway's Life Saver helicopter program; start the Kemp-Carraway Heart Institute for cardio-vascular research, and develop the Norwood Clinic.
His passionate support for medical education resulted in a fully accredited residency program in family medicine, internal medicine, and general surgery. Today, the hospital that Dr. Ben Carraway nurtured and loved has become the heart of the comprehensive health system with facilities and services throughout central and northwest Alabama.
Dr. Grote will always be remembered as a pioneer in the public health field and a testament to the philosophy that nothing is more noble than caring for others. Born in Greensboro, Alabama, Dr. Grote received his medical degree from the University of Alabama in 1912. Two years later he became the first full-time county health officer in Walker County. On loan to Huntsville, he worked tirelessly to quell Huntsville's typhoid fever outbreak. Dr. Grote later became Huntsville's first full time health officer and worked at great risk with colleagues to alleviate the suffering from an outbreak of Spanish flu. The unit in Huntsville was regarded as a national model and was visited by many experts for observation.
In 1924, Dr. Grote entered private practice in Huntsville and spearheaded a drive that resulted in the construction of a stately fifty-bed hospital. As chairman of the project, he is today considered the patriarch of Huntsville Hospital. Both as Chairman of Trustees and as a physician, he helped bring many innovative employee and community health programs to the hospital. Dr. Grote served as president of the Medical Association of Alabama and was selected as the Outstanding Man of the Year by Huntsville's Chamber of Commerce.
A graduate of the University of Alabama and the Medical College of Alabama, Dr. Mickey LeMaistre credits "friends and family" for the firm foundation upon which he developed a rare combination of abilities as a physician, educator, administrator, and proponent of public health education. After serving as Chancellor of the University of Texas System, Dr. LeMaistre served eighteen years as President of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center; Dr. LeMaistre helped to double the center's physical size and secure an international reputation for innovative patient care, research, and education. He is credited for bringing a strong research focus to the Center and for establishing a significant program in cancer prevention.
The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center's new outpatient building was named in his honor in 1997. As volunteer and past president of the American Cancer Society, Dr. LeMaistre campaigned tirelessly for over three decades on the hazards of smoking. In 1998, the American Cancer Society presented Dr. LeMaistre its highest award for public service. Among his many honors are national awards from the American Medical Association, American Lung Association, and a Humanitarian Award from the National Conference of Christians & Jews.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the AHHOF Board
Through her boundless energy and determination, Dr. Claire Ramsey has made a major contribution toward improving healthcare in rural Alabama. For decades Dr. Ramsey has been a driving force in advocating healthcare services for the adults and children in Washington County, Alabama. In the early 1970's, Dr. Ramsey and her husband, Dr. Robert Ramsey, returned to Alabama and immediately began to address gaps in rural healthcare services. The Doctors Ramsey set up special clinics for disabled persons who were not receiving adequate care. "Dr. Claire" pioneered the development of the first day program for adults with mental retardation, a program which eventually offered residential services.
Dr. Ramsey became the chairperson of the home health advisory committee for Public Health and also worked to develop maternity care screenings to prevent disabilities. She was especially effective in working with local and state officials to obtain funding and services for persons with disabilities. Currently, Dr. Ramsey is supporting the UAB Rural Medicine Program by serving as a mentor for students, and by seeking funding for program scholarships.
Born a slave in 1852, Cornelius Dorsette lived through the Civil War in rural North Carolina. In 1882 he earned his M.D. from the Medical College of the University of Buffalo. With the encouragement of Booker T. Washington, Dr. Dorsette moved to Montgomery to serve as its first black physician. In 1884, he became the first black physician to pass the newly required state medical licensure exam. It is said that the physicians and leading citizens of Montgomery gave Dr. Dorsette a warm welcome.
He later became a close medical contemporary of Dr. Luther Leonidas Hill and Dr. Jerome Cochran. Dr. Dorsette was named to the Board of Trustees at Tuskegee and remained very supportive of the college throughout his life. Knowing that a hospital was desperately needed for the black citizens of Montgomery, Dr. Dorsette opened Hale Infirmary in 1890. He also helped found the National Medical Association and later served as its president.
D.O. McClusky has distinguished himself in the areas of hospital pharmacy, hospital administration, and community leadership. A 1937 graduate of Howard College (Samford University), Mr. McClusky began his career in hospital pharmacy at South Highlands Infirmary in Birmingham and quickly rose to assistant hospital superintendent and chief pharmacist. Later, Mr. McClusky served for over three decades as administrator of Tuscaloosa's Druid City Hospital and led it through a period of tremendous transformation as it grew from 74 beds to 700 beds. Mr. McClusky served as President of the Alabama Hospital Association and was recipient of its first Gold Medal of Excellence Award.
From a field of 7,000 administrators, D.O. McClusky received the 1976 American Hospital Association's top honor, the Distinguished Service Award. He was recognized as Distinguished Alumnus of the McWhorter School of Pharmacy at Samford University in 1998. A state and national hospital leader and the founder of the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame, Mr. McClusky has also served his community in many ways including President of the Tuscaloosa Chamber of Commerce.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director, AL Hospital Association
Job Titles:
- Ex - Officio President
- President of the AHHOF Board
Dr. Charles A. McCallum, Jr., affectionately known as "Scotty" by his friends, received his dental degree from Tufts College Dental School and his medical degree from the Medical College of Alabama. As an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, he completed residency at University Hospital, Birmingham. He served as Vice-President for Health Affairs and Director of the Medical Center at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and in 1987, became the third President of UAB. When he relinquished his duties as president in 1993, he was named Distinguished Professor. Dr. McCallum also served as a professor of dentistry and professor of surgery. He was Dean of the University of Alabama School of Dentistry from 1962 to 1977.
Dr. McCallum is former president of the American Association of Dental Schools and the American Board of Oral and the Maxillofacial Surgery. He served as Chairman of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and has received honorary degrees from six universities. His great professional ability, empathy for students, and warm personality have endeared Dr. McCallum to his many students, patients, and colleagues.
Dr. Ira Myers is a native Alabamian born in Madison County. The son of a Baptist minister, he is a graduate of Howard College and received his M.D. degree from the Medical College of Alabama. Dr. Myers completed his residency in preventive medicine as an epidemiologist with Centers for Disease Control. A charter member of Epidemic Intelligence Service, Dr. Myers participated in numerous field studies from 1950-1955.
He achieved the rank of Senior Surgeon serving as Chief EIS Officer, Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. In 1963, Dr. Myers was elected State Health Officer where he served until 1986. His tenure established a record in this capacity, and at retirement he was the senior state health officer in the United States. As State Health Officer Dr. Myers served as chairman of eight boards, councils, or commissions. Dr. Myers has been active in retirement with many organizations including the American Cancer Society, prison ministry, and as the highly respected Chairman of the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame.
Called the "Father of Alabama Public Health," Dr. Jerome Cochran served Alabama as its first state health officer from 1879 to 1896, and became the foremost medical figure in Alabama during the post-Civil War period. His lifelong mission was to assure provisions of adequate public health for all. A native of Holly Springs, Mississippi, Dr. Cochran came to Mobile in 1865. There he gained a national reputation as a quarantine physician during the 1873 yellow fever epidemic. Later as state health officer, he spent most of his lifetime fighting outbreaks of yellow fever, smallpox, typhoid, diphtheria, and cholera. It was said that Dr. Cochran's knowledge and his methods of preventing epidemics through the laws of quarantine predated scientific findings of his day by 20 to 40 years.
A man of immense intelligence and energy, he is credited with developing a cohesive, professional, state medical association; establishing a state health department run by medical professionals; establishing the boards of medical examiners; and raising the standards for medical education and medical writing. The Medical Association of the State of Alabama established the Jerome Cochran Lecture Series in his honor.
Dr. Kenneth N. Barker's distinguished career in pharmacy includes a series of accomplishments and innovations that have had a major impact on the practice of pharmacy and the quality of American healthcare. Dr. Barker is a professor of Social and Administrative Sciences at the Auburn School of Pharmacy. In the late 1950's, Dr. Barker introduced the "unit dose" medication distribution system now used in ninety percent of U.S. hospitals. He also developed the direct observation method for detecting medication errors, a method later adopted as a standard by the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration. Dr. Barker served as project director and chairman of a national coalition that developed national guidelines for IV therapy, resulting in improved safety through the reduction of infection and other complications.
More recently his work has focused on improving pharmacy facility design and practice automation. Dr. Barker earned his Ph.D. in pharmacy administration from the University of Mississippi. Among his honors are Outstanding Graduate Professor, the H.A.K. Whitney Lecture Award, and the American Pharmaceutical Association's Remington Honor Medal.
Dr. Luther Leonidas Hill was a pioneer in vascular surgery in the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early decades of the twentieth century. A native of Montgomery, Alabama, he received his M.D. degree in 1881 from the University of the City of New York. Dr. Hill went on to acquire a second M.D. degree from the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. Dr. Hill studied at King's College Hospital in London under the famous surgeon, Lord Joseph Lister. Returning to Montgomery, he practiced medicine for over 50 years, including a 35 year tenure as surgeon-in-chief at the Laura Croom Hill Hospital. Dr. Hill was well known for his surgical versatility, but his particular interest was in wounds of the human heart.
In 1902, Dr. Hill was the first American physician to successfully suture a wound in the human heart, and the patient lived. Dr. Hill also proposed the creation of the State Medical Association's annual Jerome Cochran Memorial Lecture honoring the State Health Officer. In 1959, the Society for Vascular Surgery presented the Luther Leonidas Hill Memorial plaque to Senator Lister Hill, son of Dr. Hill, in honor of his father's pioneering contributions in cardiovascular surgery.
The son of pioneer surgeon Dr. L.L. Hill, Lister Hill devoted his life to public service, and demonstrated over the span of a salutary career both concern and action to help persons and communities in need of better health care. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Alabama in 1914, he was elected to Congress from Montgomery in 1923. He would serve 15 years in the House and 31 more years in the Senate.
His legendary achievements include the following: he created the Comprehensive Health Planning and Public Health Services Planning Act; developed the Hill-Burton Act through which more than 8,000 hospitals and other medical facilities were built; sponsored legislation creating the National Library of Medicine and the Medical Library Assistance Act of 1965, which provided funds for improving medical libraries nationwide. Congress honored Sen. Hill in 1968 by establishing, as part of the National Library of Medicine, the Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications to Develop ways to improve the transfer of medical information. The Health Science Library at UAB is named in honor of Senator Lister Hill.
Dr. Lillian Harvey was Dean of the Tuskegee (Institute) University School of Nursing for almost three decades. Under her leadership and untiring efforts, the School of Nursing at Tuskegee became the first to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in the state of Alabama. Dr. Harvey was credited with being a crusader for unrestricted professional recognition across the state and nation. She weathered the difficult times of racial discrimination and segregation during the 1940's.
Among her many honors were the Award for Distinguished Achievement in Nursing and the American Nurses' Association Mary Mahoney Award; The Alabama State Nurses' Association established the annual Lillian Holland Harvey Award in her honor. In 1992, the Tuskegee University Board of Trustees approved the recommendation of the president to rename the Nurses Home in honor of Dr. Harvey. The Nurses Home is now named "Lillian Holland Harvey Hall."
It is widely believed that only through Dr. Lloyd Noland's leadership and expertise in preventive medicine were the steel industry and industrial base of Jefferson County able to survive the ravages of devastating communicable diseases, and in so doing were catapulted into a brilliantly successful era. In his early career, Dr. Noland served in Colon, Panama, under General George Crawford Gorgas as chief surgeon of the 600-bed hospital. In 1913, as a result of his outstanding record, Dr. Noland was asked by United States Steel Corporation to establish a much-needed healthcare program in Jefferson County, Alabama. His model healthcare system became known as the first major experiment in industrial medicine in the U.S., and the prototype for an early health maintenance organization.
Dr. Noland and colleagues were successful in bringing under control such diseases and illnesses as malaria, typhoid, smallpox, and dysentery rampant among Jefferson County iron and coal workers. Dr. Noland also pioneered the establishment of modern medical training programs for young residents, including a pioneer program in anesthesiology. A broad reaching foundation and a hospital honoring his name remain today as a legacy to his great accomplishments.
Dr. Robert Parker was born in Newnan, Georgia in 1902, and later received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University. He served as an Army Flight Surgeon and was discharged as a Colonel. Serving as a practicing physician in Montgomery for 45 years and as a Chief of Staff St. Margaret's Hospital, Dr. Parker always referred to himself as "just a doctor." But as a doctor-citizen his work for his fellow man far transcended his profession. Dr. Parker made significant contributions to the mental health field serving as Chairman of the Alabama State Department of Mental Health. He persuaded the Governor to visit all mental health facilities and he provided leadership in the development of state regional health centers.
His civic work was legion. Dr. Parker served the Jr. League Charity Clinic for 35 years and served in leadership roles of the Board of Education, United Appeal, YMCA, and the Children's Center. He received the A.H. Robbins Award for Outstanding Community Service by a physician and was selected as "Montgomery Man of The Year" for YMCA camp development work. May 7, 1973 was declared "Bob Parker Day" by the Governor of Alabama.
Ed Boston grew up in the hills of North Carolina, where early in life he took a keen interest in business. Following a stint as an officer in the U.S. Army, Mr. Boston earned a master's degree in hospital administration from Duke University.
After working in hospital administration in North Carolina and Florida, he was appointed Huntsville Hospital administrator in 1978. Described as a visionary, Mr. Boston took over an outdated and financially strapped hospital, said to be far behind the community itself, and developed one of the state's finest healthcare systems. In his 20 years as administrator, the hospital doubled in size, developed a full service cardiac program, and expanded numerous clinical programs. Huntsville Hospital also built a rehabilitation hospital, purchased Humana Hospital, and established several innovative community health plans. Recently retired from Huntsville Hospital, Ed Boston has left an indelible mark on the quality of healthcare and the community.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Emeritus
- Ex - Officio Members
Job Titles:
- Distinguished General Surgeon
Born in Marion, Alabama, in 1914, Dr. Holley was a man of many talents: research scientist, caring physician, and medical historian. Dr. Holley played a major role in the development of Rheumatology as a formal medical subspecialty. Through his leadership, UAB established a Rheumatology program that became recognized throughout the world for its research, teaching, and caring. It was his concept that lead to the multidisciplinary Spain Rehabilitation Center which employs physical therapy, specialized nursing, and social service, all under the direction of a physician.
To Dr. Holley the history of medicine was a passion, and he is considered perhaps the foremost medical historian in Alabama. The author of 34 publications, Dr. Holley published the classic A History of Medicine in Alabama. Perhaps his greatest gift, however, was the ability to teach and to inspire young physicians. At the time of his retirement in 1985, it was estimated that Dr. Holley had taught, at one time or another, half of the physicians in Alabama.
A 1926 graduate of the Birmingham Baptist Hospital School of Nursing, Mrs. Moffett was a symbol of compassion for the Baptist Health System for 73 years and a mentor to more than 4,000 nurses. She was Director of Nursing for the Baptist Hospitals from 1941-1967 and Chief of Nursing from 1967-70. Later, as Chief of Nursing Emeritus, she visited hospitalized patients well into her 80s, wearing her trademark starched uniform and cap. She always imparted her philosophy to both patients and students: "Nothing takes the place of the personal touch." A national leader in nursing accreditation, she developed a core curriculum for nursing students in cooperation with the University of Alabama and led the effort to establish the university degree in nursing at UAB.
A former president of the State Board of Nursing, she developed the first licensed practical nursing program in Alabama and also began the state's first two-year nursing program at Jefferson State Community College. The Sanford University Nursing School is named in her honor. Her legacy is that of a continuing role model for that very special calling, the nursing profession.
The breadth of Dr. Marion Sims 19th century career spans the American and European continents, where he was dedicated to the improvements of women's health. He created the science of gynecology, invented the duck-billed speculum and other instruments to properly examine the female organs, and was the first to use silver wire instead of silk sutures in surgical cases.
As a young doctor he practiced in Mt. Meigs and in Montgomery from 1835 to 1853, and was the first southern physician to successfully operate on club foot, and the first man to operate for cross-eyes. He discovered a surgical cure for vesico-vaginal fistula and maintained at his own expense a hospital where negro women slaves with this horrible condition were treated. Moving to New York in 1852 he founded a woman's hospital for rich and poor alike. Dr. Sims lived abroad most of the time from 1861 until the early 1870's and had lucrative practices in Paris and London. After his return to this country he was elected president of the American Medical Association.
Dr. James Pittman's contributions to the field of medicine, including research and education, have had immeasurable impact on the healthcare of citizens in Alabama. Dr. Pittman received an M.D. from Harvard University and later came to Birmingham where he served as Chief Resident in UAB's Department of Medicine. He later served as director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism as well as co-chairman of the Department of Medicine.
Dr. Pittman was appointed Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1973 and served an unprecedented 19 years in that position. Under his direction, the school earned national recognition as an institution with superior faculty members and training facilities. Dr. Pittman's winning personality, integrity, sharp intellect, and unselfish nature are traits which have endeared him to his colleagues and students. A biographer of Tinsley Harrison, M.D., he was also named a Distinguished Alumnus by the Alabama Medical Alumni Association, and Distinguished Professor by UAB.
As professor of surgery and department chairman at the University of Mississippi in the turbulent 1960s, Dr. Hardy stirred controversy of his own when his surgical team transplanted a chimpanzee's heart into the chest of a dying man in 1964. The organ, which beat for 90 minutes, preceded by four years the first human heart transplant, which occurred in 1967. Noted surgeon Dr. Thomas Starzl transplanted a human liver also in the early 1960s, and stated that at the time he and Dr. Hardy were "absolute pariahs in American surgery." Dr. Hardy performed the first human lung and kidney auto-transplants in the world. He also performed the first adrenal auto-transplants in the United States.
As important as his achievements in the world arena, he taught his students and residents to think on their feet. "That ability was the mark of a Hardy-trained resident," said one of his graduates. Born at Newala, near Montevallo, he took his pre-med at the University of Alabama and his medical training at the University of Pennsylvania . A former president of such prestigious organizations as the American Surgical Association, the American College of Surgeons and the International Society of Surgery, he edited and wrote 23 books, and published more than 500 articles in medical journals.
Jim Harrison founded Harco Drug Stores, Inc., an extensive regional company with 150 full-service pharmacies in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. The Harco Drug Stores were sold in 1997 to the RiteAid Corporation of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Mr. Harrison attended the University of Alabama and was a 1955 pharmacy honors graduate of Howard College (now Samford University). Prior to becoming involved in store management and expansion, Mr. Harrison spent twelve years as an active pharmacist. He has served as a director, president, and chairman of the board of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. He was named Chain Drug Retailer of the Eighties and the Harco Drug Stores were twice voted the nation's number one drug store chain. The Anti-Defamation League has recognized Jim Harrison three times with awards for humanitarianism.
In 1998 Mr. Harrison received the Distinguished Service Award from the Alabama Pharmacy Association. He was also recently honored by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores with The Sheldon W. Fantle Achievement Award. Mr. Harrison's example of community and business leadership is an inspiration to his many friends and associates.
Nursing education has never had a more successful advocate, or the University of Alabama School of Nursing a more recognized alumna than Dr. Jean Kelley. Starting out as a nursing student in 1948, in effect she never went off duty for 35 years. After earning her M.A. at New York University, she returned to the University for her Ed.D, and spent most of her career with the school. She chaired the administration- supervision of the Nursing Practice Department and spent her last 19 years as administrator of the graduate programs in nursing.
Her imprint on Alabama is lasting, for in 1975 she implemented the nation's 13th doctoral in nursing program and the first in the Southeast. The program has graduated several hundred nurses who are leaders in the discipline and who attribute their success largely to Dr. Kelley's guidance and mentoring. She also had direct involvement in founding masters in nursing programs at the University of South Alabama, University of Alabama at Huntsville and Troy State. In 1989, UAB created a lectureship honoring her vision and leadership.
Job Titles:
- Retired Senior Vice - President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama
Joe Vance is a retired senior vice-president of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. A journalism graduate of Birmingham Southern College, and a 1938 pharmacy graduate of Howard College (Samford University), Mr. Vance served as a U.S. Naval Reserve Fleet Marines Officer in the WWII Guadalcanal Campaign. In 1946 he joined South Highlands Infirmary as a pharmacist and later advanced to assistant superintendent and administrator of the hospital. During this time he also served Samford University as an adjunct professor of pharmacy.
Mr. Vance later moved to Blue Cross Blue Shield as vice-president, advancing to senior vice- president. He is credited with the development of the innovative cost plus reimbursement program at the time when government healthcare (Medicare/Medicaid) was incorporated into the Alabama system. A talented writer, Joe Vance penned the History of Blue Cross Blue Shield, and for three decades was a contributing editor of Southern Hospital Magazine.
Job Titles:
- Retired Endodontist, past Alabama Dental Association President
Dr. Mosteller not only had a nationally recognized restorative dentistry practice in Mobile for 35 years, he was also a popular lecturer and author in his field. He was an essayist at over 800 dental meetings in 44 states and a dozen foreign countries. He has lectured at 54 American universities and is Clinical Professor, retired, at the UAB School of Dentistry. Author of more than 250 papers in the dental literature, he has written two books and contributed to eight others. Dean of American dental editors, he was Editor of the JOURNAL of the Alabama Dental Association for 42 years and was honored by the American Association of Dental Editors.
With the equivalent rank of Brigadier General, he was National Consultant for Restorative Dentistry to the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army for 12 years. A member of the American Dental Association House of Delegates for 10 years, he was First Vice President of the ADA in 1977-78, the highest office in the ADA ever held by an Alabamian. Dr. Mosteller is a graduate of Loyola University School of Dentistry in New Orleans.
A native of Muncie, Indiana, Dr. John Kirklin received his M.D. degree from Harvard University. He later became Chairman, Department of Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Many health professionals have indicated that November 1, 1966, when Dr. Kirklin came to Alabama, was a red letter day in the history of the University of Alabama School of Medicine. As professor and also the Chairman of Surgery for 16 years, his development of an exemplary Department of Surgery is well known. Cardiovascular patients were referred to Dr. Kirklin from many states and countries. His more than 750 contributed papers reflect the research productivity of his program.
The University of Alabama Board of Trustees recognized Dr. Kirklin's accomplishments by naming the I.M. Pei designed clinic in Birmingham the Kirklin Clinic. Among his many honors are the UAB Distinguished Lecturer, the Mayo Foundation Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the AMA and American Heart Association's Distinguished Service Awards.
A native of Elizabeth, New Jersey, Dr. Volker earned a D.D.S. degree from Indiana University and a M.S. and Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Rochester. There, he conducted groundbreaking studies on the use of fluorides in the prevention of dental caries. From Rochester, Dr. Volker accepted an appointment with Tufts College Dental School and by 1945 was dean. In 1948 he came to Birmingham as the first dean of The University of Alabama School of Dentistry. During the 1950's and 1960's, Dr. Volker acquired additional responsibilities at The University of Alabama Medical Center, first as Director of Research and Graduate Studies and Vice-President for Health Affairs.
He was instrumental in the development of the University of Alabama in Birmingham and became its first president in 1969. In 1976 he became the first chancellor of the three-campus University of Alabama Health System, a post he held until 1982. From then until his death in 1989 he served as a distinguished professor of UAB. A renowned researcher, educator, and administrator, he received the 1966 Distinguished Faculty Lectureship at the Medical Center.
For almost 50 years, Laura Gaillard has played a very active role as a volunteer at the Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, chairing the hospital Board during its period of greatest growth. From her initial actions as the founding president of the Mobile Infirmary Auxiliary in 1950, to becoming Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mobile Infirmary Association for over 20 years, to having actively served on the Infirmary Foundation's Board of Directors for the past 13 years, in many ways Mrs. Laura Gaillard has played vital roles in the enhancement of healthcare in south Alabama.
Mrs. Gaillard is an Honorary Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and was appointed the first Trustee of the American Hospital Association representing the hospital auxiliary's constituency. She served in 1960 as the Chairman of the auxiliary section of the American Hospital Association. With a lifetime of volunteerism in healthcare and within the community, Mrs. Gaillard has made outstanding contributions to the state of Alabama.
Miss Linna Denny is often referred to as "The Pioneer of Alabama Nursing" and "The Trail Blazer". She was the first Red Cross nurse in Alabama and the first President and Executive Secretary of the Alabama State Nurses Association. A strong advocate of higher education for nurses, Miss Denny received the Honorary Doctor of Humanities from the University of Alabama in 1952. As a practicing nurse for over 35 years, she fought epidemics, struggled against prejudice, and ministered to the sick with maternal care, always finding time to crusade for higher standards in her profession.
In 1925, Miss Denny accepted the position of Secretary of the State Board of Nurses' Examiners. She then established the cornerstone for the School of Nursing at the University of Alabama by advocating special courses in nursing. A portrait of the late Miss Denny hangs in a prominent position at the University of Alabama School of Nursing in Birmingham.
Thanks to the leadership of Dr. "Polly" Ayers, the Jefferson County Bureau of Dental Health remains one of the more progressive bureaus in the country. A native of Wichita, Kansas, Dr. Ayers received an A.B. degree from University of Kansas and a D.D.S. degree from Northwestern School of Dentistry. She later received a master's degree in public health from Harvard. In 1947, after conducting field studies with the United States Public Health Service in Rhode Island, Dr. Ayers was asked to head the dental division of the Jefferson County Department of Public Health. Working closely with Dr. Joseph Volker, Dr. Ayers developed an innovative program using mobile dental units to provide care to rural areas of Jefferson County.
Dr. Ayers, in concert with the University of Alabama School of Dentistry, later developed a mobile dental program to meet the needs of the elderly in Jefferson County nursing homes. She is also known for her work with Dr. Roy Kracke and others in instituting water fluoridation in Jefferson County. Dr. Ayers served as president of the Seventh District Dental Society and also as president of the American Association of Public Health Dentists.
Job Titles:
- Professor, Dean Emeritus / UAB School of Public Health
A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Peter Bryce received his medical degree from New York City University in 1859. At the age of twenty-six, on the recommendation of Dorothea Dix, Dr. Bryce became the superintendent of the newly constructed hospital for the insane in Tuscaloosa. At a time when little was known about the care of insane patients, Dr. Bryce opened vistas of care and treatment unheard of at the time, and the hospital became a national example of care and compassion. Dr. Bryce's methods included tender loving care, no use of mechanical restraints, and individual patient occupational therapy.
Although Dr. Bryce was known as a friendly and loving person, he would not tolerate discourteous treatment; impolite language; or failure to keep patients clean, neatly dressed, and properly attended at all times. Dr. Bryce's wife, Ellen Clarkson Bryce, also was credited with exerting a profound influence on patients through her musical programs and classes. Dr. Peter Bryce died of Bright's Disease in 1892 and was buried on the lawn of the hospital. Six months later the hospital was renamed the Alabama Bryce Insane Hospital in Dr. Bryce's honor for his thirty-two years of service.
As scholar, higher-education leader, tireless community volunteer, and Alabama healthcare advocate, few leaders have played such a diverse and significant role in the societal development of twentieth century Alabama. Dr. Thigpen is perhaps best known for his service as Acting President, as well as Executive and Academic Vice-President, of the University of Alabama. A holder of five degrees, including an honorary LL.D. from the University of Alabama Board of Trustees and an LL.M. from Yale University, Dr. Thigpen's contributions have been felt far from the Capstone in Tuscaloosa. On this special occasion, the AHHOF recognizes his work as a healthcare advocate and volunteer.
In 1977, Dr. Thigpen was named by the Legislature and Governor, under the aegis of the Alabama Law Institute, to review and undertake a reorganization of the troubled Medicaid health system. He has also served as chair of the Alabama Heart Association, chair of the West Alabama Health Planning Council, and state chair of the American Heart Fund Drive. In 1997, Dr. Thigpen, along with D.O. McClusky, carefully conceived, organized, and launched the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame. Among his many awards, Dr. Thigpen was recipient of the Preeminent Alabama Educator Award.
Job Titles:
- Medical Director, Behavioral Health, VIVA, Inc
As a psychiatrist, geriatric psychiatrist, and neuropathologist, Dr. Richard Powers has had a profound impact on the lives of elderly citizens in Alabama. His leadership as director of the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Bureau of Geriatric Psychiatry has resulted in a continuum of care within Alabama communities that include community mental health centers and Alzheimer's support groups; a mass-scale education program for Alzheimer's caregivers; and the development of a state-of-the-art geriatric psychiatry hospital- the Mary Starke Harper facility in Tuscaloosa. This facility provides short-term treatment to individuals over 65 with dementia and serves as a teaching hub for students, families, and the community.
Dr. Powers is also recognized for training a large number of young professionals to care for Alabama's older citizens and for the creation of the Brain Bank at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
Dr. S. Richardson Hill's contributions to healthcare have been most significant to the welfare of the people of Alabama. Dr. Hill has held some of the most prestigious healthcare positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham including Dean of the Medical College of Alabama, Vice-President for Health Affairs, and University President. Dr. Hill was recruited to Birmingham by Dr. Tinsley Harrison to direct the development of the Endocrine Division in the Department of Medicine.
In 1962, Dr. Hill was named Dean at a very crucial time in the history of the medical school. Over the next few years the Board of Trustees at the University of Alabama System gave him increasingly responsible positions as it began a period of rapid development. Dr. Hill has received numerous honors and awards on behalf of the University. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment has been to provide for students and faculty many opportunities through the establishment of major new programs at the School of Medicine. His leadership has impacted medical education at the state, national, and international levels.
Alabama natives Sara Crews and Wayne Finley met while students at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Dr. Wayne Finley received his Ph.D. and M.D. from the University of Alabama; Dr. Sara Finley received her M.D. from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. After studying at the Institute for Medical Genetics in Sweden, the Finleys returned to Birmingham and opened a genetics clinic at a time when discoveries were bursting on the scene. In the early 1960's, the field of medical genetics was so new there were no trained geneticists to staff a laboratory. They therefore started a training program that helped UAB become known as a national leader in healthcare.
For close to 34 years, UAB's Laboratory of Medical Genetics has brought unique distinction to UAB for clinical evaluations, genetic counseling, and unparalleled educational opportunities for students. The Finleys' numerous honors and accolades extend across UAB, Birmingham, Alabama, and the nation. After 33 years of service to UAB and upon their retirement in 1996, President J. Claude Bennett stated that scientists Sara and Wayne Finley "have been, and will always remain, an institutional treasure for UAB."
Born in 1900 near Talladega, Tinsley Harrison can be called the most famous and distinguished healthcare personality Alabama has ever produced. And arguably the most famous internist our nation has produced, this distinction is based largely on his textbook, "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," now in its 14th edition and available in 12 languages. It sets the standard for the world. In 1950, Dr. Harrison arrived in Birmingham as Dean of Medicine and the first full-time Chairman of the Department of Medicine at a fledgling medical school that the world knows today as the University of Alabama at Birmingham. From that time forth he set the tone, atmosphere and direction for the development of the UAB Medical Center.
One who possessed a great passion for the subject of medicine, he was above all a teacher, and because he passed along that passion, he was the best teacher most of his students ever encountered. Election to the Presidency of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and recipient of the AMA's Distinguished Teaching Award are but a few of the many honors given to the gentleman who is revered as UAB's patron saint.
Alabama natives Sara Crews and Wayne Finley met while students at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Dr. Wayne Finley received his Ph.D. and M.D. from the University of Alabama; Dr. Sara Finley received her M.D. from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. After studying at the Institute for Medical Genetics in Sweden, the Finleys returned to Birmingham and opened a genetics clinic at a time when discoveries were bursting on the scene. In the early 1960's, the field of medical genetics was so new there were no trained geneticists to staff a laboratory. They therefore started a training program that helped UAB become known as a national leader in healthcare.
For close to 34 years, UAB's Laboratory of Medical Genetics has brought unique distinction to UAB for clinical evaluations, genetic counseling, and unparalleled educational opportunities for students. The Finleys' numerous honors and accolades extend across UAB, Birmingham, Alabama, and the nation. After 33 years of service to UAB and upon their retirement in 1996, President J. Claude Bennett stated that scientists Sara and Wayne Finley "have been, and will always remain, an institutional treasure for UAB."
Dr. William Hannon was a pioneer in orthopaedic surgery and physical rehabilitation. A 1916 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Medicine, Dr. Hannon served in World War I as an orthopaedic surgeon. Subsequently he began a 40 year career of caring for crippled children in Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. He conducted Alabama's first crippled children's clinic, and until his death served as the medical advisor for the State Crippled Children's Service, now known as Children's Rehabilitation Services.
At one time Dr. Hannon provided care to 24 medical clinics in a 17 county area. He actively encouraged the employment of the handicapped and received the President's Committee Award for his outstanding advocacy. Named Mobilian of the Year in 1964, Dr. Hannon helped found the Rotary Rehabilitation Center in Mobile and presented many lectures throughout the South.
Born in Mobile in 1854, William Gorgas achieved unique prominence in the early years of the 20th century. He had obtained his Doctorate of Medicine from Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York, and then joined the Army. Rising to the rank of Major General, he became Surgeon General of the Army and in 1904 was named its chief sanitation officer. He is remembered for two successes in particular. In the first, he directed a mosquito control program that eradicated yellow fever and brought malaria under control throughout the Caribbean area and thus enabled the United States to complete construction of the Panama Canal.
Secondly, he mobilized the nation's medical personnel for World War I, organized the largest and most efficient medical corps in our history, and arranged for every armed forces inductee to receive a complete medical examination. Dr. Gorgas was president of the American Medical Association in 1909-1910. A historic house bearing his family's name is a popular point of visitation on the University of Alabama campus.
Job Titles:
- Retired CEO UAB Health System
Dr. William Hollis Cooner was one of the most widely acclaimed and highly honored urologists of the twentieth century. Dr. Cooner, the son of a judge and the grandson of a country physician, was born in Jasper, Alabama. After receiving his medical degree from University of Alabama in 1951, Dr. Cooner pursued his residency in urology at the University of Pennsylvania. He then spent nearly a decade of service as Chief of Urology at various Air Force hospitals. As the founder of the Mobile Urology Group in 1965, Dr. Cooner was quick to put into effective use the life saving potential of new technologies for the early detection of prostate cancer. Dr. Cooner's work and expertise received international attention, and he made scores of presentations and lectures throughout Europe, Canada, Japan, the United States, and Australia.
In 1978, Dr. Cooner served as president of the American Association of Clinical Urologists. He was later honored by receiving the Distinguished Contribution Award and the Presidential Citation Award of the American Urologic Association. In 1992, two years prior to his death in Mobile, Dr. Cooner was presented the University of Alabama Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1912, William "Bill" W. Walker led Walker Drug Company to become the Southeast's largest, as well as one of the nation's largest independent wholesale drug companies. After graduating from the University of Tennessee School of Pharmacy, Mr. Walker joined the Birmingham based company founded by his father. Walker Drug Company grew to an organization of more than 200 employees and developed a national reputation for innovations in the wholesale drug industry. Over the years, Bill Walker was instrumental in the start-up and the survival of many independent pharmacies throughout the state. His company actively supported both the Auburn and Samford Schools of Pharmacy.
Mr. Walker served on the advisory boards of both schools and was a contributing member of the Presidents' Clubs at both universities. Mr. Walker is past president of the National Wholesale Druggists Association and served as chairman of the Montclair Regional Cancer Center and the Birmingham Library Board. He has been recognized with many honors and awards including the prestigious J. Leon Lascoff Award, the Bowl of Hygeia, and the Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Award.