Dr. William Berndt, former UNMC chancellor, dies

L. Charles Murrin, Ph.D., pharmacology and experimental neuroscience – “Shortly after Bill arrived at UNMC as dean of graduate studies, I was talking to him about how to move ahead in my career. One piece of advice I have always remembered is ‘When someone asks you to do something, don’t say no.’ This was advice Bill lived by, and because of that UNMC benefited tremendously. Bill could walk into any position, from chairman to dean to chancellor, and make things work. His down-to-earth, honest style of dealing with people and his great sense of humor made everyone trust him and eager to help move things forward. He loved to talk science, share a laugh and excellent scotch. We will miss him as a leader, a colleague and a great friend.”

James Armitage, M.D., professor, oncology-hematology – “Very few people have contributed as much to UNMC as Bill Berndt. Among his many important contributions was being the chancellor during one of our most turbulent times. His grace and common sense got us back on track.”

Howard Gendelman, M.D., chairman, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience and director, Center for Neurovirology and Neurodegenerative Disorders – “Bill was a great mentor. He was a guy with a wealth of administrative, faculty and life experiences. He taught me how to be a leader, and was an example in patience, perseverance and determination. I have profound sadness at his passing, but I also celebrate what his life meant to me and the medical center.”

David Bylund, Ph.D., professor, pharmacology and experimental neuroscience – “Dr. Berndt was remarkably successful as an administrator at all levels from department chair to dean to chancellor because of his unpretentious style and lack of a personal agenda.”

College of Medicine Dean John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D. – “Bill had been actively working in the college, serving a key role in helping us with our departmental reviews. He was perfect in that role because it brought out the best in his personality. He was fair, balanced, admired for his sound judgment, highly respected, cared passionately about the college and was a true gentleman. He was always kind and thoughtful and displayed the finest of human traits. Up until recently, he would just drop in to the dean’s office and, when asked, always had sound advice on issues. He would never overstay his welcome, just pop in, have a chat, drop an opinion and be gone again. I will miss those visits and his cheerful demeanor.”

University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken, J.D. – “Bill was a caring teacher, an accomplished scholar and a gifted administrator. He was a man of the highest integrity. Bill was a good friend, and he will be sorely missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.”

Dave Crouse, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor, executive associate dean for graduate studies – “I can remember the first time I met Dr. Berndt when he was interviewing for the graduate dean position. He came into the room, took off his coat and threw it on the back of the chair. He had a long sleeved white shirt on with rolled up sleeves. He loosened his tie and tipped back in his chair on two legs and with a big smile said, ‘OK, what’s your questions?’ He was very open, very forthcoming and very easy to talk to. He made quite an impression on the entire group. I never expected him to become the friend and mentor he did to me, and I’ll miss him a lot personally. His sage advice was sought by many people and we all enjoyed his laugh.”

JoAnn Moore, retried administrator in graduate studies – “He was a joy to work for. We were always ready to go to work because we knew there would be laughter. We also got lots of work done because it was a fun atmosphere to work in. He was so honest, energetic and bouncy.”

Marcia Beer, finance/business associate, academic affairs – “What can I say about Dr. Berndt that has not already been said. Dr. Berndt was a mentor to all. He allowed his staff to do their work and was always available for advice and guidance. I’ll miss the jingle of coins in his pocket and the twinkle in his eye for a job well done.”

Ernest Prentice, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor, regulatory affairs – “I worked with Dr. Berndt for over 20 years and found him to be not only a good friend, but a visionary leader who always had the interest of UNMC foremost in his mind. He was highly supportive of all of my activities that involved protection of human subjects and appropriate use of animals in research. He was a scholar that not only kept abreast of his field of research, which was toxicology, but also was very familiar and very interested in the evolving regulatory standards for the use of either humans or animals in research. One of his unique characteristics was the fact that he had a tremendous sense of humor. He laughed a great deal and that laughter was contagious in the work environment. I personally will miss him very much and I think this sentiment reflects all who knew him.”