Since becoming chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center eight years ago, Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, has become a household name in Nebraska.
Whether he’s talking about the amazing technology in UNMC’s new Davis Global Center, hosting his weekly live national television show on RFD-TV or lining up donors for the medical center’s next multi-billion dollar project, Dr. Gold has become the face of UNMC.
For all his distinguished efforts, Dr. Gold will soon become another sort of face, as the Omaha Press Club will honor him on Thursday, April 28, with its most prestigious honor – the Face on the Barroom Floor.
“Dr. Gold’s tenure has been absolutely sensational,” said Mike Yanney, an Omaha business icon who has played a pivotal role in UNMC’s incredible growth over the past 30 years. “His leadership skills are off the chart. He is leaving his mark on our community and has truly made a difference that will be felt for decades to come. Nobody deserves this recognition more.”
Dr. Gold will become the 168th Face on the Barroom Floor, joining a list of notable honorees such as Warren Buffett, Gerald Ford, Bob Gibson, Johnny Carson, Larry the Cable Guy and Tom Osborne.
To earn the Face on the Barroom Floor recognition, Dr. Gold will need to endure an evening of barbs, as he will be roasted by a group of hand-picked roasters.
“I’ve been to past Face on the Barroom Floor events, so I have a pretty good idea of what I’m in for,” Dr. Gold said. “I may need to check in with our dermatology department and see if there’s anything they can do to make my skin a little thicker.
“Seriously, I am humbled to receive this honor, as I know the list of people before me reads like a Who’s Who. It’s really not about me, but rather about our world-class medical center and the awesome people who make remarkable things happen every day. I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this great institution. I’m looking forward to this event – I think – and I hope lots of people turn out to laugh at my expense.”
A native of New York City, Dr. Gold is the eighth chancellor of UNMC and also serves as chair of the board of UNMC’s principal clinical care partner, Nebraska Medicine. In 2021, he was named provost and executive vice president of the University of Nebraska System and from 2017-2021, he also served as chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
As UNMC’s chief executive officer, Dr. Gold is responsible for all aspects of campus leadership, program quality and operations, including seven colleges, numerous institutes, a staff and faculty of about 7,000 and its 4,300 health professions students. Additionally, Nebraska Medicine has more than 8,500 employees and a multi-billion dollar operating budget.
Dr. Gold earned his undergraduate degree from the Cornell University College of Engineering and his medical degree from the Weill Cornell College of Medicine. He completed his cardiothoracic surgical fellowship training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston with additional training in pediatric cardiac surgery at the Boston Children’s Hospital. Both hospitals are associated with Harvard Medical School.
He went on to become professor and division chief of children’s cardiac surgery at Cornell/New York Presbyterian Medical Center. Prior to joining UNMC in 2014, Dr. Gold held key leadership positions at the University of Toledo and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Dr. Gold’s leadership roles are extensive and have included more than 50 national professional committees and more than 100 national organizations, volunteer boards, government/public health councils and industry.
In addition, Dr. Gold has become a key voice during the COVID-19 pandemic by participating in hundreds of educational and media appearances and webinars, along with congressional, departmental and agency hearings and briefings.
Dr. Gold has been married for more than 40 years to a physician and has two adult children.
Among the past Faces on the Barroom Floor with connections to UNMC are: Chancellor Emeritus Harold M. Maurer, MD, and his wife, Beverly (Face No. 111, 2007); renowned oncologist James Armitage, MD (No. 86, 2002); and numerous donors and supporters, such as Yanney (No. 166, 2021); Ruth and Bill Scott (No. 150, 2016); Chuck and Margre Durham (No. 87, 2002); and Walter and Suzanne Scott (No. 95, 2005).