The UNMC community today congratulates Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, on 10 years as UNMC chancellor.
Dr. Gold became UNMC’s eighth chancellor on Feb. 1, 2014, as well as chair of the board of UNMC’s principal clinical care academic health system partner, Nebraska Medicine.
“It is an honor to serve this medical center,” Dr. Gold said. “I am extremely proud of the work we have done together to educate health care professionals, build the state’s workforce, grow our research enterprise in size and impact, provide top-notch clinical care, enhance public-private partnerships locally and at the national level, and become a global player in biopreparedness and infectious diseases, as well as numerous other areas.
“As I’ve said many times, the best decision I made was proposing to my wife 50 years ago; the second-best decision that I ever made was to come to Nebraska.”
Under Dr. Gold’s leadership, UNMC and Nebraska Medicine have grown its missions to teach, discover, cure and engage, in many ways fulfilling the message of his investiture speech 10 years ago, which was titled: “From Excellence to Eminence.”
A few of the many UNMC accomplishments under Dr. Gold’s leadership:
- Built and successfully implemented the governance structure for the primary clinical enterprise, Nebraska Medicine.
- Solidified the mission, vision and values of UNMC and Nebraska Medicine, as well as the national iconic brand signature.
- Grew the UNMC program enrollment by over 1,000 learners in rural and urban Nebraska, more than 40%.
- Grew the research grants and contracts from $89 million to $250 million, with significant increases in patents, license agreements and research impact.
- Raised, to date, over $800 million in private philanthropy from more than 70,000 donations, with more than this amount committed over the next five years.
- Cared for Ebola patients in 2014-15 in the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, at the request of the U.S. Department of State. The partnership led to a $12 million grant to establish and co-lead what is known today as the National Emerging Special Pathogen Teaching and Education Center (NETEC).
- Exceeded prior records for media impact for UNMC and Nebraska Medicine, peaking in the billions in 2021.
- Supported the federal government in monitoring individuals in the Nebraska Quarantine Unit for COVID-19 symptoms at the onset of the pandemic, and then navigated the campus and community as the pandemic continued.
- Launched iEXCEL to transform health science education through the adoption of high-fidelity simulation, interprofessional collaboration and experiential learning technologies.
- Celebrated grand openings of such new facilities as the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, the Dr. Edwin G. & Dorothy Balbach Davis Global Center, the Munroe-Meyer Institute, the Center for Drug Discovery and Lozier Center for Pharmacy Sciences and Education, the Wigton Heritage Center and a renovated McGoogan Health Science Library.
- Expanded UNMC’s academic programs, both in Omaha and throughout the state. Notably, UNMC continues to expand its offerings on the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus, with construction of the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex.
- Redeveloped the Saddle Creek Road corridor, which, when completed, will include the Campus Operations and Research Excellence facility to support computer-based research and wet lab-based research, and the Catalyst building, which will bring together UNMC’s UNeMed and UNeTech branches with biotech and technology startups.
- Served four years as chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and since July 2021, as executive vice president and provost of the University of Nebraska system.
At his investiture in 2014, Dr. Gold said: “I will work relentlessly … to build the future for this great university, the communities we serve, for the state of Nebraska and beyond.”
Ten years later, that work continues, he said.
UNMC Today invites the med center community to congratulate Chancellor Gold in the comments below.
Congratulations Dr. Gold! Thank you for 10 years of dynamic leadership.
Congratulations Dr. Gold on your 10 year anniversary! Thank you for your vision and support in advancing the health professions to better meet the workforce and health care needs in Nebraska. I am especially grateful for your gracious, humble, and authentic leadership!
Wow! Congratulations, Dr. Gold! Thank you for your tireless service.
Congratulations Dr. Gold!!
Congratulations Dr. Gold! It’s been a tremendous journey for UNMC under a decade of your leadership.
A remarkable 10 years. I remember meeting you as you arrived on campus and immediately facilitated conversation among leaders about repatriated patients with Ebola coming to Nebraska. Well, the rest is certainly history! The trust you placed in our team was incredible and continues to this day. Thank you for 10 amazing years of leadership for our patients, our teams, our university, our community, our state, region and the nation.
Congratulations Dr. Gold, your leadership, vision and service are incredibly appreciated!
Congratulations on the milestone, Dr. Gold. Here’s to another decade!
Thank you, Dr. Gold, for leading UNMC through an extraordinary decade of growth and progress. Congrats on the milestone!
Congratulations on this achievement and all that has been accomplished under your leadership! Looking forward to the next 10 years!! We all are extremely proud to help with our part in supporting the 3 missions of academic excellence, world class research, and extraordinary clinical care.
You are an amazing person and leader.
Looking forward to working with you for the next 10 years!
Thank you for everything you do for UNMC, The University System, Omaha community and the State of Nebraska!
Congratulations Dr. Gold! Grateful that you made UNMC the 2nd best decision of your life and for your continued inclusive and equitable leadership for UNMC and this state.
Congratulations Dr. Gold! Your vision and leadership over the past 10 years has brought UNMC far and has us poised to take the next big steps. Thank you!
Congratulations on marking 10 years as Chancellor of UNMC, Dr. Gold! It’s been a pleasure to get to work with you on some major efforts. Cheers to the road ahead.
You are such an inspiration to so many people. As a new faculty member in this community I hope to make significant contributions to this medical center community.
What an incredible decade of outstanding leadership and impact! Muchas gracias for your contributions, Dr. Gold! Your influence has deeply shaped the landscape of our thriving community.
Congratulations on your many accomplishments. I am a new employee and am impressed by the beauty of this campus and how inclusive it is. Every person I’ve interacted with has been kind, helpful and friendly, which is clearly a reflection of your leadership and mission for this university.
Dr. Gold, thank you for your leadership and vision. You’ve made the last ten years fly by !
Congratulations on ten years filled with breakthrough accomplishments! You have been a great leader for UNMC and I look forward to many more years of relentless leadership as president!
You’ve been able to transform UNMC over the past decade! Let’s see what you can do in the next 10 years as University President!