College of Public Health Inducts Five Into Hall of Fame
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 4, 2011) − The University of Kentucky College of Public Health recently inducted five new members into the Hall of Fame during their 8th Annual Public Health Hall of Fame recognition Oct. 21, 2011, held at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Lexington.
Each year, the event honors both Kentuckians and non-Kentuckians who have made major contributions to the health of populations, through process or outcome in public health activities in Kentucky, the nation or internationally.
This year's inductees are: Dr. James C. Cecil, Dr. James W. Holsinger, Dr. David M. Lawrence, Dr. Lillian H. South (posthumously) and Eula Jean Spears.
Dr. Cecil earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bellarmine University, Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the UK College of Dentistry, and Master in Public Health degree from the University of Michigan.
Cecil joined the UK College of Dentistry faculty in October 1996 following a long and distinguished career with the United States Navy in clinical, research, administrative and junior and senior leadership roles in the Navy Medical Department. He received numerous meritorious service awards with the Navy and the Department of Defense.
In January 2001, Cecil was appointed state dental director, Kentucky Department for Public Health, and dental director for the Department for Medicaid Services for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Dr. James W. Holsinger Jr., serves as the Charles T. Wethington Jr. Chair in the Health Sciences at UK. His faculty appointments include Preventive Medicine and Health Services Management in the College of Public Health; and Surgery and Anatomy in the College of Medicine. He graduated from Duke University Medical School in 1964 and the Graduate School in 1968. He served in a variety of academic and administrative appointments at several universities as well as serving for 26 years in the Department of Veterans Affairs, retiring on July 13, 1994. On Aug. 6, 1990, President George H. W. Bush appointed him chief medical director of the Veterans Health Administration and in 1992, he became undersecretary for health, Department of Veterans Affairs.
Dr. Lawrence received his bachelor’s degree from Amherst College (1962), his medical degree from UK (1966), and his Master of Public Health from the University of Washington (1973). He completed his residency in general preventive medicine at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington, and is Board certified in general preventive medicine (1974).
Lawrence served as CEO and chairman of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals until his retirement in 2002. He was appointed CEO in 1991 and chairman the next year. Since then he has pursued interests in new business development, teaching, public policy, and writing. He is a member of the boards of Agilent Technologies, McKesson Corporation, Dynavax Technologies, Proventys, Wellpartners, and Proteus Biomed. He is senior venture partner with Physic Ventures and a scientific adviser to Burrill Life Sciences Fund. He also serves as an adviser to the CEOs of SomaLogic, Inc., and MedExpert, Inc., and teaches with the Estes Park Institute. He consults with selected health care systems that pursue advanced integration strategies.
A native of Warren County, Ky., Lillian South exerted a powerful influence on Kentucky’s public health. She was born the daughter of a doctor, John F. South and his wife Martha (Moore) South on Jan. 31, 1879. South went to public school in Bowling Green, Ky., and graduated with a bachelor's degree from Potter College when she was only 18 years old. She then travelled to Patterson, N.J., where she studied for two years for her degree in nursing. Having 'aced' every course in nursing school, she decided to pursue a doctoral degree in medicine. After five years, she earned her medical degree from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (1904). She returned to practice in Bowling Green, joining the successful practice of Drs. J.N. McCormack and A.T. McCormack. Two years later the three doctors established St. Joseph Hospital in the South family home on 12th Avenue. The home was re-built to accommodate 42 beds.
In 1910, South was appointed as state bacteriologist at the State Board of Health in Louisville, a position that she held for 40 years. In this capacity, she gained national recognition for her many years of research on hookworms, rabies, and leprosy in Kentucky. She is credited for virtually eradicating the once widely prevalent hookworm from the state through public health campaigns to exterminate houseflies which are the vector. She also led the movement to ban the use of the public drinking cup. South was also a champion in the use of vaccines and in 1937, saved countless lives by vaccinating large numbers of survivors of the Great Flood.
Spears was born in Breathitt County, Ky. and spent her early childhood years in Fayette County, subsequently graduating from the Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing, in Lexington. Spears earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the UK College of Nursing, a master's in higher education from the UK College of Education, and was elected as a charter member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing in 1979.
Spears received the College of Nursing's Outstanding Alumna Award in Community and Professional Service in 2005. In 2010, during the College of Nursing's 50th anniversary celebration, she was recognized with an Outstanding Alumni award for accomplishments and contributions within the Commonwealth and across the nation.
Spears served as the Kentucky Department for Public Health's (KDPH) administrator for continuing education for 15 years; she provided continuing education units for public health professionals in many disciplines. As the KDPH's manager for education/training, she provided public health service education to 4,500 public health practitioners in Kentucky's 55 local health departments. Spears served as the project coordinator for the Kentucky Health Interview and Examination Survey as well as co-directing the 1999 Governor's Conference in Public Health. In 2002, in collaboration with the College Of Nursing, she developed the Public Health Nurse Scholars Leadership Institute and in 2004, the Public Health Nurse Certificate Program.
Spears retired June 30, 2010, as the assistant dean for practice and service in the UK College of Public Health. Spears is currently an adjunct faculty member on a Maternal Child Health Epidemiology HRSA grant with the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona.
Media Contact: Ann Blackford at (859) 323-6442 or ann.blackford@uky.edu