New Cardiology Professorship Funded
Gifts totaling $2.75 million to create a new professorship in Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine’s (Stritch) Department of Medicine will honor a retired cardiologist who was instrumental in guiding the department to its top-rated status.
The Rolf & Merian Gunnar Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), named in honor of the cardiologist and his late wife, was made possible by donations from The Arthur Foundation and Rolf Gunnar, MD, himself.
“Loyola has developed an excellent cardiology division, and I want to see it continue to grow. A named professorship will attract more high-caliber physicians in the division,” Dr. Gunnar said. Dr. Gunnar joined Loyola in 1972 as chief of the division of cardiology and a professor in the Department of Medicine. He headed cardiology for 10 years and served as chair of the Department of Medicine for nine years. He retired in 1991.
“During Dr. Gunnar’s tenure, Loyola’s cardiology program became a model of excellent patient care with state-of-the-art basic, translational and clinical research,” said Anthony L. Barbato, MD, former president and CEO of Loyola University Health System (Loyola) from 1995 to 2007. “The professorship will contribute to Loyola’s culture of excellence in the training of physicians and in the medical practices in clinical cardiology.”
Established in 1999, The Arthur Foundation supports high-quality, leading-edge programs in education, health care and medical research. The foundation chose to make this gift in support of Loyola’s service to the community. “We like what Loyola is doing for health care and the community, and its commitment to educating physicians and nurses who treat the whole patient,” said Luke McGuinness, chair of The Arthur Foundation.
The foundation also considers the donation a fitting tribute to Dr. Gunnar. “We respect Dr. Gunnar and honor him for what he’s accomplished as a cardiologist and as former chair of the Department of Medicine,” Mr. McGuinness said. Mr. McGuinness has known Dr. Gunnar professionally since 1979. “He’s one of the great teachers and physician executives in Chicago,” he said. “He was quick to make a donation toward the new professorship, and we’re following his lead.”
Although he is retired from medicine, Dr. Gunnar remains committed to Loyola. In 1975 he created the Geoffrey Gunnar Memorial Scholarship for third-year Stritch students in honor of his late son. “Stritch is a marvelous school, and I’m glad to remain active with the students,” he said. “One of Loyola’s missions is the clinical teaching of physicians. Many of the cardiologists in the area are trained at Loyola, through the medical school and residency and fellowship programs.”
In addition to his contributions to Loyola, Dr. Gunnar has received numerous recognitions from organizations such as the American College of Physicians, where he was the chair of the Board of Regents. He has served as a member and officer of many professional organizations including the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. He received a Bronze Star for valor for his volunteer medical service in the Korean War.
The future Rolf & Merian Gunnar Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) will be influential in the training of fellows, medicine residents and medical students and will be expected to have a vibrant clinical cardiac research program. “To honor Dr. Gunnar, the foundation expects the physician who holds this professorship to have a keen interest in clinical cardiac research and to be highly skilled in translating the results of scientific research into treatment,” said Mr. McGuinness.
In honor of Dr. Gunnar and the Arthur Foundation’s commitment to establishing the new professorship, Loyola University Chicago (LUC) is adding $1 million to bring the fund total to $3.75 million. “The addition of a new cardiology professorship will benefit the university, the health system and, ultimately, the patients,” said Rev. Michael J. Garanzini, SJ, president, LUC. “The university is proud to have a part in establishing the Rolf & Merian Gunnar Professor of Medicine (Cardiology).”