Class notes: 1970s

Stephen Nold, MD ’78, is “Unsuccessfully pursuing retirement.”

Dan Barrow, MD ’79, shares his career honors, awards, and accomplishments: Alumni Achievement Awards, Westminster College 1998 Distinguished Alumnus Award, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, 1997. Congress of Neurological Surgeons Executive Committee 1989 - 2001, Secretary (1992-1995), and President (1999-2000).  President of the Georgia Neurosurgical Society American Board of Neurological Surgery Director, Secretary, and Chairman. American Academy of Neurological Surgery Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and President. Society of Neurological Surgeons Vice President and President Congress of Neurological Surgeons Honored Guest 2010 Drake Award and Lecturer AANS/CNS Cerebrovascular Section Founder's Laurel Award, Congress of Neurological Surgeons 2019.

Ann Stroink, MD ’79, FAANS. The AANS past president and interim CEO, has retired from neurosurgery practice at Carle BroMenn Medical Center on Nov. 22, 2023. Throughout her career, Dr. Stroink has been an indefatigable force in advocating — in the halls of Congress, before the Illinois state legislature, with health plans and within organized medicine — for sound health policy to ensure patients have timely access to care. Dr. Stroink also served as chair of the AANS/CNS Washington Committee and is a current member of the American Medical Association’s Council on Legislation. Now retired, she will be “enjoying life in a different way” during her retirement, spending time with her family and grandkids. “My husband and I both like the farming community and stay active with raising livestock, chickens and ducks. It’s a great life.”
Read more about Dr. Stroink's career and retirement here

James Stegeman, MD ’78, “Still working, still playing, still coaching swimming. My best swimmer, Ryan Held, got a second gold medal in Paris.”

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George Shotick, MD ’78, “Just retired 7/1/2024.  Moved from Illinois to South Carolina three years ago to be with three granddaughters." (pictured right)

Edwin Card, MD ’79, “I’ve been retired since 12/31/2023. I did general surgery from 1984 to March of 2023 and was Chief Medical Officer from 2019 until retirement.”

Ronald Bruce Turner, MD '76, was just announced as the new Chief Medical Officer of G.ST Antivirals (a clinical-stage biotechnology company applying innovative, host cell-based strategies to develop broad-spectrum antivirals against respiratory tract infections).  
The CEO of G.ST stated, "He is a world leading expert in clinical research of respiratory viruses, whose outstanding work and remarkable contributions to our field I have been following for a long time. His knowledge will be invaluable when driving our clinical development of 2-DG through Phase II and beyond, and I am very much looking forward to working together.” Read more here. 

Douglas Byers, MD ’78, “retired after 42 years in family medicine in Hillsboro, Illinois, in August 2023.  Working on figuring out retirement still.  All is well.” 

Allen Gerberding, MD ’77, “Greetings from North Georgia where the sky is blue, the air is clean, mountains are near and pickleball courts are buzzing. God is good (always). Pray for peace.”   

Jane Arbuthnot, MD ’78, “Moved to Naples permanently after the pandemic. Love it! Also, just bought a house in Kansas City to be close to our daughter and her family (2 grandsons). Will be there in the summer.”    

Rebecca Johnson, MD ’78, "is named the New Board Chair of The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). She served on the ABMS Board of Directors from 2009-2018, was a member of the Executive Committee from 2014-2017, and currently serves on the Advancing Practice Task Force. She has served on ABMS’ Database and Information Technology Advisory Committee (DITAC), Committee on Certification (COCERT), MOC Part III Task Force, International Engagement Planning Committee, Improvement in Medical Practice Task Force, and the Task Force for Focused Expertise/Added Proficiency. She also chaired the Organizational Standards Task Force. Dr. Johnson was the Chief Executive Officer for the American Board of Pathology (ABPath) for nine years and prior to that was a Trustee for 11 years, serving as its President in 2009."  Learn more here. 

Steven Swedlund, MD ’78, “I signed up already for a 1-week bicycle and camping trip for the week of June 15 through to June 22, 2024, and cannot make the trip for the June 22, 2024 reunion.   
It's called 'Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure.' It was started by the Children’s Hospital in Columbus OH about 35 years ago, to keep young people active. We travel about 300 miles during that week. I will be supervising Scouts with 3 other adults.  (Both male and female Scouts; 'Boy Scouts' name was changed to 'Scouts' about 3-4 years ago when we recruited females into this leadership program.) I retired from teaching and practicing clinical medicine (22 years in Family Medicine Residency, and 15 years in Geriatric Medicine Fellowship) on June 30, 2023. The Geriatrics Department of Wright State Boonshoft SOM awarded me 'Assistant Professor Emeritus in the Department of Geriatrics.'   
I appreciate the education provided to me by SIU-SOM in the 1970's. Thank you for keeping me updated on SIU-SOM.” 

Ingrid and David Alexander, MDs ’79, “Doing well, enjoy all random calls, emails, and visits from old classmates! (Cards accepted also!)”   

Mark Christofersen, MD ’78, “retired March 15, 2023, the day my grandchild was born. Very busy playing guitar for four groups, gardening, riding bicycle with friends, and currently rebuilding a kitchen for a church in town. I started in academics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, but didn't like it.  Came back to Nashville and joined a group of 12 that is now 105 orthopedists. Have been president of Nashville Orthopedic Society, chief of staff of Baptist Hospital, and vice president of my group.”

Rebecca Johnson, MD ’78, “CEO, American Board of Pathology (ABPath) 2013-21; trustee, president, and treasurer of the ABPath 2002-12. Chair and pathology residency program director, Berkshire Health Systems, Pittsfield, Ma. 1990-2012. College of American Pathologists (CAP) Board of Governors; president, CAP Foundation. American Society of Pathology (ASCP) Board of Directors. Association of Pathology Chairs Pathology Residency Program Directors chair and executive council member delegate to AMA House of Delegates; chair of AMA Pathology Section Council. ACGME Pathology Residency Review Committee member and chair. Past president of Connecticut Society of Pathologists and Massachusetts Society of Pathologists. 
Honors: SIU School of Medicine Alumna of the Year, 2010. CAP Foundation Leadership Award; CAP President’s Honors; CAP Outstanding Communicator Award; CAP Certificate of Meritorious Achievement. ASCP Award for Distinguished Service to Pathology; ASCP Mastership. Association of Pathology Chairs (APC) Distinguished Service Award; APC Distinguished Teaching Award in Graduate Medical Education. Currently unemployed, but busy on the board and multiple councils and committees of the College of American Pathologists, my specialty society. Chair-elect of the American Board of Medical Specialties, so served on a number of committees and work groups. Delegate to the AMA from the Florida Medical Association.”

Fred Perryman, MD ’78, “retired June 2017 after 36 years providing family medicine in a small town, multi-specialty clinic in Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Responsibilities also included delivering 750 babies and all levels of hospital rounds. In the final years, hospice care was added to my practice. I was blessed with wonderful support staff in a truly Norman Rockwell community.”

Craig Reeder, MD ’78, “retired July 3 after 40 years of hematology and stem cell transplant, the last 36 years at Mayo Clinic Arizona. My career: consultant, hematology and medical oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona associate professor of medicine, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and Science. William and Charles Mayo Distinguished Clinician, 2011 Core faculty Mayo Clinic Hem/Onc Fellowship Program.”

Jared Rogers, MD ’78, Chestnut Family Health Center in Bloomington, Ill., welcomed Dr. Rogers as medical director in February. [link] https://pantagraph.com/business/local/achievements/business-achievement…
Family medicine residency at Silas B. Hays Army Community Hospital, Ft. Ord, Ca., (1978-81); staff family physician, Reynolds Army Community Hospital, Ft. Sill, OK (1981-83). U.S. Army health center medical director and combat medical detachment commander at two sites in Germany, (1983-87). Private practice, Puyallup, WA, (1987-92) and Mendota, IL (1992-2003). Executive associate director, Residency in Family Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria (2003-11). Medical director, Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, (2007-11); CMO, Presence Covenant Medical Center (2011-14). President and CEO, Presence Covenant Medical Center, Urbana, and Presence United Samaritans Medical Center, Danville (2014-18). President, OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center, Urbana, and OSF HealthCare Sacred Heart Medical Center, Danville (2018-20). President, OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center, Urbana (2020-22). Retired from OSF HealthCare, September 2022; now medical director of Chestnut Family Health Center in Bloomington.”

George Shotick, MD ’78, “retired from family medicine, still working at a methadone/ buprenorphine clinic. I've done this work for more than 30 years.”

Kennard Sproul, MD ’78, “Family medicine residency, Union Hospital, Terre Haute, Indiana, 1978-81. Practiced family medicine in Brazil, Indiana, from 1981-2003. Did extensive overseas volunteer work from 2003-10; worked in Ethiopia, Swaziland (South Africa), Haiti, Guatemala and Ecuador. Retired from practice in 2010. Served in the Indiana Air National Guard from 1981-94; flight surgeon; commander of the 181st Fighter Wing Medical Squadron; State of Indiana State Air Surgeon until my retirement from the ANG.”

Diana Widicus, MD ’78, “retired March 2022 after 42 years of practice, St. John's ER and HSHS Medical Group. Contractual work with State of Illinois — Secretary of State and Public Aid. St. Clare's Catholic Charities Clinic director for 15 years. Girl Scouts medical adviser for 15 years. Certified medical review officer, charter member of Women's Service Strategic Planning Board for St. John's Hospital, and chairman and past director of Amedisys Home Health Agency. Currently principle investigator for diabetes at PERC with HSHS, primarily diabetic research studies.”

Patrick Zimmermann, MD ’78, “Still practicing family medicine in Collinsville, same location for 42 years.  Last year I gave up independent practice and joined Anderson Hospital's Medical Group, in preparation for retirement in 2025. I need the group to find a physician to make sure my practice goes on and my patients are cared for. I have one nurse practitioner in my office and stay busy. Clinical associate professor at SIU (starting around 1983) for family medicine students. Assistant clinical professor at St. Louis U from 1988 to present for family medicine students. Preceptor of the Year for 2017, SLU Family Medicine Department. President of SIU SOM Alumni Board of Governors from 1989-95. Member of the Board of Trustees at Anderson Hospital 1998 to present. President, Anderson Hospital Medical Staff 1996-98. Founders Award from Anderson Hospital 2011.”

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