UNT System Regents Unanimously Approve Dr. Scott Ransom as Fifth President of UNT Health Science Center

July 18, 2006

In a unanimous vote today, the University of North Texas System Board of Regents confirmed Scott Ransom, DO, MBA, MPH, as the fifth president of the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth.

Dr. Ransom, 43, will begin his duties as the health science centerâ??s chief executive officer on Aug. 7.

He is leaving the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, where he has served as executive director of the program for healthcare improvement and leadership development and as professor of obstetrics, gynecology, health management and policy.
In Michigan, he also has served as the director of womenâ??s health and gynecology at the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center.

â??Dr. Scott Ransom has great experience in all aspects of health care, education and research. He is the right person to lead the UNT Health Science Center for years to come,â? UNT System Chancellor Lee F. Jackson said.

On June 23, the Regents selected Dr. Ransom as the only finalist to emerge from a nationwide search process that began last fall when Ronald R. Blanck, DO, announced his plans to step down from the UNTHSC presidency. Dr. Blanck departed at the end of June and Daniel Perugini, DO, who is serving as the health science centerâ??s interim president, will continue in that post until Dr. Ransom reports for duty.

“We had a very strong field of applicants to choose from, but Dr. Ransom was especially impressive because he demonstrated that he understands the unique mission of the UNT Health Science Center. The Board of Regents is confident that he will be an effective leader,” Regents Chair Bobby Ray said.

Dr. Ransomâ??s confirmation by the UNT System Regents satisfies the Texas legal requirement to wait at least 21 days between the selection of a finalist and the naming of a new president.

Dr. Ransomâ??s research and consulting include areas related to improving the health care delivery system, womenâ??s health, leadership development, health disparities and performance improvement.

Prior to joining the University of Michigan, Dr. Ransom was vice president for medical affairs and then senior vice president at the Detroit Medical Center, a $1.8 billion, seven-hospital health care system.

He is past president of the American College of Physician Executives, which includes a national membership of more than 11,000 physician leaders.

â??Iâ??m looking forward to working with the Fort Worth business and medical community and governmental leaders to optimize our communityâ??s health and, simultaneously, create opportunities for further economic development,â? Dr. Ransom said.

â??Itâ??s clear to me that the University of North Texas Health Science Center is an important and integral component of the Fort Worth business and health care infrastructure,â? he said. â??Iâ??m eager to meet with community leaders to build on the already strong foundation and learn how the health science center can more optimally partner with the community to build an even brighter future for Fort Worth and the people of Texas.â?

An 18-member search-advisory committee reviewed a strong group of candidates in the course of the search process. The committee was co-chaired by UNT System Regents Burle Pettit of Lubbock and Marjorie B. Craft of DeSoto and included Regent Rice M. Tilley of Fort Worth as well as students, faculty and staff from UNTHSC and Fort Worth community leaders.

Acting on the committeeâ??s recommendations, the Regents and Jackson chose Dr. Ransom to be the lone finalist for the health science center presidency.

Dr. Ransom received a doctorate in osteopathic medicine from the University of Health Sciences in Kansas City, a master of business administration from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and a master of public health from Harvard University.

He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Mich. Dr. Ransom also is a graduate of the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School.

Dr. Ransom and his wife, Elizabeth Ransom, MD, have three children, Kelly, 14; Christopher, 11; and Sarah, 9. Dr. Elizabeth Ransom is an otolaryngologist (a specialist in diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat and related structures of the head and neck) and currently is vice chair of the Board of Governors and residency director of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Henry Ford Health System.

The University of North Texas Health Science Center is composed of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Public Health and the School of Health Professions. The centerâ??s Institutes for Discovery conduct leading-edge research on select health issues, including vision, aging, cancer, heart disease, physical medicine and public health. This year, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine was named a top 50 medical school in primary care by U.S. News and World Report for the fifth consecutive year.

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Contact: Roddy Wolper 940-565-2943 or 940-565-2108, or e-mail rwolper@unt.edu.

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