Trustees host event acknowledging leaders’ accomplishments.
Over the past 10 years, UHealth – University of Miami Health System and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center have established themselves as South Florida’s premier health care providers, largely due to the thoughtful leadership and unbridled passion of Dipen J. Parekh, M.D., chief operating officer of UHealth, and Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., director of Sylvester.
In recognition of their 10-year anniversaries, UHealth leaders and supporters gathered to honor the two remarkable men.
Miller called Dr. Nimer an extraordinaire caregiver and recognized the critical role Dr. Nimer played in helping Sylvester earn the prestigious National Cancer Institute designation and achieve a top 50 Best Hospitals for Cancer ranking from U.S. News & World Report. Tribute was also paid to Dr. Nimer’s leadership behind the Transformational Cancer Research Building, a 12-story, 244,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that will double the research footprint of Sylvester once it opens in 2024.
“Stephen is elevating our entire research mission at the UHealth system,” said Miller. “When Stephen touches something and gets involved, you can rest assured that important things are going to happen.”
In recognizing his role in elevating Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center to national prominence, Dr. Nimer spoke of the importance of building something of value, a lesson his late father taught him when he was a child.
“I feel so proud to say that we have built a cancer center we can all be proud of,” said Dr. Nimer, who also serves as executive dean of research at the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine and holds the Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research. “In the next phase of our journey, we will continue to build something of great value for our community, state, and our nation. Something for future generations, for our children and their friends and neighbors, who will thrive based on what we have built, together.”
During his address, University of Miami President Julio Frenk reflected on Drs. Parekh and Nimer’s many laurels, and personally thanked them for their leadership in helping the University navigate the largest and most daunting health crisis in a century.
“Stephen and Dipen don’t just excel in what they do, they also go way beyond the confines of their job descriptions. As upstanding professionals, they are at the top of their game, but they also serve the University in a comprehensive way,” said Dr. Frenk. “On behalf of the entire University of Miami community, thank you for 10 years of brilliance, excellence and inspiration.”