The Department of Surgery is pleased to announce that Anthony Froix, M.D., will be our inaugural vice chair for engagement and excellence. Dr. Froix is an assistant professor in our Division of Surgical Oncology and is an experienced educator with a background in health care and business management.

“Martin Luther King, Jr., said that ‘An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity,’” said Dr. Froix.

“The quote resonates with me because it’s about being selfless. Our purpose in this life is bigger than ‘self.’ To achieve success with our engagement and excellence strategy, we need everyone to think for those around us, especially the ones who are in the position to make changes. It is our collective responsibility to create a welcoming, engaging, and inspiring environment.”

The engagement and excellence vice chair will be fully integrated into the department’s senior leadership team, where he will advocate for opportunity in our department and promote an affirming culture for all persons, regardless of gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, culture, class, disability, or religion. The vice chair will also seek to improve communication and raise awareness of implicit bias and related issues.

Prior to joining our faculty in 2020, Dr. Froix spent more than a decade at the United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, New York, where he served on the hospital's board of directors and surgical executive committee. He completed his residency at the State University of New York at Buffalo and a surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Froix also earned dual master’s degrees in business administration and medical management from the University of Rochester in New York.

Please join us in expressing our gratitude to Dr. Froix for accepting his new role and to Dr. Shelby Holt for her service as engagement and excellence task force chair. We are fortunate to have someone as passionate and knowledgeable as Dr. Froix lead our efforts. With his help, we will pursue our goal of making all persons feel welcome and respected in our department.