Lemak named to Bice Professorship

University of Florida professor Christy Lemak, Ph.D., is the first recipient of the Bice Professorship in Health Services Research, Management and Policy.

Michael O. and Barbara Bice established the UF health services administration professorship fund in 1999. As a challenge endowment, the Bices’ $100,000 commitment helped to raise another $100,000 in new gifts. Major contributors included Munroe Regional Healthcare System, Martin Memorial Healthcare Systems, Lakeland Regional Health System, Health First, and Shands at the University of Florida. A matching gift from the state of Florida brings the total gift to $300,000.

“Barbara and I could not be happier that Christy Lemak is the first recipient of the professorship,” said Bice, interim director of the Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. “We hold her in the highest esteem and believe she represents the best on every level.”

Lemak, an associate professor and associate chair in the department of health services, research, management and policy in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions, is the director of the master’s in health administration degree program. A department faculty member since 1998, Lemak’s primary areas of teaching include health-care management and strategic management of health-care organizations. Her research focuses on the study of organizations providing health care to underserved populations.

“Christy is the perfect choice for this appointment because of her effectiveness across all three areas of academic endeavor - teaching, research and professional service,” said department chair R. Paul Duncan, Ph.D.

Michael Bice, a former senior vice president and health care practice leader for Marsh, a global insurance broker, has a longstanding relationship with the UF department of health services research, management and policy. He has been an adjunct faculty member since 1994 and also served terms as the department’s acting chair and as director of the executive master’s in health administration degree program.

“The department is very, very good on almost every level,” Bice said. “But most top 10 health programs in the United States have endowed professorships. We wanted to create a fund that would help the department move into top 10 status and attract and retain high quality faculty.”