July 24, 2001

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Dr. Max Michael III has been named the new dean for the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. UAB interim Provost Arol Augsburger made the announcement today.

“We are most fortunate to recruit a person with Dr. Michael’s depth and breadth of experience in public health matters,” Augsburger said. “He is a national leader in health policy and community health initiatives. We look forward to Dr. Michael continuing the success and leadership position that our School of Public Health has worked so hard to achieve.”

Michael spent eight years as chief executive officer and medical director of the Jefferson Health System/Cooper Green Hospital in Birmingham. He served on the executive committee of the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems and as president of the Birmingham Regional Council of the Alabama Hospital Association. Michael earned his bachelor’s degree with high honors in general biology from Vanderbilt University and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He then served residencies at UAB and the North Carolina Memorial Hospital, followed by two years as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar with the Department of Medicine at the University of North Carolina. He was named director of ambulatory services at Cooper Green Hospital in 1977 and chairman of the Department of Medicine in 1983, a position he held until being named CEO in 1992. During his tenure as department chair, Michael spent a year on the staff of the Health Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow.

Michael continues as the medical director for the Birmingham Health Care for the Homeless, where he was responsible for the initial development and implementation of one of the nation’s first comprehensive health care delivery programs to homeless persons.

Michael is a fellow of the American College of Physicians; the Alabama chapter of that organization presented him with this year’s Laureate Award for distinguished service in internal medicine. He holds membership in the American College of Physician Executives, the American Public Health Association, the Jefferson County Medical Society, and serves on the board of United Way of Central Alabama and Gateway.

Michael has authored more than 30 scholarly articles on public health issues including caring for the homeless, the treatment of substance abuse, and health care policy.

Michael succeeds Eli Capilouto, who announced his intent to step down in March 2000. When Capilouto accepted the appointment as dean in 1996, after nearly two years as interim, it was with the stated intent to serve as dean for five years and then return to the faculty to continue his research and teaching responsibilities. Under Capilouto’s leadership the school’s notable accomplishments include tripling extramural funding to $21 million, increasing student enrollment 30 percent, and constructing the school’s Frank and Kathleen Ellis Ryals Building.

“Dr. Capilouto has established a very high mark for all deans who follow him,” Michael said. “I look forward to working with him and with all of the faculty, staff and students to continue this legacy of excellence.”