Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, center, was honored with the 2010 Outstanding Citizenship Award from Poder magazine and the Americas Business Council (ABC) Foundation. CNN’s John King, left, hosted the ceremony, and Juan Mora, ABC Foundation president, presented the award. (Photo courtesy of ABC-Poder/Mitchell Zachs)

Miller School of Medicine Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt received the Outstanding Citizenship Award from Poder magazine and the Americas Business Council (ABC) Foundation on November 9. He joined an elite group of global leaders who were honored for their “remarkable strategy, vision, and execution in their respective businesses and organizations—those who are changing or can change the region’s development dynamics on several fronts.”

At the ceremony, which was hosted by CNN anchor and chief national correspondent John King and held at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Dean Goldschmidt, who is also senior vice president for medical affairs and CEO of UHealth-University of Miami Health System, was praised for raising the Miller School’s national rankings and increasing UHealth’s capacity to provide local, regional, and international patients the highest level of medical care, while remaining committed to community service.

“Dean Goldschmidt’s work has been instrumental in making Miami a world-class center for medical care and research,” Juan Mora, president of ABC Foundation, said in presenting the award to Dean Goldschmidt, who arrived at the Miller School in April 2006.

Mora, whose not-for-profit organization brings U.S. Hispanic and Latin American leaders together to exchange ideas, also praised Dean Goldschmidt for the Miller School’s immediate response to the disastrous January earthquake in Haiti, noting that the school’s humanitarian efforts were internationally recognized. He also highlighted the University’s programs that have resulted in hundreds of Latin American physicians with Miller School credentials.

The ceremony, which featured remarks from City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, and leaders from Latin America, also honored Mitchell Kaplan, the founder and CEO of Book & Books, for his contribution to cultural exchange, Felipe Vergara, founder and CEO of Lumini, Inc., for social entrepreneurship, and eight others.

Though the award commended his citizenship, Dean Goldschmidt said he shared it with his highly trained and motivated faculty, staff, and trainees.

“We are grateful that Poder and the ABC Foundation have recognized us as outstanding citizens,” Dean Goldschmidt said. “In all my actions, in all the actions of the outstanding men and women of UHealth and the Miller School, we strive every day to advance health care and medical technology with the hope of healing as many people as possible, whether they are citizens here or elsewhere. At UM, we want to give back to our community. The UHealth and Miller School names are held in high esteem in Latin America and they are similarly regarded here because of our dedication and commitment to providing good medicine wherever it is needed. As we grow in ranking and recognition, we will continue to hold steadfast to these ideals.”

In a short video shown before the award presentation, basketball star and philanthropist Alonzo Mourning, as well as members of Dean Goldschmidt’s team, hailed his leadership. William J. Donelan, vice president for medical administration and chief operating and strategy officer; William O’Neill, executive dean for clinical affairs for the Miller School and chief medical officer of UHealth; Barth Green, professor and chair of neurological surgery, who leads UM’s medical rescue and public health efforts in Haiti; and Sheri Keitz, senior associate dean for faculty affairs, described the dean’s many contributions, including his ability to attract internationally renowned faculty and his “patient-centric” commitment.

The Poder Awards were created by the magazine to celebrate excellence and leadership in the Americas by recognizing individuals whose strategy and vision have had significant and meaningful impact in their respective businesses and organizations, and the region. The Hispanic magazine is distributed locally and everywhere in Latin America.