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When it comes to career advancement, it didn鈥檛 take pediatric nephrologist George A. Richard, M.D., long to shoot straight to the top. His meteoric rise began when he came to UF in 1967 as a special trainee in children鈥檚 kidney disease. Six months later, he was chief of pediatric nephrology.

His achievements are a classic case of that old saying, 鈥淎 rising tide floats all boats.鈥� Instrumental in lobbying legislators for funding for a statewide children鈥檚 kidney program, Richard collaborated with colleagues at the University of Miami to unveil the project in 1974. Today, children with kidney disease benefit from three dialysis centers, a strong transplantation program and 15 clinics where they can go for regular exams, said Richard, who has attracted millions in research funding to study urinary tract infections in girls. The University of South Florida and University Hospital in Jacksonville also are now involved.

鈥淲ith that program, it brought life to children with kidney disease who previously succumbed of their illness,鈥� said Richard, who in his retirement plans to work part time in the pediatric nephrology clinic, take literature and history courses at the university, play golf, visit family and take piano lessons. 鈥淚t just turned things around completely.鈥�