Kern Wildenthal, M.D., Ph.D.
A native Texan, Dr. Kern Wildenthal earned his B.A from Sul Ross State University, his M.D. from UT Southwestern Medical Center, and his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Dr. Wildenthal worked for 43 years at UT Southwestern, including as Dean, President, and CEO of Southwestern Medical Foundation, before retiring and being named President Emeritus. He was then appointed as President of Children's Medical Center Foundation and Executive Vice-President of Children's Health System of Texas, where he remains a consultant, as well as for many other organizations. In addition to board membership on local and national foundations and nonprofit organizations, he serves on an advisory board of the University of Cambridge where he is an Honorary Fellow.
During his tenure as President of UT Southwestern, the institution more than quadrupled in size and emerged as one of the leading medical institutions in the world. Annual research expenditures increased from $56 million to $351 million. Referral patient visits rose 500%. Endowments soared 3,000%, from $40 million to over $1.3 billion. The campus expanded from 65 acres to over 300 acres and more than 6 million square feet of buildings were added. The quality of UT Southwestern's research enterprise rose in global rankings to among the top 10 biomedical institutions internationally.
Dr. Wildenthal serves on the executive board of the International Society for Heart Research and was chair of its North American Section. SMU and Austin College conferred honorary doctorates on him. Many eponymous honors have been bestowed on him, including: the Kern Wildenthal Fund and the Kern Wildenthal Society at Southwestern Medical Foundation; the Kern Wildenthal Research Building at UT Southwestern; the Wildenthal Terrace at the University of Cambridge; the Kern Wildenthal General Directorship at the Dallas Opera; and the Marnie and Kern Wildenthal Education Center at Dallas' Forefront Living Foundation. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Wildenthal was elected to the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
During his tenure as President of UT Southwestern, the institution more than quadrupled in size and emerged as one of the leading medical institutions in the world. Annual research expenditures increased from $56 million to $351 million. Referral patient visits rose 500%. Endowments soared 3,000%, from $40 million to over $1.3 billion. The campus expanded from 65 acres to over 300 acres and more than 6 million square feet of buildings were added. The quality of UT Southwestern's research enterprise rose in global rankings to among the top 10 biomedical institutions internationally.
Dr. Wildenthal serves on the executive board of the International Society for Heart Research and was chair of its North American Section. SMU and Austin College conferred honorary doctorates on him. Many eponymous honors have been bestowed on him, including: the Kern Wildenthal Fund and the Kern Wildenthal Society at Southwestern Medical Foundation; the Kern Wildenthal Research Building at UT Southwestern; the Wildenthal Terrace at the University of Cambridge; the Kern Wildenthal General Directorship at the Dallas Opera; and the Marnie and Kern Wildenthal Education Center at Dallas' Forefront Living Foundation. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Wildenthal was elected to the Texas Business Hall of Fame.