Tom and Judy Gadacz

A native of South Bend, Indiana, Tom  joined ASPEC in 2011, after an outstanding career as a physician and surgeon and a pioneer in Laparoscopic Surgery.  He was on the faculty at Johns Hopkins from 1975 to 1991.  He achieved the academic rank of Professor of Surgery.  From 1991 to 2005 he served as Professor and Chairman of the Dept. of Surgery at the Medical College of Georgia (and is now Professor Emeritus).

Tom completed medical school at St. Louis University School of Medicine, a surgical residency at the University of California, San Francisco and a fellowship in gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic.  He spent 13 months with the US Navy in Vietnam, serving as Battalion Surgeon with the 26^th  Marines.

He was the Course Director for the American College of Surgeons (ACS) teaching a course entitled “Surgeons as Effective Communicators” and also serves as chair of the ACS Florida Chapter’s Legislative & Advocacy Committee.

Tom is an avid fly fisherman and is currently President of the Suncoast Fly Fishers. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Florida Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers. He is active in Bay Pines Veterans Medical Center Project Healing Waters Fly Fishers, a national organization which helps disabled veterans by teaching them fly tying and casting, rod building and fly fishing.

Since joining ASPEC, Tom has served on the Programming Committee, which he now co-chairs and he has initiated two new interest groups, this summer, “Medical Topics for Laypersons” and “Fly Fishing.”  Tom will also coordinate ASPEC’s Health Care Day, in February 2013.

Judy Gadacz

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Judy received her nursing education at Holy Cross Nursing School in South Bend, Indiana. She worked as a Registered Nurse at the University of Chicago Hospital and in Mexico City and Buenas Aries at the American Embassy.

After her marriage and when her four children were in school, Judy returned to the workplace as a tax consultant for 17 years. She served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Montessori Schools of Baltimore and also on the Board of Directors of the Augusta (Georgia) Opera Company. Judy is a Master Gardner and an avid bird watcher.

Since joining ASPEC, Judy has become a member of the Activities Committee and attends many interest groups, including the History and Computer Groups.

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