UF’s Jeremy Foley:
CVM shares “culture of excellence” with athletics
Dr. Rich Kane, Jeremy Foley and Dean Glen Hoffsis. (Photo by Sarah Carey)
To University of Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley, programmatic and institutional excellence are all about one thing – a culture of integrity, excellence and professionalism. It’s the reason UF sports programs have been so successful in the long term, and it’s not because of one team, one coach or one component, Foley said.
“You’ve got to treat people right,” Foley told members of the Dean’s Circle of Excellence Nov. 7 during a luncheon held in the Banfield Room of the UF Small Animal Hospital. “We try to pride ourselves on how we treat people.”
He added, “Gentle and kind — an athletic program? Yes.”
“Our culture is a big part of our success,” Foley said.
The Dean’s Circle of Excellence consists of donors to the UF College of Veterinary Medicine who have contributed at many different levels to support the institution. To date, the group has 47 members, including the most recent institutional member, Caloosa Veterinary Medical Society, located in Southwest Florida. Among the Dean’s Circle members who attended the luncheon were Dr. Dena Baker, ’00, of Naples, Dr. Richard Kane, ’84, of Brandon, both former CVM Alumni Achievement Award winners, Dr. Nanette Parratto-Wagner, ’85, of Orlando, Dr. Paul Nicoletti, emeritus faculty, Dr. John Harvey and CVM Dean Glen Hoffsis.
In introducing Foley, Hoffsis noted that he thought of him as a good speaker for the group because of not just his reputation within UF and nationally, but also because he knew Foley was an animal lover. Hoffsis said he gave Foley the topic, “Excellence in Athletics and Excellence in Veterinary Medicine,” to discuss at lunch, “without him even knowing it,” but Foley rose to the occasion.
Foley told the group his chocolate Lab, Gracie, recently underwent extensive surgery and rehabilitation at UF’s Small Animal Hospital and was now doing well.
“I’ll come help you anytime because of what you’ve done for my dog,” Foley said.
Among his comments to the group were that just being “OK” was not a good enough label for UF athletics and that good customer service, a commitment to facilities, a passion for the work itself all contribute to institutional excellence.
“We refuse to accept mediocrity,” Foley said. “Family is very important to us over here. If you have all these things, a work ethic, treating people with class and a passion for what you do, you have a chance to be successful.”
He added that all of the things he had just talked about, he’d seen at the UF Small Animal Hospital when his dog was receiving care.
“I’ve taken things back with me that happened here, as far as customer service,” he said. “You guys share the same philosophy; excellence in athletics and excellence in veterinary medicine. It’s not just the way you took care of my dog, but the way you took care of me.”
For more information about the Dean’s Circle of Excellence, contact Karen Legato at legatok@ufl.edu or call 352-294-4213.
