Surpin, Dr. Artis Retire from Board of Trustees

When Jo Surpin stepped down after 14 years as chair of the University’s Board of Trustees in 2021, she already had a long list of accomplishments.

Her career highlights since joining the board in 1995 include:

• Obtaining University status (2008).
• Enrollment of the first Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program.
• Graduation of the first residential Doctor of Audiology students.
• Naming of the George S. Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) in honor of its founding dean.
• Launching the Master of Public Health (MPH) online degree in 2010 and a PhD in Biomedicine in 2011.
• Large-scale renovation of The Eye Institute (TEI) (2010-2011).
• Establishing the Occupational Therapy (OT) (2012) and Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) (2015) programs.
• Recruiting the sixth president of PCO/Salus, Dr. Michael Mittelman (2013).
• The opening of the City Life Neighborhood Clinics primary health center (2017).
• Opening of the Speech-Language Institute (SLI) (2015).
• Celebrating the centennial of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) (2019).
• Instrumental in the creation of the PCO Foundation, serving as its chair, and served as chair of the Strategic Initiatives Ad Hoc Committee. 

Now Surpin, along with Derrick Artis, OD ‘89, MBA, and Keith Ignotz, have retired from the Salus board, effective in January 2024. Surpin will assume the role of an emeritus trustee. The three were honored recently by other board members and proclamations were given in their honor.

“As the first woman board chair, one of my priorities was for the board to look more like the student body so gender and racial diversity was a priority,” said Surpin. “And, we have made incredible strides. At the same time, we recognized that to meet our strategic objectives we needed a partner with shared values and commitment to the health sciences. We found that partner in Drexel and are excited about what the future holds."

Salus president Michael H. Mittelman, OD ‘80, MPH, MBA, FACHE, FAAO, said Surpin has been the University’s guiding light for many years. “As we transitioned from being a single-purpose institution to becoming a University, that took the vision of many. But if it wasn't for Jo’s vision and others, we wouldn’t be here talking as Salus University,” said Dr. Mittelman.

As a graduate of the University’s founding college, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), Dr. Artis joined the board in 2013 and believes the board’s greatest accomplishment during his tenure is the work done to make its upcoming merger with Drexel University a reality.

“However, that does not happen without the work of the board in two other important areas,” said Dr. Artis. “One was our work integrating our new colleges and establishing Salus University as one of the best healthcare universities in the city. Equally as important was the board’s leadership building on PCO’s long-term legacy of diversity and inclusion in the Salus student base, faculty/administration, and board of trustees.”

He called his time serving on the board one of the biggest honors of his professional career.

“Our profession is one of the most important healthcare disciplines in the world. Our work on the board has shepherded the profession and the University to its highest level in our history,” said Dr. Artis. “Optometry and our other health professions are in a strong position to continue thriving and growing as part of Drexel University.”