History of Thomas Jefferson University > George M. Norwood, Interim President 1976-1979

George M. Norwood, Interim President 1976-1979

At a special meeting of the full Board of Trustees on April 5, 1976, George (“Mac”) Norwood was named University Interim President following the unexpected death of Peter A. Herbut, MD, the previous week.

Mr. Norwood had first come to Jefferson in 1965 from the University of North Carolina to serve as Vice President for Business and Finance, and since 1970 had served as Vice President for Planning. In the latter position he had been largely responsible for devising and implementing Jefferson's Master Development Program, aided by the Report of the Committee for Master Planning under the chairmanship of Trustee Frederic L. Ballard.

During his interim Presidency, Mr. Norwood worked assiduously with the Board of Trustees and with Francis J. Sweeney Jr., MD, Vice President for Health Services and Hospital Director, in the complex details of negotiation and construction of the new Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, opened in 1978 and since named after John H. Gibbon Jr., MD, who developed the heart-lung machine.

After the appointment of Lewis W. Bluemle Jr., MD, as the succeeding President, Mr. Norwood stepped down to his former Vice President position and resigned in March 1979.