Gary A. Goforth, M.D.

Club Membership Assembly – Incoming President

Current Position: Medical Director, Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, Florida (effective 7/1/2018).

Prior Position: Founding Program Director of the Florida State University College of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program at Lee Health (Fort Myers) from May 2012 to June 2018.

Education:

• B.A. (Physics), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (1976).
• M.D., Vanderbilt School of Medicine (1980).
• Residency in Family Medicine, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI (1980-83).
• Fellowship in Tropical Medicine (earned Masters in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene), Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland (1990).

Experience:

• U.S. Army: Active duty 1980-1993. South Carolina Army National Guard (1994-2002); Retired as Colonel (2002). Awarded Bronze Star during first Gulf War.
• Medical Director: Founding Medical Director of the Greater Greenwood United Ministry Free Medical Clinic (1997-2012). Clinica Gratis Free Clinic (2009), and Abbeville County Free Clinic (2011).
• Volunteers in Medical Missions: currently serves as Board Chair and team leader, previously served as an Advisory Board member.
• Rotary International: District Governor D-7750 in 2011-12; District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair for 2012-15; Charter President of Rotary E-Club of the Carolinas (2012-13); District 6960 CART Chair (2016-2022); District 7750 Global Grants Chair (2012-2020), Rotary E-Club of the Carolinas Secretary/Treasurer (2016-current); CART VP Research Grants (2019-current), Rotary 7750 Charities, Inc. (501c3) President (2020-2022), Fort Myers Sunrise Rotary Club President – Elect (2023).
• Gideons International: President, Fort Myers Camp (2019-current), Treasurer (2016-19).

Awards: South Carolina Medical Association (SCMA) Physician of the Year for Service (1999); South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium (SCAHEC) Halford Award for Humane Medical Education (2001); South Carolina Rural Health Association Excellence in Rural Education Award (2006); South Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (SCAFP) Family Physician of the Year (2008), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Family Physician of the Year (Top 5 finalist in 2009), SCMA Continuing Medical Education Award (2010), Rotary International Service Above Self Award (2002), Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service (2004), Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award (2014); Rotary International Cliff Dochterman Award (2011); Boy Scouts Long Cane District Distinguished Citizen Award (2011); Lee Memorial Health System Physician of the Month (Feb 2014); Lee County Medical Society 2014 Award for Health Education (Jan 2015).

Hobbies: International medical missions, bicycling, kayaking, horseback riding, SCUBA diving. Married to Kathy Goforth, 3 children (Jonathan, Michael, Sarah) and 4 grandchildren (Emma, Paul, Charlie, and Christina).