By SHERRY DIGMON
News Publisher
Six outstanding citizens will be inducted into the Atmore Area Hall of Fame in April.
They are Dr. Wil Baker, Robert Faircloth, Ann Gordon, Novy L. Hale, the Rev. Isaac Holt, and Wayne Stacey.
The 14th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner is set for Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m., at The Club. Tickets, $25, each are available at Atmore News, 128 N. Main Street. Everyone attending must have a ticket.
The Hall of Fame committee extends a special invitation to former inductees.
Each week, Atmore News will feature one of this year’s inductees.
Dr. Wil Baker
Atmore native Wilmer E. Baker, PhD, is a 1953 graduate of Escambia County High School.
He has served as Associate Dean of Clinical Resources for Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) in Dothan.
Dr. Baker received his Ed.D. in Research and Psychology from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1973. He also holds an Ed.S. Specialist in Education from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (1971), an M.S. from the University of Southern Mississippi (1967), a Th.M. from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (1967), and a B.A. from Samford University (1956).
Dr. Baker served in the United States Marine Corps, active duty, for 4.5 years as an Aviator and continued his service in the Marine Reserves, Air National Guard, and Army National Guard as a pilot and service member of the Medical Service Corps (retired, 1994).
Dr. Baker served in the Department of Family Practice at the University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, 1975-1996, as an Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor of Behavioral Medicine. During that tenure he also served as Assistant to the Vice President of Medical Affairs, and Assistant Dean for Continuing Medical Education.
Following retirement from the University of South Alabama, Dr. Baker served as the Project Director for the Alabama Southern Rural Access Program, 1999-2005. Currently, he serves as the Executive Director for the Alabama Medical Education Consortium (AMEC).
As the Executive Director of AMEC, Dr. Baker developed an extensive network of clinical training sites throughout the state of Alabama. Partnering with seven different osteopathic medical colleges located throughout the United States, these sites provided opportunities for students to experience their third- and fourth-year training in community-based settings. The growth and success of this clinical network endeavor led to the founding of the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine and the subsequent vision of the ACOM’s mission “To establish and maintain an osteopathic primary care physician pipeline for rural and underserved Alabama.”
As the AMEC network transitioned into the ACOM Clinical Resources Division in 2015, Dr. Baker brought valuable experience and progressive vision as its Associate Dean. Under his direction, the enriched and ever-expanding clinical network, coupled with skilled core site management, adds value to the clinical clerkship experience for ACOM students. Continuing his efforts to grow the physician pipeline for Alabama, his and AMEC’s most recent focus has been on expanding Graduate Medical Education opportunities in the state. This initiative has been advanced through success in obtaining state funding to support the start-up of up to 12 new residency programs in Alabama.
(Dr. Baker’s bio taken from ACOM)