Salt Lake surgeon named Utah Rotary governor

By STAFF REPORTS

SALT LAKE CITY —Prominent Salt Lake City general surgeon Scott Leckman, newly-inducted as the 108th Governor of Rotary International’s District 5420, is as well known among Utah Rotarians for his passion for humanitarian service and quick wit as for his surgical skills.
 The past president of the Rotary Club of Salt Lake City has most recently served Utah Rotary as PolioPlus chairman (2008-17) and regularly organizes trips to India with fellow Rotarians to participate in polio immunization days toward RI’s worldwide goal to eradicate this crippling disease from the earth.
 In 2015, Leckman was awarded The Rotary Foundation’s Certificate of Excellence in recognition of his continuing service to the cause of polio eradication.
 Leckman, who succeeds Past District Governor Bev Christy of St. George in Utah Rotary’s highest position, has among his several goals for this year to “have Utah Rotarians (re)discover the global part of our organization” including Utah Friendship Exchange Teams traveling to and serving alongside Rotarians in Argentina, Japan, India and Taiwan.
 Professionally, Dr. Leckman helped initiate the Health Access Project in 2001, a program with a mission to improve access to and coordinate comprehensive health care for low-income uninsured residents of Salt Lake County.  To date, more than 600 physicians and nine hospitals are providing free care to income-qualified men, women and children – totaling more than $22 million in donated services.  In 2014, in recognition of this effort, he received the Surgical Volunteerism Domestic Award from the American College of Surgeons.
 Throughout his career, Leckman was named Utah Doctor of the Year in 2005; in 2008 Utah Business Magazine honored him as a “Healthcare Hero; and, he is a past President of the Utah Medical Association.
 He has also had several experiences serving as a volunteer surgeon.  Working alongside the U. S. Navy, he performed surgery on victims of the tsunami in Northern Sumatra and Indonesia; in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina; in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and more recently providing treatment to those in need of medical care in Latin America on board the USNS Comfort.  He has also taught laparoscopic surgery in Mongolia and hernia repair in Nigeria, Peru, Cambodia, Ecuador and Thailand, all while still finding time for a little fun wherever he is to relieve the stress of his profession.
 Leckman received Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from Stanford University.  His Doctorate of Medicine degree and subsequent training was completed at the University of Utah, where the U of U School of Medicine Alumni Association named this busy father of two sons their 2016 Distinguished Humanitarian.
Rotary clubs in Utah – among more than 35,000 in the world who work together to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene; save mothers and children; support education and grow local economies – are located in about 50 communities from Logan to Blanding and Salt Lake City to St. George where nearly 2000 members willingly give “service above self” to address needs and improve lives locally, in the state and the world.
For more information, see www.utahrotary.org.