HOUSTON (November 13, 2014) – Dr. Denton A. Cooley, founder and President Emeritus of the Texas Heart Institute (THI) and Dr. James T. Willerson, President of THI, have announced the appointment of Dr. David A. Ott as THI’s Surgeon-in-Chief.

David A. Ott, MD

Dr. Ott, who has been a member of the THI professional staff for 35 years, succeeds Dr. Cooley, who held the position for the past 50 years and now will be Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus.

“Dr. Ott is one of the finest, most dedicated  physicians I have had the pleasure of working with and has an unsurpassed skill and experience as a surgeon and innovator,” said Dr. Cooley. “I am proud to pass to him this torch, which he no doubt will keep burning bright.”

A cardiovascular surgeon at THI, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, a part of the CHI St. Luke's Health System, and Texas Children’s Hospital, Dr. Ott is also active in teaching, holding appointments as Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). He has performed more than 20,000 heart and vascular procedures. His reputation for technical expertise is recognized nationally and internationally and he is known for his intrepid approach to the most difficult problems.

A Phi Beta Kappa honors graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Ott moved to Houston in 1968 to attend BCM, where he graduated with honors in 1972, and was named to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Dr. Ott also served in the 4005th Army Hospital Unit of the U.S. Army Reserves from 1972 to 1978.

Dr. Ott is certified by the American Board of Thoracic  and Cardiovascular Surgery (1978). He is also a member of numerous professional and surgical societies, including the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons. Dr. Ott is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Cardiology. Having lectured in 15 countries and authored more than 140 articles in the surgical literature, Dr. Ott has enjoyed a national reputation in the field of cardiovascular surgery. He is listed in The Best Doctors in America.

About the Texas Heart® Institute
The Texas Heart Institute (www.texasheart.org), founded by world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Denton A. Cooley in 1962, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative and progressive programs in research, education and improved patient care. Together with its clinical partner, CHI St. Luke’s Health-Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, it has been ranked among the top cardiovascular centers in the United States by U.S. News & World Report’s annual guide to “America’s Best Hospitals” for the past 24 years. The Texas Heart Institute is also affiliated with the University of Texas (UT) System, which promotes collaboration in cardiovascular research and education among UT and THI faculty at the Texas Heart Institute and other UT components.