January 2008 — Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., has announced that Marc A. Buoniconti has been named president of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
For more than 22 years, Marc has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of The Miami Project. He and his family also created The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, established in 1992, to serve as the fundraising arm of The Miami Project. Through remarkably successful efforts including special events, cause-related marketing initiatives and the development and management of a nationwide network of volunteers, Marc and his family have raised tens of millions of dollars to support clinical and basic scientific approaches to finding a cure for paralysis at The Miami Project.
“Marc Buoniconti has been an indispensable, inspirational leader at The Miami Project for more than two decades, and he truly embodies the mission and message of hope for a cure,” says Dean Goldschmidt. “Marc has rallied everyone around his goal to bolster the efforts that will unlock the secrets of spinal cord injury and regeneration. His untiring commitment to the cause defines his work as a community leader and role model for anyone who wants to make a significant impact on the future of medicine. In every way he has earned the title of president.”
The son of legendary All-Pro and Hall of Fame linebacker and former Miami Dolphin Nick Buoniconti, and a gifted athlete in his own right, Marc started as linebacker for his college football team at The Citadel, South Carolina’s premier military institution. In 1985, he sustained a severe spinal cord injury in a game against East Tennessee. At only 19 years old, Marc’s long road to recovery began, as did his commitment to freeing people from their wheelchairs forever.
Formerly ambassador of The Miami Project, Marc will continue his work as a community advocate, a role he has embraced by serving on several local, state and federal committees, giving hundreds of interviews, speaking at countless public appearances, and inspiring the nation with his courage. The position of president is a volunteer position appointed by the Dean of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
After bequeathing the role of president to Buoniconti, Barth A. Green, M.D., who co-founded The Miami Project and cared for Marc following his injury, will become chairman, a new position overseeing all aspects of the organization. “This appointment is in recognition of Marc’s total commitment to the goals and success of our research center and its programs,” says Dr. Green, who is also professor and chairman of neurological surgery. “It is our belief that in his new and expanded role, Marc will be able to further enhance our efforts to take our research to the next level and to represent us more effectively in local, national and international forums.”