Richard A. Shlofmitz named chairman of cardiology department for St. Francis Hospital, the Heart...

NAME: Richard A. Shlofmitz

TITLE: Chairman of the Department of Cardiology

ORGANIZATION: St. Francis Hospital, the Heart Center

FAVORITE MEAL: T-bone steak with french fries

St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center has named Richard A. Shlofmitz chairman of the department of

The hospital trumpets him as one of the most experienced cardiologists in the nation - a "pioneer in the adoption of groundbreaking cardiac interventional treatments," such as drug-releasing stents.

He will now lead and coordinate seven different divisions of cardiology at St. Francis, including interventional cardiology, noninvasive cardiology, electrophysiology and clinical research. Some of his goals for his new position include expanding the heart failure center, bringing clinical education to the community and focusing on preventive cardiology.

Shlofmitz joined the St. Francis staff in 1987 in the department of cardiology and medicine. He was most recently the director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory and interventional cardiology before his promotion.

He earned his medical degree at New York University Medical School and was chief medical resident at North Shore University Hospital. He was a clinical fellow in cardiology at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, and then completed an extra year of fellowship training at Columbia in clinical research and cardiac angioplasty.

In his spare time, Shlofmitz loves to eat, cook and travel - as well as make jokes. With a twinkle of humor, he told LIBN his favorite meal is a T-bone steak with french fries. And his favorite travel destination?

"I like to travel anywhere where you don't need shots, and you can't be shot," he said. He also said he has a wonderful family including a wife and three daughters.

Credit: Alison Snyder