Call Open for Nominations for Nationally and Internationally Influential Texas Medical Educators.

aFourth annual TIAA-CREF Distinguished Medical Educator Award honors the accomplishments of medical education professionalsa

HOUSTON -- TIAA-CREF, the financial services organization and leading provider of retirement services in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields, and

The TIAA-CREF Distinguished Medical Educator Award annually honors teaching physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals who have a long history of significant contributions to medical education and have nationally and internationally influenced medical education. Eligible 2007 nominees are medical (teaching physician) or non-medical (nurse, doctorate or equivalent professional designation) who exemplify the highest standards of leadership, guidance and dedication in medical education both professionally and personally.

To honor those who have made long-term investments in the lives of others, TIAA-CREF and The Health Museum will jointly recognize the recipient at an award ceremony in spring of 2007. The recipient will receive a $10,000 cash honorarium and 20 scholarships will be donated in the recipient's name to children attending The Health Museum's Mini Medical School Summer Camp.

The 2007 recipient will follow in the footsteps of the three previous recipients, Dr. Ralph D. Feigin, J.S. Abercrombie Professor of Pediatrics and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine and the Physician-in-Chief for Texas Children's Hospital; Dr. Herbert L. Fred, Professor of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston; and Dr. Frank C. Arnett, Jr., Professor of Internal Medicine and Elizabeth Bidgood Chair in Rheumatology at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.

"TIAA-CREF is honored to recognize these educators whose life work advances the greater good," said Tim Lane, Vice President, Client Services, TIAA-CREF. "Through their contributions to future physicians and nurses, these individuals have had far reaching influence on medical research and education and greatly impacted the quality of healthcare in Texas."

The 2007 steering committee, established to govern the award and evaluate nomination entries, is comprised of some of the industry's top health professionals, including Dr. Bobby Alford, Chancellor, Baylor College of Medicine; Dr. L. Maximilian Buja, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston Medical School; Dr. Willis C. Maddrey, Executive Vice President for Clinical Affairs at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas; Dr. David R. Smith, Chancellor of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; steering committee Chair Dr. Michael Speer, Medical Director of Quality and Outcomes Management at Texas Children's Hospital; Dr. Patricia Starck, Dean of UT School of Nursing at Houston; and Dr. Pamela Watson, Dean, UT Medical Branch School of Nursing New additions to the steering committee this year are Dr. Lewis E. Foxhall, Vice President for Health Policy, Office of Physician Relations, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and Dr. Roderick E. McCallum, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Texas A&M Health Science Center.

The deadline for nominations is January 15, 2007. To nominate a distinguished medical educator, visit http://www.tiaa-crefaward.org or call Melissa Quiroz Campbell at 713-523-7900 for more information.

About TIAA-CREF

TIAA-CREF is a national financial services organization with more than $380 billion in combined assets under management (6/30/06) and the leading provider of retirement services to individuals and institutions in the academic, research, medical, philanthropic and cultural fields. Further information can be found at www.tiaa-cref.org.

TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, and Teachers Personal Investors Services, Inc., distribute securities products.