Milestones of Service: Honoring UNC Anesthesiology’s 2026 State Service Award Recipients

 
UNC Department of Anesthesiology proudly recognizes our faculty members who were honored with the 2026 North Carolina State Service Awards, celebrating their years of dedicated service to the people of North Carolina, UNC Health, and the UNC School of Medicine.  These awards acknowledge careers devoted to excellence in patient care, education, research, and service. Each milestone reflects not only years of employment but also a lasting commitment to advancing our department’s mission and improving the lives of patients, learners, and colleagues.

This year, we are especially proud to recognize Dr. David Mayer and Dr. Anthony Passannante, each of whom achieved the extraordinary milestone of 35 years of State service.  Beyond the exceptional clinical contributions, both Drs. Mayer and Passannante have exemplified over three+ decades the values that define our department: integrity, compassion, collegiality, and a steadfast commitment to academic medicine. Their legacy extends well beyond the operating room through their mentorship, leadership, and influence on the culture of excellence that continues to distinguish the Department of Anesthesiology.

The department is deeply grateful for their remarkable service and congratulates them on this exceptional achievement.

The Department of Anesthesiology is pleased to recognize all faculty members who celebrate milestone years of dedicated State service in 2026:

UNC Anesthesiology Chair Ted Sakai, MD, PhD, MHA, FASA, noted: The Department of Anesthesiology extends its heartfelt congratulations to all of this year’s honorees. Whether celebrating five years or thirty-five years of service, each recipient has made meaningful contributions to our missions of outstanding patient care, education, research, and innovation.  We thank our colleagues for their dedication and are honored to celebrate these important milestones together.

This year, we lift up Drs. Mayer’s and Passannante’s 35 years of service as a rare accomplishment that demonstrates extraordinary dedication to a single academic medical institution. Over more than three decades, Drs. Mayer and Passannante have witnessed—and helped shape—the evolution of anesthesiology at UNC. Their careers have spanned generations of residents, fellows, medical students, faculty colleagues, and countless patients whose care has benefited from their expertise, professionalism, and unwavering commitment.”