This is the first in a series of profiles of Andrew Warde High School alumni who have distinguished themselves in their professional careers. Dr. Eric Mazur graduated from Andrew Warde High School in 1967 and was graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1971 with a B. S. E. degree in aerospace and mechanical sciences.
He is pictured with his W11 junior homeroom class in the 1966 Flame yearbook below. He is second from the right in the third row.
Dr. Eric Mazur is an internist and specialist in hematology and oncology. He has recently retired from his position of Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Norwalk Hospital in which he served for four years. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mazur was responsible for the physicians and the quality of all medical care delivered at the hospital. Under his leadership, Norwalk Hospital established recognized centers of excellence in lung and colon cancer, pelvic health, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and joint replacement surgery.
Dr. Mazur fondly recalled his days at Andrew Warde High School. "I can sincerely say that those four years were some of happiest and most transformative of my entire life," he told me via email. "My experience playing three years of varsity football really helped me mature and achieve a balance between academics (to which I had always been drawn) and the other aspects of life, i.e. athletics and the developing social life of a healthy teenager. I have thought a good deal about what are my 'fondest memories' at Warde and they always come back to the people.
"Among the faculty, I remember Mrs. Spitalny and her dry wit (she always called me "amazing Maze") and Mr. Pagani who pushed me and others outside of our comfort zones," he continued. "Mr. Pagani gave me my only 'C' in my high school career, a grade that was probably well-deserved because of my failure to fully apply myself during that marking period."
He is pictured with his W11 junior homeroom class in the 1966 Flame yearbook below. He is second from the right in the third row.
Dr. Eric Mazur is an internist and specialist in hematology and oncology. He has recently retired from his position of Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Norwalk Hospital in which he served for four years. As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mazur was responsible for the physicians and the quality of all medical care delivered at the hospital. Under his leadership, Norwalk Hospital established recognized centers of excellence in lung and colon cancer, pelvic health, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and joint replacement surgery.
Dr. Mazur fondly recalled his days at Andrew Warde High School. "I can sincerely say that those four years were some of happiest and most transformative of my entire life," he told me via email. "My experience playing three years of varsity football really helped me mature and achieve a balance between academics (to which I had always been drawn) and the other aspects of life, i.e. athletics and the developing social life of a healthy teenager. I have thought a good deal about what are my 'fondest memories' at Warde and they always come back to the people.
"But, my fondest and best memories are those of my friends," wrote Dr. Mazur, who received the 2014 William J. Tracey Award from Norwalk Hospital, which is given to the doctor who best displays leadership, character, involvement in community service, and exemplary clinical skill. "I recall regular triple dates with Bruce Kelley and Barbara Pittori, Jeff Weiss and Susan Goldberg and Susan Ginsberg with me. (Remember when Susan Goldberg's parents came home unexpectedly early?) I remember Susan Ginsberg's car, a Valiant convertible, that provided many of us with 'wheels' for the first time."
Dr. Mazur's other recent achievements include recognition in 2012 as Master, American College of Physicians, one of only ten living internists in the State of Connecticut so honored, and receipt of the William F. Thornton Award for teaching and medical education from the American College of Physicians. In the last several years, Dr. Mazur has been named repeatedly by Castle Connellyรข to “Top Doctors: New York Metro Area” and listed in Best Doctors in America.
He has many other memories about his days at Warde. "I remember ski trips to Vermont, sometimes round-trip in one day, with Fred Bogin, Mark Bleier and Mike Salvana. I remember the regular basketball and wiffle ball games in Andy Olschan's backyard with Bruce Kelley, Donnie Helfer, Fred Bogin and Steve Silver. I remember the double-football practices in late August, before school began, and my football co-captains, Gabe Pettner and Ed Kachmar. I remember our wonderful basketball team and how they were able to regularly achieve the winning records that eluded us in football. And, I remember all the girls with whom I grew up and on whom I had so many crushes - Barbara Ziu, Connie Levinson, Susan Ginsberg, Evelyn Scales, Ellen Scheinman, and all of the cheerleaders."
Prior to his role as Chief Medical Officer,
Dr. Mazur served for 16 years as Norwalk Hospital’s Chairman of the Department
of Medicine. During that time, he focused his leadership efforts on achieving measurable quality in
patient care, excellence in resident education, the introduction of
computerized medical records, and the development of a novel teaching
hospitalist program that received national recognition.
Dr. Mazur also participated in founding of the Norwalk Community Health Center in 1994, serving on its medical staff and on its Board of Directors from its inception until 2005. From 2005 to 2009, Dr. Mazur served as the elected representative of Connecticut’s internal medicine physician community as Governor of the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP).
As ACP Governor, Dr. Mazur was very involved in political advocacy, annually visiting Washington, D.C. to lobby on behalf of primary care internal medicine and healthcare reform. For these activities, he received the “Top 10 Key Contact Special Recognition Award” from the ACP in 2005.
Dr. Mazur also participated in founding of the Norwalk Community Health Center in 1994, serving on its medical staff and on its Board of Directors from its inception until 2005. From 2005 to 2009, Dr. Mazur served as the elected representative of Connecticut’s internal medicine physician community as Governor of the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP).
As ACP Governor, Dr. Mazur was very involved in political advocacy, annually visiting Washington, D.C. to lobby on behalf of primary care internal medicine and healthcare reform. For these activities, he received the “Top 10 Key Contact Special Recognition Award” from the ACP in 2005.
Since 2002, Dr. Mazur has served as co-host of “Health
Talk”, Cablevision’s nightly “Local Programming” television show (channel 84)
that provides health education for much of lower Fairfield County. During the past 12 years, he has hosted
almost 450 half hour ”Health Talk” episodes, covering subjects from bunions to pet
therapy to cancer research. He has also
been a frequent requested guest for local television news and health programs.
Dr. Mazur was graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1971 with a B.S.E. degree in aerospace and mechanical sciences. In 1975, he was graduated Alpha Omega Alpha from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his first two years of internal medicine residency at the Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester and returned to Connecticut in 1977, completing his internal medicine residency and a hematology/oncology fellowship at Yale University in 1981.
Dr. Mazur was graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1971 with a B.S.E. degree in aerospace and mechanical sciences. In 1975, he was graduated Alpha Omega Alpha from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed his first two years of internal medicine residency at the Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester and returned to Connecticut in 1977, completing his internal medicine residency and a hematology/oncology fellowship at Yale University in 1981.
Dr. Mazur spent the first part of his career as Chief of Hematology/Oncology at Miriam Hospital and on the full time medical school faculty of Brown University in Providence RI. At Miriam Hospital, he developed an active clinical hematology/oncology practice and performed laboratory research, creating novel test tube models for studying human blood platelet production. Dr. Mazur has published over 45 scientific papers and his research has been presented both nationally and internationally. He moved to Norwalk Hospital in 1995 where he has worked for the past 20 years.
Dr. Mazur lives in Weston with his wife, Abby. They
have two grown sons and two granddaughters. Dr. Mazur’s first love is his family, but he also enjoys reading fiction,
skiing, hiking, travel, languages, digital photography and computers.
"Paul, thank you so much for keeping Andrew Warde alive for me and so many others who benefitted so much from and so cherish those high school years," he concluded.
Paul
"Paul, thank you so much for keeping Andrew Warde alive for me and so many others who benefitted so much from and so cherish those high school years," he concluded.
Paul
