On May 13, 2026, the Department of Surgery hosted an investiture ceremony to celebrate Dr. Luke Funk, professor in the Division of Minimally Invasive Surgery and the Layton F. Rikkers, MD Surgical Leadership Endowed Professor. Dr. Rebecca Minter, Chair of the Department of Surgery, began the ceremony with opening remarks and then presented Dr. Funk with his medallion. The ceremony concluded with a presentation from Dr. Funk.
The Layton F. Rikkers, MD Surgical Leadership Endowed Professorship was established in 2008 by donations from faculty, staff, residents, friends and grateful patients honoring Layton Rikkers, MD, for his 12 years as Chair of the Department of Surgery (1996 to 2008). This professorship supports a nationally recognized academic surgeon who has demonstrated excellence in leadership at both the local and national levels.
Dr. Funk is the Chief of General Surgery at the William S. Middleton Veterans Administration Hospital and the Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Surgery. In 2025, Dr. Funk was selected as the new Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Surgery Open, after previously servings as an Associate Editor.
The Department of Surgery would like to thank the generous donors and friends that made this professorship possible.