Dr. Rony Francois - Men's Soccer (1980-83) - Class of 2005
Dr. M. "Max" Rony Francois, M.D., M.S.P.H, Ph.D.,was once a standout for the UCF men's soccer team from 1980-83, being selected a three-time All-South performer and earned All-America honors in 1982. He led the team to two Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament titles and its first two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1982 and 1983.
Francois earned first-team All-Sunshine State Conference honors three times and was named the league's offensive MVP twice. He finished his career third in career scoring (101), fourth in career goals (39), and fifth in career assists (23). He was named Sunshine State Conference Offensive MVP in 1980 and 1981. He joined in 2005 his former head coach, Jim Rudy, in the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame.
Following his UCF career, Francois did play soccer professional for the American Soccer League Orlando Lions, where he was the franchise' first pro signing in 1987 and led the club for two years in scoring.
Dr. Francois would later move into the public health sector, where he eventually rose to Secretary of the Florida Department of Health. Dr. Francois was the first Haitian-American to head Florida's principal public health agency, from September 2005 until January 2007. To follow, the State of Louisiana appointed him its Assistant Secretary for the Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health in 2008.
Francois was an assistant professor at the University of South Florida Colleges of Public Health and Medicine at the time of his most recent appointment.
Francois has an extensive educational foundation in public health. He holds undergraduate degrees in Physical Education and Biology and has earned master's degrees in Exercise Physiology and Public Health. In addition, Francois received his doctorate in Environmental Toxicology/Public Health at USF, where he also graduated from medical school.
Dr. Francois oversees the daily functions of DHH's Office of Public Health. He will be work closely with programs such as infectious disease reporting, maternal and child health, food, dairy and drug safety, health safety inspections, immunizations, vital records and statistics, access to primary and rural health care, obesity and the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and the HIV/AIDS program, as well as many other programs and services. He will also be responsible for managing the office's $330-million annual budget and other administrative duties.
Francois, who served as a Presidential delegate to the swearing in of the President of Haiti as well as serving on public health delegations to the Bahamas, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, will begin his appointment by the middle of March.