He grew up in Houston, Texas, where he attended Baylor College of Medicine graduating with honors. He completed a 5-year general surgery residency under Dr. Michael DeBakey in the Baylor Affiliated Hospitals and a 2-year cardiothoracic residency under Dr. Denton Cooley at the Texas Heart Institute. He has started and run his own private practice as well as served on the fulltime faculty of Baylor College of Medicine where he was Professor of Surgery, Chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Program Director of the Cardiothoracic Residency and Vice Chair of Academic Affairs in the Department of Surgery. He has spent his entire career at the Houston Methodist Hospital serving in numerous administrative positions including President of the Medical Staff. He serves as the Weill Cornell Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Allison Family Distinguished Chair of Cardiovascular Research at the Houston Methodist Hospital. He is the national surgery PI for the SURTAVI, Evolut Low-Risk, Reprise III, Portico NG, Vantage and Acurate TAVR trials. He is the national study chair for the ARISE type A stent graft and Cephea TMVR EFS trials. He has written over 800 medical and scientific papers, book chapters and abstracts and frequently lectures nationally and internationally on his research and clinical interests of cardiac valvular disease, thoracic aortic disease and cardiac tumors. He has been married for 47 years to Robin and has 2 daughters and 3 granddaughters and 1 grandson.
His research interests include transcatheter and open structural heart disease therapy, thoracic aortic therapy and cardiac tumors.
