Dr. Craig J. Lenz, DO, FAODME, the new dean of the proposed osteopathic school of medicine in Dothan, was introduced during a mid-morning press conference on August 9, 2010.

Accompanied by Chief Executive Officer Ron Owen, Dr. Lenz said he is excited about the school’s potential of training future osteopathic doctors, adding that the proposed school will have a great economic impact on the area.

“I see that Dothan is a diamond in the rough that is ready to hit a phase of growth,” Dr. Lenz said. “The economic impact and spin-off will be enormous.”

New faculty, tuition and revenues produced by the influx of people could easily translate into a $13 million impact the first year the proposed college opens in 2012, he said, and could have more than a $100 million impact by the fourth year of accepting students, through the addition of hotels and other businesses.

“It could be even larger due to the marriage between the medical center and the proposed college. That adds more value to this,” he said. “A lot of these new colleges end up adding other components. A hotel and conference center is a real possibility.”

Owen said after four years, the proposed college could employ 60 full-time professionals who hold osteopathic, medical and PhD degrees. Another 20 knowledge-based and support jobs will also be created in areas like human resources, information technology and marketing. The full effect of a college would be felt long into the future.

“We are commissioning a more in-depth study on the economic impact,” Owen said. “Think of Birmingham. For a long time steel mills drove their economy, but now UAB is the economic engine of Birmingham, with just 60 years of history in that city.”

The first phase of construction expected to begin in the winter, includes a $30 million 100,000-square-foot college building and some residency housing.

Owen said Alabama’s two medical colleges, in Birmingham and Mobile, admit about 260 students a year.

Dr. Lenz was most recently the senior associate dean at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tenn. Dr. Lenz helped open that osteopathic school in 2007; DeBusk will graduate its first class in 2011.

“Harrogate, Tennessee is a very small town,” said the Minnesota native. “The real positive here is this community. There is so much here.”