Dave Williams describes his experience in space at a press conference after the space shuttle Endeavour landed on Aug. 21, 2007.STAN HONDA/AFP / Getty Images
A former Canadian astronaut is the new president and CEO of the Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont., just north of Toronto.
Most recently, Dr. Dave Williams served as professor of surgery and director of medical robotics at McMaster University and chief medical officer of patient safety and quality at St. Joseph's Healthcare System in Hamilton.
He has also worked at hospitals in Toronto and Kitchener, Ont., and at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Williams joined the Canadian Space Agency in 1992 and logged 687 hours in space, including nearly 18 hours in space walks.
Between his two spaceflights, he held the position of Director of the Space and Life Sciences Directorate at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. With that appointment, he became the first non-American to hold a senior management position within NASA.
Officials say his new appointment in Newmarket, effective July 18, occurs at a time when the hospital is expanding its operations to become a teaching and research centre.
Dr. Williams and his wife, Cathy Fraser, live in Oakville, with their two children.