Ira Kodner

Ira J. Kodner (born 1941) is an Emeritus Professor of Surgery and Endowed Chair at the Washington University School of Medicine and a Director of the Center for the Study of Ethics and Human Values.

Kodner was born in Kentucky to a Ukrainian refugee, Solzik (Charles) Kodner and Sofia Lookofsky, a native of Paducah. Both parents had Ukrainian and Jewish blood in their veins. Eventually, his family moved to University City, Missouri where they rented an apartment, ran a drugstore, and indulged their son to join Jewish kids during Wednesday night's ceremony at the local synagogue.

In 1960s, Kodner earned a scholarship to attend Washington University in St. Louis and following it, expanded his study into Washington University School of Medicine from which he graduated in 1967. He then joined the Jewish Hospital of St. Louis at the Washington University Medical Center and while there, attended a meeting of the St. Louis Ostomy Association at the Deaconess Hospital. Following it, he did Colon and Rectal Surgery fellowship at the Washington University School of Medicine.

Kodner was a chemist for Monsanto but following a three-year service in the US Army, pursued training as colon and rectal surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio. He returned to St. Louis, Missouri in 1975 and became private practitioner and faculty member at the Washington University School of Medicine where he helped develop a program on Colon and Rectal Surgery.

From 1997 to 1998, Ira Kodner was a President of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

In 2004, Ira Kodner was appointed as director of the Washington University Center for the Study of Ethics and Human Values.

From 2003 to 2013, Kodner served as Solon and Bettie Gershman Professor. He retired from the position after 10 years in service, giving the seat to Matthew Mutch.

Kodner lives in Frontenac, Missouri and since 1967 is married to Barbara, a historian from Olivette, Missouri with whom he have three children and two grandchildren. Ira Kodner's hobbies include photography, cooking and growing orchids. Politically, Kodner considers himself to be a liberal.

Since 1977, Kodner is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. In 2018, Dr. Kodner was honored with the Presidential Achievement Award from the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation at the Missouri History Museum.