John C. Vangilder (1935–2007): Neurosurgical Leader and Founder of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Iowa

John C. VanGilder, the former professor and chairman of neurosurgery at The University of Iowa died on August 27, 2007 after making a lasting impact to the field of neurosurgery both in the United States and abroad. In this manuscript, we review VanGilder's life and achievements. VanGilder was born in 1935 in West Virginia and received his undergraduate education at West Virginia University in Morgantown. He studied medicine at the University of West Virginia, completing his final 2 years at the University of Pittsburgh, and after serving in the U.S. military, completed his neurosurgical training at Washington University in St. Louis. He was appointed to faculty positions first at Yale University and later at The University of Iowa, where he became professor and later chairman of the Division of Neurosurgery. VanGilder also served as president of the Society of Neurological Surgeons (1997–1998), president of the Neurosurgical Society of America (1998–1999), chairman of the American Board of Neurological Surgery (1997–1998), and vice president of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery. At The University of Iowa, VanGilder played a key role in the transition of the Division of Neurosurgery to a Department of Neurosurgery and mentored several neurosurgeons who would go on to become department chairmen or make other important neurosurgical contributions at other medical schools in the United States. •John VanGilder was head of neurosurgery at the University of Iowa from 1976 to 2001.•VanGilder set the foundation for the Department of Neurosurgery at Iowa.•VanGilder also played a key role in organized neurosurgery in the United States.•Many of VanGilder's resident trainees went on to lead neurosurgery programs.