Over 60 years ago, the community came together to build a hospital, and countless have benefited from this legacy of generosity. Since then, the Hoag name has become synonymous with outstanding care and excellent facilities made possible largely through ongoing community support. Our timeline provides highlights of a small fraction of the impact donors have made over the decades. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has partnered with Hoag to provide such a treasure to be Orange County communities.
Although the shortage of hospital beds impacted all of Orange County in the early 1940s, nowhere was the deficiency more painfully evident than along the fog-shrouded Pacific Coast Highway which was beset by traffic accidents and critical injuries. At that time, the nearest hospital was several miles inland.
Through the dedication of Presbyterian ministers Reverend Raymond Brahams and Reverend Scott McFarland, as well as Senator John Murdy and a committee of others, the long road from planning and fundraising to building, filled with triumphs and setbacks, resulted in Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. Early on, aviator Glenn Martin jumpstarted the fundraising with the pledge of $100,000, just as a stunning piece of property became available along the bluffs of Newport Beach.
Grace Hoag wanted to build a memorial to her late husband George Hoag after he passed away in 1948. The proposed hospital, overlooking the city he loved, was a perfect fit. As the head of the Hoag Family Foundation, Mrs. Hoag provided the $500,000 grant needed to get the hospital project off the ground. She funded the construction and furnishing of the nurses’ quarters on the Hoag campus so staff would have an affordable place to live. She gave generously every time the hospital needed assistance, often writing off “loans” the Hoag Family Foundation provided.
Mrs. Hoag was a very active board member, along with her son, George Hoag II, who became board president. She played a vital role at the hospital until she died in 1970 at age 100.
The original committee formed to build a hospital on the Southern California coast raised over $1.1 million from the community to break ground but the fundraising didn’t stop there. In 1951, a $7,500 commitment was recognized with a plaque in the main lobby, one of several “living memorials” available as part of Hoag’s fundraising campaign to furnish the new facility. The hospital also had the novel idea of encouraging people to make donations to the fundraising campaign in lieu of flowers at funerals—a notion that was met with a strongly worded letter from the Orange County Florist Association.
In the first year, 3,650 patients were treated and 1,920 babies were born at the new hospital.
Community leaders John Vibert, Marshall Duffield and Vin Jorgensen founded the 552 Club with 13 original members in 1966. They realized early on that they did not simply want donations—they wanted donors who were advocates of bringing outstanding healthcare to the community. The original idea was to collect $100 in annual dues from each member as a means to support the hospital’s goal of expanding to 552 beds.
The idea got off to somewhat of a tepid start until film legend John Wayne showed his financial support and even attended one of the Club meetings. The 552 Club continued increasing membership and showcasing the hospital by hosting many successful events that have become annual traditions including the Toshiba Classic, Christmas Carol Ball and Movie Screening.
The James Irvine Surgical Center wasn’t just a new building - it was an entirely new concept in healthcare. The center opened on Hoag’s Newport Beach campus in 1972 and became the first outpatient surgery center in California, and one of the first two or three in the United States. The three operating rooms in the 4,000-square-foot facility accommodated some 40 different minor surgical procedures, lowered costs for patients and eased pressures on the main hospital’s operating rooms. The strategy was an immediate success. Today, a large percentage of surgeries around the nation are performed on an outpatient basis - Hoag is one of the pioneers of the concept.
The 552 Club fostered the “Reach Years” campaign for a new tower from 1969 to 1971. The campaign resulted in a brick and mortar landmark that dramatically impacted the level of healthcare in the community. This tower provided Hoag with the needed capacity to serve the growing population. Before the tower was complete, Hoag leased space at a convalescent hospital across the street to gain access to an additional 93 beds. Hoag became a major institution with the completion of the tower - it provided the facilities and capacity to develop new programs and accommodate the increasing patient volume.
The Crosby Southern Pro-AM Golf Tournament began in 1975 after Marshall Duffield convinced the Bing Crosby family to allow Hoag to host an event in Newport Beach as a back-up for professional golfers who failed to qualify for Crosby’s PGA Tour event in Pebble Beach. Hoag’s affiliation with the Crosby tournament dissolved in the 1980s and Hoag volunteers began actively recruiting professional participants for the Newport Classic which evolved into the Taco Bell Newport Classic in 1993.
In 1998, Hoag partnered with Toshiba to launch the Toshiba Senior Classic. Two years later, the Toshiba Senior Classic would become the first event in Senior Tour history to raise $1 million in a single year. And today, it is widely recognized as the finest event on the tour.
In the late 1970s, lawmakers were considering the idea of deducting the donations that hospitals received from the amount of money the government provided in Medicare reimbursements. Hospitals across the country began scrambling to respond. The solution at Hoag was to set up a foundation separate from the hospital that could hold all charitable donations. In 1978, Hoag created the Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Foundation. At the time, the foundation simply received gifts as a “pass through.”
The legislation never came to pass and in 1988 the foundation was restructured to its current format and renamed the Hoag Hospital Foundation, with Arnold Beckman as its first president. With a redefined structure, new by-laws and a 15-member board, the new Foundation spurred greater community involvement and leadership in support of Hoag.
In 1987, Newport Beach resident and breast cancer survivor, Sandy Sewell, founded Circle 1000 to support the Hoag Family Cancer Institute. Her idea was to gather a group of friends who would contribute at least $1,000 annually and each was tasked with asking their own circle of friends to participate.
The Circle 1000 committee invites community members to make an annual gift in support of cancer services at Hoag. In recognition of donors’ support, Circle 1000 hosts the annual brunch highlighted with a noted speaker.
The Patty & George Hoag Cancer Center started out with the most modest of intentions. After introducing the first linear accelerator (used to deliver radiation treatments) to Orange County in 1975, Hoag was looking for a space to put a second one. What evolved over the next few years was an expanded plan to include space for outpatient cancer treatment and oncologist offices so patients could come to one location for treatment.
Hoag leaders began to challenge themselves and began looking at creating a different kind of facility. They decided to build a free-standing cancer center on the hospitals lower campus. Today, the Patty & George Hoag Cancer Center is regarded as one of the finest community cancer centers in the nation.
Choose Nursing, Choose Hoag is a Hoag Hospital Foundation community task force formed in 2004 to raise awareness of the shortage of nurses entering the workforce and to raise funds in support of recruiting, developing, retaining and providing career advancement opportunities for nurses at Hoag.
Hoag leaders strongly believed that nursing education is, in large part, the answer to the current nursing shortage. Due to the nationwide and local shortage of nursing professors, potential nursing students can be put on waiting lists for up to two years. Choose Nursing, Choose Hoag has made a tremendous impact since its inception by providing nursing scholarships, funding nursing professorships at local colleges and universities and developing the Marion Knott Nursing Education Center
Funds provided by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation were integral to the development of breast cancer research at Hoag. Research efforts funded by a $2.5 million grant made by the Beckman Foundation in 2002 concentrated on the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to more effectively define the existence and extent of cancer and to better focus therapy. With the opening of the Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion, Hoag installed the first MRI unit in Southern California dedicated for Women’s Services. In recognition of their generosity, Hoag named the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Imaging Center in the Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion.
The dream began in 2000 when plans were unveiled for a new Women’s Health Services medical facility and Hoag Hospital Foundation announced a $50 million capital campaign in support. Three community leaders picked up the banner and moved the campaign forward with passion and commitment—Arden Flamson, Sandy Sewell and Ginny Ueberroth.
By the end of 2002, the capital campaign announced the successful completion of the $50 million commitment and the generosity continued. In 2004, the 552 Club proudly achieved its goal of raising $10 million in support of the new pavilion and in 2005, Sue and Bill Gross made an unprecedented gift of $20 million. In recognition of their generosity, the new facility was named the Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion.
2007 marked the dedication of the all-faiths Maseeh Chapel, located just off the main entrance of Hoag Hospital Newport Beach. Serving people of all religions and beliefs, the Chapel was built with a generous grant from the Messiah Foundation, which is funded by Fariborz and Azam Maseeh. The Newport Beach couple realized the need for a peaceful retreat for families and made the decision to provide the funds to construct the Chapel. In recognition of their generosity, the Maseeh Chapel was dedicated in their name.
A place of peace, contemplation and comfort, the Chapel is a spiritual sanctuary for all who need it.
Featuring dedicated classroom space and advanced technology, the Marion Knott Nursing Education Center is designed to enhance nursing skills and education. Created as a venue to educate Hoag’s current nursing staff, new hires and nursing students from area nursing schools, the capacity and facilities of the Center are unique in the region. Thanks to a generous $700,000 donation from Marion Knott, and her challenge for others to follow suit, the Center assists Hoag in educating aspiring nurses, orienting new Hoag nurses to best practices and advancing the careers of established nurses by helping them stay on the leading edge of technology.
The Crean Foundation committed $5 million in support of The Donna & John Crean Child Care Center, which is named in recognition of their generous gift. A home-away-from-home for the children of Hoag Hospital Newport Beach employees, the fully accredited facility provides Hoag’s working parents with peace of mind and convenience. The facility features a breast-feeding station, outdoor play area, large covered patios, basketball and handball courts and a wilderness area for children to explore.
Andy Crean, son of Donna and John, and director of The Crean Foundation, says “It was the fact that children are being so well taken care of, and how that translates into better patient care at Hoag. My mother was delighted, and I know my father would be very proud.”
The Marilyn Herbert Hausman Advanced Technology Pavilion is named in loving memory of Marilyn Eleanor Herbert Hausman (1935-2008) by her mother, Mrs. Josephine Herbert Troy Gleis. Marilyn was an exceptional woman with a personality and passion for life that inspired those who knew her. The facility is a reflection of Marilyn’s deep concern for others, her enthusiasm for technology, and her abiding commitment to patient-centered care.
The Don and Joan Beall Family Fund made a $1 million donation in support of the Advanced Technology Pavilion and advanced Alzheimer’s Disease research in loving memory of Margaret Beall. In recognition of their generosity, Hoag named the Margaret Beall Advanced Brain Function and Imaging Suite in the Advanced Technology Pavilion.
The James Easton Family Foundation generously donated $2 million to establish the Easton Health in Pregnancy Program (E-HIPP). Co-developed by Lynn Easton, James Easton’s daughter, E-HIPP incorporates three specific components: assessment and management of high-risk patients, health and wellness during pregnancy and an integrated pregnancy-in women-with-cancer program.
Robert and Georgia Roth made the decision to create the Robert & Georgia Roth Endowed Chair for Excellence in Cardiac Care because they believe in Hoag’s ability to positively influence the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Dipti Itchhaporia, M.D., F.A.C.C., medical director of Disease Management for Hoag Heart & Vascular Institute was the holder of the Robert & Georgia Roth Endowed Chair for Excellence in Cardiac Care from 2008 through 2018.
The opening of Hoag’s Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center created an unprecedented resource for physicians and their patients who are living with diabetes. The Allen Center provides comprehensive services for adults and children with diabetes including prevention, early detection, prompt care, education and support.
Mary and Dick Allen, who played vital leadership roles in the development of the Center, made a $1 million leadership gift and worked to build a larger endowment. “Put simply, the Allen Diabetes Center is going to make a difference in the quality of life for those affected by diabetes and their families,” says Dick Allen. In recognition of their significant commitment, the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center was named in their honor.
Thanks to generous community support, the Hoag Neurosciences Institute gathered a group of world-class specialists in the areas of stroke, brain tumor, movement disorders, pain and mood disorders and memory disorders - under one roof to deliver care as an integrated team. The multi-specialty facility houses neurosurgeons, neurology, orofacial pain and neuropsychology specialists as well as memory/cognitive disorders and comprehensive pain syndrome specialists. The new Hoag Neurosciences Institute - Lower Campus is located on the third floor of the Conference Center building on Hoag’s Newport Beach campus. It is directly across from the Marilyn Herbert Hausman Technology Pavilion which provides the latest neurodiagnostic imaging and Gamma Knife treatment technology.
The opening of the new Judy & Richard Voltmer Sleep Center provided our community with increased capacity for over-night sleep studies in lovely and private accommodations utilizing advanced diagnostic equipment. Aware of the importance sleep plays in overall neurological and cardiovascular health, Judy and Richard Voltmer directed a gift to sleep. In recognition of their significant commitment, the Judy & Richard Voltmer Sleep Center was named in their honor.
The opening of Hoag Hospital Irvine marked the physical expansion of Hoag’s brand of outstanding care to Irvine and the South Orange County communities. Hoag Hospital Irvine provides a wide array of inpatient and outpatient services, including a fully staffed emergency room completely re-engineered to improve the speed and quality of emergent care. The expansive $84 million renovation effort was completed ahead of schedule and on-budget.
Long time philanthropists and community volunteer leaders, Richard and Judy find great joy and meaning in using their good fortune to help others. Describing Hoag as their “home away from home,” they were inspired to establish the Judy & Richard Voltmer Endowed Chair in Memory and Cognitive Disorders, Neurosciences Institute awarded to William R. Shankle, MS, MD, FACP.
Robert and Marjie Bennett provided $2 million to fund a hybrid operating room at Hoag which enables diagnostic imaging and surgical procedures to be performed simultaneously in the same room. This results in safer treatment, shorter hospital stays, faster recoveries and improved outcomes.
“We’re hoping this gift will help make these surgeries easier on people and ultimately save some lives,” says Robert Bennett. “If it can do that, then Marjie and I will be very happy. We are fortunate to have a place like Hoag nearby. It’s simply the best hospital around.” In recognition of their generosity, Hoag has named the Robert M. & Marjie Bennett Advanced Cardiovascular Surgical Program.
In gratitude for a transformational gift, one of the three largest in Hoag’s history, Hoag has named its newly renovated and expanded emergency department, The Joan & Andy Fimiano Emergency Pavilion. The 2011 dedication ceremony celebrated the generosity of the Fimianos as well as long-time Hoag supporters and $1 million emergency department donors, Walter and Mary Frome, for whom the Walter & Mary Frome Emergency Suite is named. It also recognized Pamela Stowers, whose $1 million bequest, and years of service as a dedicated Hoag Auxiliary volunteer, was honored with a permanent tribute in the lobby of the Fimiano Pavilion.
“It’s pleasing that something of us will remain after we’re gone and that our legacy will touch the lives of countless patients and their families,” says Joan Fimiano.
Visionary Hoag supporters, James and Pamela Muzzy have impacted care at Hoag for generations to come by establishing the James & Pamela Muzzy Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery awarded to Aidan A. Raney, MD, FACS, FACCP, FACC and the James & Pamela Muzzy Endowed Chair in GI Cancer awarded to Lipham, MD, FACS. Their generosity provides these physician leaders with funds to advance care in their respective fields.
Long-time financial supporters of Hoag, Ron and Sandi believe that the Orange County community should have access to the best medical care available anywhere. The Simons made a $6.25 million gift to provide funds to benefit the Hoag Neurosciences Institute including establishing a $5 million endowment for the Ron & Sandi Simon Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair at Hoag Neurosciences Institute.
The new endowed chair was awarded to Hoag’s Executive Medical Director of Neurosciences, Michael Brant-Zawadzki, M.D., F.A.C.R., a world-renowned interventional neuroradiologist.
Ron and Sandi believe Dr. Brant-Zawadzki (known as Dr. BZ) will use the endowment to make a significant impact in our community.
In recognition of their $1.25 million gift, Hoag named the Ronnie & Byron Allumbaugh Conference Center in their honor. In the Ronnie & Byron Allumbaugh Conference Center, the quality of the audio visual and broadcast experience makes all the difference. A high-tech teaching, learning, planning and sharing venue, it’s equipped with a set of four leading-edge high definition monitors, aligned in a seamless 10 X 6’ display with live-feed interactive video capability. With the ability to stream surgeries real-time, the Allumbaugh Conference Center is an invaluable teaching and training space for Hoag surgeons and for visiting physicians from all over the country.
A long-standing passion of Julia and George Argyros is providing support that not only changes lives of individuals but also positively affects everyone touched by those individuals. Knowing the integral role that nurses play in quality patient care, the couple was delighted to make a major gift of $2.5 million to Hoag through the Argyros Family Foundation. The largest gift to nursing in Hoag’s history, the funds are helping to significantly enhance and expand nursing education initiatives at Hoag. The Argyros gift, in addition to gifts from other donors, allowed Hoag to increase nursing scholarships from $2,000 to $6,000 per person, per year.
Sue and Bill Gross, whose landmark gift to Hoag resulted in the naming of Hoag’s Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion in 2005, recently made a $2 million gift to establish an endowed chair in honor of Dr. Melvin Silverstein, an internationally renowned breast cancer researcher and surgeon, and medical director of the Breast Care Center at Hoag.
The newly endowed chair is named The Gross Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery in honor of Dr. Melvin J. Silverstein. Dr. Silverstein, who came to Hoag after holding the Henrietta C. Lee Chair and a tenured full professorship in surgery at the University of Southern California, said he will use the funds generated by the new endowment to expand his training of other physicians.
Major donors Allen and Sara Fainbarg gifted Hoag with $1 million to fund “Ambient Lighting” in the Allan & Sandy Fainbarg Electrophysiology Cath Lab Suite, the only one if its kind in the region. Ambient Lighting allows patients to personalize the lighting, projected images and sounds in the procedure room. Choosing from 10 nature themes, the patient's preference is projected on the walls and ceilings wrapping them in a soothing, multi-sensory setting that reduces stress levels and assists them to lie still as required, lessening the need for sedatives.
According to his wishes, the Jeffrey M. Carlton Estate made an irrevocable estate gift to Hoag. The first $15 million in funds from the gift are earmarked for the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, to advance care and establish Hoag as a leader in innovative cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment. The total gift, currently valued at $53 million, is the largest donation in Hoag’s history to date and will be distributed to Hoag over the course of many years.
In late March 2014, leaders of the Hoag Hospital Foundation, Hoag clinical and administrative leaders, along with friends of Hoag and admirers of Jeffrey Carlton gathered to celebrate and commemorate an important moment in Hoag history, the naming of the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute.
Hoag Health Center Huntington Beach is a state-of-the-art facility which provides residents with a robust roster of Hoag Medical Group doctors with specialties in internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, rheumatology, and endocrinology, as well as numerous specialists, including gastroenterologists, obstetricians and gynecologists, orthopedists, oncologists, urologists, dermatologist, endocrinologists, pulmonologists and rheumatologists. Residents also have convenient access to the Hoag Imaging Center, as well as breast imaging, laboratory and pharmaceutical services.
Long-time Hoag donors and 13-year Hoag Hospital Auxiliary volunteers, Nancy and Jerry Lippert made a provision for Hoag in their estate trust. In honor of their gift, and their long-term services to the Hoag Hospital Auxiliary, Hoag dedicating the lobby of Hoag Health Center Huntington Beach in their name.
In 1995, Toshiba became the title sponsor of the Toshiba Senior Classic, later renamed the Toshiba Classic, and what followed is 20 years of world-class golf benefiting our community. Much more than a first-class golf tournament, the Toshiba Classic is a platform for Toshiba to support healthcare, children and education in our community.
Toshiba is the second longest-running title sponsor, and the Toshiba Classic is the most charitable event on the PGA Champions Tour. 2014 marks the 17th year that Hoag has been the primary beneficiary of this renowned event. Consistently raising $1 million each year for Hoag, the Toshiba Classic has benefitted healthcare in our community in ways that are incalculable.
For the past three years, proceeds have benefitted the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag.
Understanding the need to provide Orange County with the latest advances in healthcare, the Varla and Curtis Knauss saw Hoag as an excellent choice for investing in the community. The couple donated $1 million to Hoag, of which a portion went to the Hoag Neurosciences Institute (HNI). In recognition of their generosity, a newly redecorated private meeting space at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach has been named the Varla & Curtis Knauss Family Lounge.
In a formal Investiture Ceremony in late 2014, Hoag Hospital Foundation announced its newest endowed chair holders. Dedicated donors Mary and Dick Allen, Margaret and Tom Larkin and Melinda and Chuck Smith collaborated to create the Dr. Kris V. Iyer Endowed Chair in Diabetes Care in honor of a renowned physician leader. Daniel A. Nadeau, M.D., director, Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center was the first recipient of the newly-minted endowed chair.
Melinda and Chuck Smith were on hand as Burton L. Eisenberg, M.D. was awarded the Grace E. Hoag Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair, named for Melinda’s grandmother.
The completion of the Nancy and Bill Thompson Center for Cardiovascular Care at the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart and Vascular Institute brings together world-class cardiovascular programs, state-of-the-art technology and highly specialized physicians in one convenient location.
The grand opening in March 2015 marked the completion of the two-phase expansion. Phase II featured the opening of Hoag’s outpatient cardiac services and included the Nancy & Bill Thompson Heart Valve Center, Congestive Heart Failure Clinic, Arrhythmia Clinic, non-invasive cardiac imaging and vascular imaging.
The completion of the new Center for Cardiovascular Care is a source of pride for Nancy and Bill Thompson, whose name is on the entrance. The generous donation from the couple helped complete Hoag’s expansion.
Hoag Hospital Foundation launched the first comprehensive Campaign in the organization’s 63-year history, an ambitious pledge to raise a total of $627 million by 2020, making it one of the largest Campaigns to date in community-based health care.
Known as “Hoag Promise, Our Campaign to Lead, Innovate & Transform,” the $627 million, 10-year comprehensive Campaign seeks to establish Hoag as a destination for world-class health care.
Philanthropists Ginny and Peter Ueberroth made a $5 million gift from to establish an endowed chair in honor of Dr. Allyson Brooks, Executive Medical Director of the Hoag Women’s Health Institute. The grant, awarded by the couple through the Peter and Virginia Ueberroth Family Foundation, was inspired by Dr. Brooks’ compassionate and pioneering work on behalf of women.
“I have been so impressed with Dr. Brooks’ work and her lifelong passion for providing innovative and personalized care to women of all ages in Orange County,” Ginny Ueberroth, a well-known women’s champion, said. “Peter and I are privileged to support her and excited to play a role in an undertaking that is sure to change the lives of thousands of women in our community who turn to Hoag for high quality, exceptional care.”
As a tribute to Ginny’s commitment for women’s health, the chair will be dedicated in her name and known as the Ginny Ueberroth Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair, Hoag Women’s Health Institute.
An endowed chair investiture ceremony took place in October 2015 to recognize the appointments of Jeffrey S. Yoshida, M.D. and James T. Caillouette, M.D. as well as honor the transformational donors Carmela and Benjamin Du and Joan and Andy Fimiano.
More than 100 Hoag physicians participated in a traditional White Coat Processional in honor of the
formal ceremony. Dr. Caillouette was named the Joan & Andy Fimiano Endowed Chair in Orthopedic Surgery. The gift from Andy and Joan Fimiano recognized and honored Dr. Caillouette for his work in health care economics and reform, along with the design of next-generation hip and knee implants. The gift will enable Dr. Caillouette, chief strategy officer of Hoag Orthopedic Institute, to expand outreach, education, research, recruitment and treatment through Hoag’s Orthopedic Education & Research Institute.
Dr. Yoshida was named the Benjamin & Carmela Du Endowed Chair in Urologic Oncology, made possible by the Dus’ $2.25 million gift. As program director of urologic oncology at Hoag Family Cancer Institute, Dr. Yoshida plays a key role in the growth of site-specific programs for urologic malignancies, which include prostate, kidney, bladder and testicular cancers. He also is an expert in robotic surgery and has performed more than 1,900 surgeries to date.
Julia and George Argyros - nationally acclaimed philanthropists - attended the 2016 annual Nurse’s Day Celebration at Hoag to announce their latest $7 million gift and present a $10 million ceremonial check, representing their cumulative giving, to expand nursing scholarships.
They also unveiled the Julia Argyros Center for Nursing Excellence seal that will be proudly displayed throughout Hoag campuses.
The support of Hoag’s renowned nursing program reflects the Argyros family’s passion and respect for nurses and the critical role they play in Hoag’s culture of quality and compassionate care.
Hoag unveiled the Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living, a unique collaborative endeavor comprising many of Orange County’s leading providers of health, mental health and spiritual services, to underserved individuals and families.
The Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living was made possible by a $5 million gift to Hoag from its namesake family – the George Hoag Family Foundation.
Grateful Hoag patients Bob and Ginger Juneman made an estate gift of $1 million to support Hoag Health Center Irvine.
In honor of their generosity and Bob’s service on the Hoag Irvine Campaign Advisory Committee, the Ginger & Bob Juneman Pavilion at Hoag Health Center Irvine was unveiled at the grand opening event.
At the 10-year anniversary celebration for Hoag Neurosciences Institute, the Pickup Family Foundation announced a $15 million gift to support the nationally recognized Institute – and Hoag officials responded by renaming it the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute.
Established in 2007, the newly-renamed Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute has steadily expanded over the past decade to offer nationally leading programs exploring causes of and groundbreaking treatments for virtually all aspects of neuroscience-based medical conditions.
After receiving a transformational gift, among the largest in Hoag history, from local entrepreneurs Mike and Lori Gray, Hoag announced the site of Hoag Health Center Newport Beach to be named the Mike & Lori Gray Campus.
Hoag Promise Campaign volunteer, generous donor and Hoag grateful patient Gary Fudge made a gift to open the Fudge Family Acute Rehabilitation Center.
Thanks to Gary’s extraordinary support, thousands of Hoag patients will now receive the full spectrum of the care continuum at Hoag after an acute stroke, brain tumor surgery, intracranial bleeds, spine surgery, head trauma and other eligible conditions.
Decades-long friends and long-time supporters of Hoag Martha and Jim Newkirk gave $3 million to establish the Newkirk Family Endowed Chair in Aortic Care.
Anthony D. Caffarelli, M.D., F.A.C.C., director of Hoag’s Aortic Center and Hoag Cardiovascular Surgery, has been appointed the first physician to hold the Newkirk Family Endowed Chair in Aortic Care, which recognizes his leadership in treating cardiac and vascular diseases. With this Endowed Chair, Dr. Caffarelli and his team will ensure that Hoag’s patients continue to have access to the most advanced treatment options and quality care for generations to come.
Upon learning about the scope and importance of this project, Ben and Carmela Du decided to make a transformational $5M gift to support the renovation and expansion of the Hoag Hospital Irvine emergency department. In recognition, Hoag named the Benjamin & Carmela Due Emergency Pavilion.
With a patient-centered design encompassing 13,500 square feet, the Benjamin & Carmela Du Emergency Pavilion provides efficient and exceptional emergency care for the Irvine and South Orange county communities now, and for generations to come.
When the couple learned about Hoag’s emerging digestive health programs, they saw an opportunity to make a lasting impact for patients and families who live with inflammatory bowel diseases. In recognition of their $1 million gift, Hoag named the Margolis Family Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program. For Jeff and Debbie, whose lives have been shaped by his struggle with Crohn’s disease, this gift is very personal and very practical.
When Richard and Virginia Hunsaker notified Hoag Hospital Foundation that they included a transformational $10 million gift in their estate to support the work of the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute as well as advancements in ophthalmology, Hoag announced the North Tower of Hoag Hospital Newport Beach has been named the Richard C. & Virginia A. Hunsaker Pavilion.
The inaugural Hoag Classic took place March 6–10, 2019, with presenting partners Konica Minolta and City National Bank. Kirk Triplett waved the Hoag Classic trophy in front of the cheering crowd at Newport Beach Country Club and donned the “Doctor of Golf” lab coat.
Melissa and Michael have made not one but two generous gifts to Hoag, totaling $3 million. Their first gift established the Melissa & Michael Lora Cardiac Catheterization Lab Fund. Their second gift, which included a bequest, established the Melissa & Michael Lora Robotic Surgical Center Fund. With deepest gratitude for their generosity, Hoag named the Melissa & Michael Lora Robotic Surgical Center at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.
On May 28, friends, family and Hoag physicians and leaders gathered to celebrate the extraordinary generosity of the Pickup family and the unveiling of the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute.
The Hoag Hospital Foundation announced the Hoag Promise Campaign surpassed the $627 million goal 18 months ahead of its December 31, 2020, target. Twenty-two thousand donors gave $644 million (to date) to the Campaign, funding more than 100 positions and 17 endowed chairs.
A nationally respected clinical leader on the rise, David T. Ahn, M.D., joined Hoag’s Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center as program director in July and was named the Dr. Kris V. Iyer Endowed Chair in Diabetes Care.
Hoag grateful patient and author Dean Koontz and his wife, Gerda, who have been longtime donors to Hoag, graciously committed $9 million to transform cancer care in Orange County. In recognition, Hoag named the Dean & Gerda Koontz Radiation Oncology Center.
Hoag Hospital Foundation held an Endowed Chair Investiture Ceremony in August 2019 honoring visionary donor families Tom and Marianne Larkin and Eric and Sheila Samson. Daniel Von Hoff, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.S.C.O., F.A.A.C.R., was named the Margaret Givan Larkin Endowed Chair in Developmental Cancer Therapeutics; Dipti Itchhaporia, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.E.S.C., the Eric & Sheila Samson Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Health; and Abhay S. Parikh, M.D., the Eric & Sheila Samson Endowed Chair in Gastrointestinal Health.
In September 2019, Hoag began construction of the Fudge Family Birthing Suites at Hoag Hospital Irvine with the help of namesake donor Gary Fudge. A longtime Hoag supporter, Gary committed $4 million to the new facility, which will expand maternity services to Irvine.
The Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center celebrated its ten-year anniversary with leading philanthropists, volunteer leaders, clinical leaders, support teams, friends and staff.
Thanks to donors who gave more than $31.6 million to the Hoag Promise Campaign in support of Hoag Nursing, 80 percent of Hoag nurses now hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Thanks to philanthropy, Hoag is one of only ten Magnet® hospitals in the state of California. Starting in 2020, 80 percent of nurses with an advanced degree is a minimum to maintain Magnet® status.
Friends, family and Hoag physicians and leaders gathered to celebrate the Matranga family’s extraordinary generosity and the unveiling of the Elaine & Robert Matranga Aortic Center at Hoag.
Hoag Innovators, founded and led by past Hoag Hospital Foundation Board Chair Robert Brunswick and his wife Kitty, make first grants to support innovation across Hoag, including the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center, Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute and Hoag’s Women’s Health Institute.
Because of our 70 years of philanthropic partnership with our community, Hoag was prepared to respond to the biggest health threat of our generation. Donors and community members rallied, donating supplies and more than $8 million to support Hoag's COVID-19 research efforts and our COVID-19 Support Fund.
In a powerful virtual ceremony in May, the Hoag Hospital Foundation brought the record-setting Hoag Promise Campaign to a close. To commemorate this ten-year campaign journey, a beam of light illuminated the night sky above Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.
The gift was made to expand and enhance a program for type 1 diabetes at the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center. In appreciation, Hoag named the Mary & Lee Iacocca Program in Type 1 Diabetes to honor the Iacocca Family Foundation’s mission to fund innovative and promising diabetes research
The Lyon family’s gift is meant to honor the late real estate icon and military leader General William Lyon. This Center, on the Newport Beach campus, will provide state-of-the-art space for collaboration among clinical and hospital leaders.
Donations totaling $13.3 million established five new endowed chairs in orthopedic surgery, women’s health, neurosurgery, interventional cardiology, and molecular imaging and therapy. These prestigious positions foster innovation, research, education, and more in their respective specialties while advancing Hoag as a health care leader. The following endowed chairs were named in 2021:
Robert S. Gorab, MD
Tom & Mayumi Adams Endowed Chair in Orthopedic Surgery
Lisa Karamardian, MD, FACOG
Jeffrey M. Carlton Endowed Chair in Women's Health, in honor of Dr. Anne Kent
Robert G. Louis, MD, FAANS
Empower360 Endowed Chair in Skull Base and Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery
Subbarao V. Myla, MD, FACC, FSCAI, MMM, CPE
Dr. Joel H. Manchester Endowed Chair in Interventional Cardiology
Gary Ulaner, MD, PhD, FACNM
James & Pamela Muzzy Endowed Chair in Molecular Imaging and Therapy
Funded in part by the community's support of Boldly Hoag, Hoag’s expansion of the Sun Family Campus is the start of an ambitious, long-term effort to grow and heighten Hoag’s capabilities in order to continue improving the health of our communities while establishing Hoag as a national destination.
Support from the Boldly Hoag Campaign advances three interconnected initiatives: elevating the patient experience, recruiting and retaining top talent, and designing and building the future of health.
Thanks to the generosity of the Schoellerman family and Tom and Marianne Larkin, two new endowed chairs are established. Dr. Vladana Milisavljevic, the Al & Mary Ann Schoellerman Endowed Chair in Neonatology and Dr. Aaron Ritter, the Larkin Family Endowed Chair in Integrative Brain Health, were honored at an endowed chair investiture ceremony along with the Schoellerman family and Tom and Marianne Larkin.
Additionally, Dr. Jeffrey Basset is named the Benjamin & Carmela Du Endowed Chair in Urologic Oncology, and Dr. Carlos Becerra is named the Margaret Givan Larkin Endowed Chair in Cancer Developmental Therapeutics.
City officials, community leaders, donors, Hoag leadership, physicians, and staff came together on July 20, 2023 to celebrate breaking ground on the expansion of Hoag’s Sun Family Campus in Irvine. The expansion, funded in part by the Boldly Hoag Campaign, increases access to Hoag’s expert care for more and more communities while redefining the future of health care with Hoag’s patients at the center.
Named in honor of David and Diana Sun for their visionary $50 million gift, the expanded campus will include specialty care centers for surgical innovation, women’s health, and cancer and digestive health.
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The transformational gift establishes the Richard H. Pickup Center for Brain Health, which will bring together multidisciplinary experts across the care spectrum under one roof to tackle brain health from every angle—assessment and prevention, diagnosis, treatment and intervention, research, care coordination, and enhanced support for caregivers and families.
Mr. Pickup’s remarkable generosity empowers Hoag to accelerate its work of bringing comprehensive, advanced memory and cognitive care to Orange County, changing the trajectory of brain care in our community and beyond.
Although the shortage of hospital beds impacted all of Orange County in the early 1940s, nowhere was the deficiency more painfully evident than along the fog-shrouded Pacific Coast Highway which was beset by traffic accidents and critical injuries. At that time, the nearest hospital was several miles inland.
Through the dedication of Presbyterian ministers Reverend Raymond Brahams and Reverend Scott McFarland, as well as Senator John Murdy and a committee of others, the long road from planning and fundraising to building, filled with triumphs and setbacks, resulted in Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. Early on, aviator Glenn Martin jumpstarted the fundraising with the pledge of $100,000, just as a stunning piece of property became available along the bluffs of Newport Beach.
1944
Grace Hoag wanted to build a memorial to her late husband George Hoag after he passed away in 1948. The proposed hospital, overlooking the city he loved, was a perfect fit. As the head of the Hoag Family Foundation, Mrs. Hoag provided the $500,000 grant needed to get the hospital project off the ground. She funded the construction and furnishing of the nurses’ quarters on the Hoag campus so staff would have an affordable place to live. She gave generously every time the hospital needed assistance, often writing off “loans” the Hoag Family Foundation provided.
Mrs. Hoag was a very active board member, along with her son, George Hoag II, who became board president. She played a vital role at the hospital until she died in 1970 at age 100.
1950
The original committee formed to build a hospital on the Southern California coast raised over $1.1 million from the community to break ground but the fundraising didn’t stop there. In 1951, a $7,500 commitment was recognized with a plaque in the main lobby, one of several “living memorials” available as part of Hoag’s fundraising campaign to furnish the new facility. The hospital also had the novel idea of encouraging people to make donations to the fundraising campaign in lieu of flowers at funerals—a notion that was met with a strongly worded letter from the Orange County Florist Association.
In the first year, 3,650 patients were treated and 1,920 babies were born at the new hospital.
1952
Community leaders John Vibert, Marshall Duffield and Vin Jorgensen founded the 552 Club with 13 original members in 1966. They realized early on that they did not simply want donations—they wanted donors who were advocates of bringing outstanding healthcare to the community. The original idea was to collect $100 in annual dues from each member as a means to support the hospital’s goal of expanding to 552 beds.
The idea got off to somewhat of a tepid start until film legend John Wayne showed his financial support and even attended one of the Club meetings. The 552 Club continued increasing membership and showcasing the hospital by hosting many successful events that have become annual traditions including the Toshiba Classic, Christmas Carol Ball and Movie Screening.
1966
The James Irvine Surgical Center wasn’t just a new building - it was an entirely new concept in healthcare. The center opened on Hoag’s Newport Beach campus in 1972 and became the first outpatient surgery center in California, and one of the first two or three in the United States. The three operating rooms in the 4,000-square-foot facility accommodated some 40 different minor surgical procedures, lowered costs for patients and eased pressures on the main hospital’s operating rooms. The strategy was an immediate success. Today, a large percentage of surgeries around the nation are performed on an outpatient basis - Hoag is one of the pioneers of the concept.
1972
The 552 Club fostered the “Reach Years” campaign for a new tower from 1969 to 1971. The campaign resulted in a brick and mortar landmark that dramatically impacted the level of healthcare in the community. This tower provided Hoag with the needed capacity to serve the growing population. Before the tower was complete, Hoag leased space at a convalescent hospital across the street to gain access to an additional 93 beds. Hoag became a major institution with the completion of the tower - it provided the facilities and capacity to develop new programs and accommodate the increasing patient volume.
1974
The Crosby Southern Pro-AM Golf Tournament began in 1975 after Marshall Duffield convinced the Bing Crosby family to allow Hoag to host an event in Newport Beach as a back-up for professional golfers who failed to qualify for Crosby’s PGA Tour event in Pebble Beach. Hoag’s affiliation with the Crosby tournament dissolved in the 1980s and Hoag volunteers began actively recruiting professional participants for the Newport Classic which evolved into the Taco Bell Newport Classic in 1993.
In 1998, Hoag partnered with Toshiba to launch the Toshiba Senior Classic. Two years later, the Toshiba Senior Classic would become the first event in Senior Tour history to raise $1 million in a single year. And today, it is widely recognized as the finest event on the tour.
1975
In the late 1970s, lawmakers were considering the idea of deducting the donations that hospitals received from the amount of money the government provided in Medicare reimbursements. Hospitals across the country began scrambling to respond. The solution at Hoag was to set up a foundation separate from the hospital that could hold all charitable donations. In 1978, Hoag created the Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Foundation. At the time, the foundation simply received gifts as a “pass through.”
The legislation never came to pass and in 1988 the foundation was restructured to its current format and renamed the Hoag Hospital Foundation, with Arnold Beckman as its first president. With a redefined structure, new by-laws and a 15-member board, the new Foundation spurred greater community involvement and leadership in support of Hoag.
1978
In 1987, Newport Beach resident and breast cancer survivor, Sandy Sewell, founded Circle 1000 to support the Hoag Family Cancer Institute. Her idea was to gather a group of friends who would contribute at least $1,000 annually and each was tasked with asking their own circle of friends to participate.
The Circle 1000 committee invites community members to make an annual gift in support of cancer services at Hoag. In recognition of donors’ support, Circle 1000 hosts the annual brunch highlighted with a noted speaker.
1987
The Patty & George Hoag Cancer Center started out with the most modest of intentions. After introducing the first linear accelerator (used to deliver radiation treatments) to Orange County in 1975, Hoag was looking for a space to put a second one. What evolved over the next few years was an expanded plan to include space for outpatient cancer treatment and oncologist offices so patients could come to one location for treatment.
Hoag leaders began to challenge themselves and began looking at creating a different kind of facility. They decided to build a free-standing cancer center on the hospitals lower campus. Today, the Patty & George Hoag Cancer Center is regarded as one of the finest community cancer centers in the nation.
1991
Choose Nursing, Choose Hoag is a Hoag Hospital Foundation community task force formed in 2004 to raise awareness of the shortage of nurses entering the workforce and to raise funds in support of recruiting, developing, retaining and providing career advancement opportunities for nurses at Hoag.
Hoag leaders strongly believed that nursing education is, in large part, the answer to the current nursing shortage. Due to the nationwide and local shortage of nursing professors, potential nursing students can be put on waiting lists for up to two years. Choose Nursing, Choose Hoag has made a tremendous impact since its inception by providing nursing scholarships, funding nursing professorships at local colleges and universities and developing the Marion Knott Nursing Education Center
2004
Funds provided by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation were integral to the development of breast cancer research at Hoag. Research efforts funded by a $2.5 million grant made by the Beckman Foundation in 2002 concentrated on the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to more effectively define the existence and extent of cancer and to better focus therapy. With the opening of the Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion, Hoag installed the first MRI unit in Southern California dedicated for Women’s Services. In recognition of their generosity, Hoag named the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Imaging Center in the Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion.
2005
The dream began in 2000 when plans were unveiled for a new Women’s Health Services medical facility and Hoag Hospital Foundation announced a $50 million capital campaign in support. Three community leaders picked up the banner and moved the campaign forward with passion and commitment—Arden Flamson, Sandy Sewell and Ginny Ueberroth.
By the end of 2002, the capital campaign announced the successful completion of the $50 million commitment and the generosity continued. In 2004, the 552 Club proudly achieved its goal of raising $10 million in support of the new pavilion and in 2005, Sue and Bill Gross made an unprecedented gift of $20 million. In recognition of their generosity, the new facility was named the Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion.
2005
2007 marked the dedication of the all-faiths Maseeh Chapel, located just off the main entrance of Hoag Hospital Newport Beach. Serving people of all religions and beliefs, the Chapel was built with a generous grant from the Messiah Foundation, which is funded by Fariborz and Azam Maseeh. The Newport Beach couple realized the need for a peaceful retreat for families and made the decision to provide the funds to construct the Chapel. In recognition of their generosity, the Maseeh Chapel was dedicated in their name.
A place of peace, contemplation and comfort, the Chapel is a spiritual sanctuary for all who need it.
2007
Featuring dedicated classroom space and advanced technology, the Marion Knott Nursing Education Center is designed to enhance nursing skills and education. Created as a venue to educate Hoag’s current nursing staff, new hires and nursing students from area nursing schools, the capacity and facilities of the Center are unique in the region. Thanks to a generous $700,000 donation from Marion Knott, and her challenge for others to follow suit, the Center assists Hoag in educating aspiring nurses, orienting new Hoag nurses to best practices and advancing the careers of established nurses by helping them stay on the leading edge of technology.
2007
The Crean Foundation committed $5 million in support of The Donna & John Crean Child Care Center, which is named in recognition of their generous gift. A home-away-from-home for the children of Hoag Hospital Newport Beach employees, the fully accredited facility provides Hoag’s working parents with peace of mind and convenience. The facility features a breast-feeding station, outdoor play area, large covered patios, basketball and handball courts and a wilderness area for children to explore.
Andy Crean, son of Donna and John, and director of The Crean Foundation, says “It was the fact that children are being so well taken care of, and how that translates into better patient care at Hoag. My mother was delighted, and I know my father would be very proud.”
2008
The Marilyn Herbert Hausman Advanced Technology Pavilion is named in loving memory of Marilyn Eleanor Herbert Hausman (1935-2008) by her mother, Mrs. Josephine Herbert Troy Gleis. Marilyn was an exceptional woman with a personality and passion for life that inspired those who knew her. The facility is a reflection of Marilyn’s deep concern for others, her enthusiasm for technology, and her abiding commitment to patient-centered care.
The Don and Joan Beall Family Fund made a $1 million donation in support of the Advanced Technology Pavilion and advanced Alzheimer’s Disease research in loving memory of Margaret Beall. In recognition of their generosity, Hoag named the Margaret Beall Advanced Brain Function and Imaging Suite in the Advanced Technology Pavilion.
2008
The James Easton Family Foundation generously donated $2 million to establish the Easton Health in Pregnancy Program (E-HIPP). Co-developed by Lynn Easton, James Easton’s daughter, E-HIPP incorporates three specific components: assessment and management of high-risk patients, health and wellness during pregnancy and an integrated pregnancy-in women-with-cancer program.
2008
Robert and Georgia Roth made the decision to create the Robert & Georgia Roth Endowed Chair for Excellence in Cardiac Care because they believe in Hoag’s ability to positively influence the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Dipti Itchhaporia, M.D., F.A.C.C., medical director of Disease Management for Hoag Heart & Vascular Institute was the holder of the Robert & Georgia Roth Endowed Chair for Excellence in Cardiac Care from 2008 through 2018.
2008
The opening of Hoag’s Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center created an unprecedented resource for physicians and their patients who are living with diabetes. The Allen Center provides comprehensive services for adults and children with diabetes including prevention, early detection, prompt care, education and support.
Mary and Dick Allen, who played vital leadership roles in the development of the Center, made a $1 million leadership gift and worked to build a larger endowment. “Put simply, the Allen Diabetes Center is going to make a difference in the quality of life for those affected by diabetes and their families,” says Dick Allen. In recognition of their significant commitment, the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center was named in their honor.
2009
Thanks to generous community support, the Hoag Neurosciences Institute gathered a group of world-class specialists in the areas of stroke, brain tumor, movement disorders, pain and mood disorders and memory disorders - under one roof to deliver care as an integrated team. The multi-specialty facility houses neurosurgeons, neurology, orofacial pain and neuropsychology specialists as well as memory/cognitive disorders and comprehensive pain syndrome specialists. The new Hoag Neurosciences Institute - Lower Campus is located on the third floor of the Conference Center building on Hoag’s Newport Beach campus. It is directly across from the Marilyn Herbert Hausman Technology Pavilion which provides the latest neurodiagnostic imaging and Gamma Knife treatment technology.
2010
The opening of the new Judy & Richard Voltmer Sleep Center provided our community with increased capacity for over-night sleep studies in lovely and private accommodations utilizing advanced diagnostic equipment. Aware of the importance sleep plays in overall neurological and cardiovascular health, Judy and Richard Voltmer directed a gift to sleep. In recognition of their significant commitment, the Judy & Richard Voltmer Sleep Center was named in their honor.
2010
The opening of Hoag Hospital Irvine marked the physical expansion of Hoag’s brand of outstanding care to Irvine and the South Orange County communities. Hoag Hospital Irvine provides a wide array of inpatient and outpatient services, including a fully staffed emergency room completely re-engineered to improve the speed and quality of emergent care. The expansive $84 million renovation effort was completed ahead of schedule and on-budget.
2010
Long time philanthropists and community volunteer leaders, Richard and Judy find great joy and meaning in using their good fortune to help others. Describing Hoag as their “home away from home,” they were inspired to establish the Judy & Richard Voltmer Endowed Chair in Memory and Cognitive Disorders, Neurosciences Institute awarded to William R. Shankle, MS, MD, FACP.
2010
Robert and Marjie Bennett provided $2 million to fund a hybrid operating room at Hoag which enables diagnostic imaging and surgical procedures to be performed simultaneously in the same room. This results in safer treatment, shorter hospital stays, faster recoveries and improved outcomes.
“We’re hoping this gift will help make these surgeries easier on people and ultimately save some lives,” says Robert Bennett. “If it can do that, then Marjie and I will be very happy. We are fortunate to have a place like Hoag nearby. It’s simply the best hospital around.” In recognition of their generosity, Hoag has named the Robert M. & Marjie Bennett Advanced Cardiovascular Surgical Program.
2011
In gratitude for a transformational gift, one of the three largest in Hoag’s history, Hoag has named its newly renovated and expanded emergency department, The Joan & Andy Fimiano Emergency Pavilion. The 2011 dedication ceremony celebrated the generosity of the Fimianos as well as long-time Hoag supporters and $1 million emergency department donors, Walter and Mary Frome, for whom the Walter & Mary Frome Emergency Suite is named. It also recognized Pamela Stowers, whose $1 million bequest, and years of service as a dedicated Hoag Auxiliary volunteer, was honored with a permanent tribute in the lobby of the Fimiano Pavilion.
“It’s pleasing that something of us will remain after we’re gone and that our legacy will touch the lives of countless patients and their families,” says Joan Fimiano.
2011
Visionary Hoag supporters, James and Pamela Muzzy have impacted care at Hoag for generations to come by establishing the James & Pamela Muzzy Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery awarded to Aidan A. Raney, MD, FACS, FACCP, FACC and the James & Pamela Muzzy Endowed Chair in GI Cancer awarded to Lipham, MD, FACS. Their generosity provides these physician leaders with funds to advance care in their respective fields.
2011
Long-time financial supporters of Hoag, Ron and Sandi believe that the Orange County community should have access to the best medical care available anywhere. The Simons made a $6.25 million gift to provide funds to benefit the Hoag Neurosciences Institute including establishing a $5 million endowment for the Ron & Sandi Simon Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair at Hoag Neurosciences Institute.
The new endowed chair was awarded to Hoag’s Executive Medical Director of Neurosciences, Michael Brant-Zawadzki, M.D., F.A.C.R., a world-renowned interventional neuroradiologist.
Ron and Sandi believe Dr. Brant-Zawadzki (known as Dr. BZ) will use the endowment to make a significant impact in our community.
2012
In recognition of their $1.25 million gift, Hoag named the Ronnie & Byron Allumbaugh Conference Center in their honor. In the Ronnie & Byron Allumbaugh Conference Center, the quality of the audio visual and broadcast experience makes all the difference. A high-tech teaching, learning, planning and sharing venue, it’s equipped with a set of four leading-edge high definition monitors, aligned in a seamless 10 X 6’ display with live-feed interactive video capability. With the ability to stream surgeries real-time, the Allumbaugh Conference Center is an invaluable teaching and training space for Hoag surgeons and for visiting physicians from all over the country.
2012
A long-standing passion of Julia and George Argyros is providing support that not only changes lives of individuals but also positively affects everyone touched by those individuals. Knowing the integral role that nurses play in quality patient care, the couple was delighted to make a major gift of $2.5 million to Hoag through the Argyros Family Foundation. The largest gift to nursing in Hoag’s history, the funds are helping to significantly enhance and expand nursing education initiatives at Hoag. The Argyros gift, in addition to gifts from other donors, allowed Hoag to increase nursing scholarships from $2,000 to $6,000 per person, per year.
2013
Sue and Bill Gross, whose landmark gift to Hoag resulted in the naming of Hoag’s Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion in 2005, recently made a $2 million gift to establish an endowed chair in honor of Dr. Melvin Silverstein, an internationally renowned breast cancer researcher and surgeon, and medical director of the Breast Care Center at Hoag.
The newly endowed chair is named The Gross Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery in honor of Dr. Melvin J. Silverstein. Dr. Silverstein, who came to Hoag after holding the Henrietta C. Lee Chair and a tenured full professorship in surgery at the University of Southern California, said he will use the funds generated by the new endowment to expand his training of other physicians.
2013
Major donors Allen and Sara Fainbarg gifted Hoag with $1 million to fund “Ambient Lighting” in the Allan & Sandy Fainbarg Electrophysiology Cath Lab Suite, the only one if its kind in the region. Ambient Lighting allows patients to personalize the lighting, projected images and sounds in the procedure room. Choosing from 10 nature themes, the patient's preference is projected on the walls and ceilings wrapping them in a soothing, multi-sensory setting that reduces stress levels and assists them to lie still as required, lessening the need for sedatives.
2013
According to his wishes, the Jeffrey M. Carlton Estate made an irrevocable estate gift to Hoag. The first $15 million in funds from the gift are earmarked for the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, to advance care and establish Hoag as a leader in innovative cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment. The total gift, currently valued at $53 million, is the largest donation in Hoag’s history to date and will be distributed to Hoag over the course of many years.
In late March 2014, leaders of the Hoag Hospital Foundation, Hoag clinical and administrative leaders, along with friends of Hoag and admirers of Jeffrey Carlton gathered to celebrate and commemorate an important moment in Hoag history, the naming of the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute.
2014
Hoag Health Center Huntington Beach is a state-of-the-art facility which provides residents with a robust roster of Hoag Medical Group doctors with specialties in internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, rheumatology, and endocrinology, as well as numerous specialists, including gastroenterologists, obstetricians and gynecologists, orthopedists, oncologists, urologists, dermatologist, endocrinologists, pulmonologists and rheumatologists. Residents also have convenient access to the Hoag Imaging Center, as well as breast imaging, laboratory and pharmaceutical services.
Long-time Hoag donors and 13-year Hoag Hospital Auxiliary volunteers, Nancy and Jerry Lippert made a provision for Hoag in their estate trust. In honor of their gift, and their long-term services to the Hoag Hospital Auxiliary, Hoag dedicating the lobby of Hoag Health Center Huntington Beach in their name.
2014
In 1995, Toshiba became the title sponsor of the Toshiba Senior Classic, later renamed the Toshiba Classic, and what followed is 20 years of world-class golf benefiting our community. Much more than a first-class golf tournament, the Toshiba Classic is a platform for Toshiba to support healthcare, children and education in our community.
Toshiba is the second longest-running title sponsor, and the Toshiba Classic is the most charitable event on the PGA Champions Tour. 2014 marks the 17th year that Hoag has been the primary beneficiary of this renowned event. Consistently raising $1 million each year for Hoag, the Toshiba Classic has benefitted healthcare in our community in ways that are incalculable.
For the past three years, proceeds have benefitted the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag.
2014
Understanding the need to provide Orange County with the latest advances in healthcare, the Varla and Curtis Knauss saw Hoag as an excellent choice for investing in the community. The couple donated $1 million to Hoag, of which a portion went to the Hoag Neurosciences Institute (HNI). In recognition of their generosity, a newly redecorated private meeting space at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach has been named the Varla & Curtis Knauss Family Lounge.
In a formal Investiture Ceremony in late 2014, Hoag Hospital Foundation announced its newest endowed chair holders. Dedicated donors Mary and Dick Allen, Margaret and Tom Larkin and Melinda and Chuck Smith collaborated to create the Dr. Kris V. Iyer Endowed Chair in Diabetes Care in honor of a renowned physician leader. Daniel A. Nadeau, M.D., director, Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center was the first recipient of the newly-minted endowed chair.
Melinda and Chuck Smith were on hand as Burton L. Eisenberg, M.D. was awarded the Grace E. Hoag Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair, named for Melinda’s grandmother.
2014
The completion of the Nancy and Bill Thompson Center for Cardiovascular Care at the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart and Vascular Institute brings together world-class cardiovascular programs, state-of-the-art technology and highly specialized physicians in one convenient location.
The grand opening in March 2015 marked the completion of the two-phase expansion. Phase II featured the opening of Hoag’s outpatient cardiac services and included the Nancy & Bill Thompson Heart Valve Center, Congestive Heart Failure Clinic, Arrhythmia Clinic, non-invasive cardiac imaging and vascular imaging.
The completion of the new Center for Cardiovascular Care is a source of pride for Nancy and Bill Thompson, whose name is on the entrance. The generous donation from the couple helped complete Hoag’s expansion.
Hoag Hospital Foundation launched the first comprehensive Campaign in the organization’s 63-year history, an ambitious pledge to raise a total of $627 million by 2020, making it one of the largest Campaigns to date in community-based health care.
Known as “Hoag Promise, Our Campaign to Lead, Innovate & Transform,” the $627 million, 10-year comprehensive Campaign seeks to establish Hoag as a destination for world-class health care.
Philanthropists Ginny and Peter Ueberroth made a $5 million gift from to establish an endowed chair in honor of Dr. Allyson Brooks, Executive Medical Director of the Hoag Women’s Health Institute. The grant, awarded by the couple through the Peter and Virginia Ueberroth Family Foundation, was inspired by Dr. Brooks’ compassionate and pioneering work on behalf of women.
“I have been so impressed with Dr. Brooks’ work and her lifelong passion for providing innovative and personalized care to women of all ages in Orange County,” Ginny Ueberroth, a well-known women’s champion, said. “Peter and I are privileged to support her and excited to play a role in an undertaking that is sure to change the lives of thousands of women in our community who turn to Hoag for high quality, exceptional care.”
As a tribute to Ginny’s commitment for women’s health, the chair will be dedicated in her name and known as the Ginny Ueberroth Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair, Hoag Women’s Health Institute.
An endowed chair investiture ceremony took place in October 2015 to recognize the appointments of Jeffrey S. Yoshida, M.D. and James T. Caillouette, M.D. as well as honor the transformational donors Carmela and Benjamin Du and Joan and Andy Fimiano.
More than 100 Hoag physicians participated in a traditional White Coat Processional in honor of the
formal ceremony. Dr. Caillouette was named the Joan & Andy Fimiano Endowed Chair in Orthopedic Surgery. The gift from Andy and Joan Fimiano recognized and honored Dr. Caillouette for his work in health care economics and reform, along with the design of next-generation hip and knee implants. The gift will enable Dr. Caillouette, chief strategy officer of Hoag Orthopedic Institute, to expand outreach, education, research, recruitment and treatment through Hoag’s Orthopedic Education & Research Institute.
Dr. Yoshida was named the Benjamin & Carmela Du Endowed Chair in Urologic Oncology, made possible by the Dus’ $2.25 million gift. As program director of urologic oncology at Hoag Family Cancer Institute, Dr. Yoshida plays a key role in the growth of site-specific programs for urologic malignancies, which include prostate, kidney, bladder and testicular cancers. He also is an expert in robotic surgery and has performed more than 1,900 surgeries to date.
Julia and George Argyros - nationally acclaimed philanthropists - attended the 2016 annual Nurse’s Day Celebration at Hoag to announce their latest $7 million gift and present a $10 million ceremonial check, representing their cumulative giving, to expand nursing scholarships.
They also unveiled the Julia Argyros Center for Nursing Excellence seal that will be proudly displayed throughout Hoag campuses.
The support of Hoag’s renowned nursing program reflects the Argyros family’s passion and respect for nurses and the critical role they play in Hoag’s culture of quality and compassionate care.
Hoag unveiled the Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living, a unique collaborative endeavor comprising many of Orange County’s leading providers of health, mental health and spiritual services, to underserved individuals and families.
The Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living was made possible by a $5 million gift to Hoag from its namesake family – the George Hoag Family Foundation.
Grateful Hoag patients Bob and Ginger Juneman made an estate gift of $1 million to support Hoag Health Center Irvine.
In honor of their generosity and Bob’s service on the Hoag Irvine Campaign Advisory Committee, the Ginger & Bob Juneman Pavilion at Hoag Health Center Irvine was unveiled at the grand opening event.
2016
At the 10-year anniversary celebration for Hoag Neurosciences Institute, the Pickup Family Foundation announced a $15 million gift to support the nationally recognized Institute – and Hoag officials responded by renaming it the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute.
Established in 2007, the newly-renamed Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute has steadily expanded over the past decade to offer nationally leading programs exploring causes of and groundbreaking treatments for virtually all aspects of neuroscience-based medical conditions.
2017
After receiving a transformational gift, among the largest in Hoag history, from local entrepreneurs Mike and Lori Gray, Hoag announced the site of Hoag Health Center Newport Beach to be named the Mike & Lori Gray Campus.
Hoag Promise Campaign volunteer, generous donor and Hoag grateful patient Gary Fudge made a gift to open the Fudge Family Acute Rehabilitation Center.
Thanks to Gary’s extraordinary support, thousands of Hoag patients will now receive the full spectrum of the care continuum at Hoag after an acute stroke, brain tumor surgery, intracranial bleeds, spine surgery, head trauma and other eligible conditions.
Decades-long friends and long-time supporters of Hoag Martha and Jim Newkirk gave $3 million to establish the Newkirk Family Endowed Chair in Aortic Care.
Anthony D. Caffarelli, M.D., F.A.C.C., director of Hoag’s Aortic Center and Hoag Cardiovascular Surgery, has been appointed the first physician to hold the Newkirk Family Endowed Chair in Aortic Care, which recognizes his leadership in treating cardiac and vascular diseases. With this Endowed Chair, Dr. Caffarelli and his team will ensure that Hoag’s patients continue to have access to the most advanced treatment options and quality care for generations to come.
2018
Upon learning about the scope and importance of this project, Ben and Carmela Du decided to make a transformational $5M gift to support the renovation and expansion of the Hoag Hospital Irvine emergency department. In recognition, Hoag named the Benjamin & Carmela Due Emergency Pavilion.
With a patient-centered design encompassing 13,500 square feet, the Benjamin & Carmela Du Emergency Pavilion provides efficient and exceptional emergency care for the Irvine and South Orange county communities now, and for generations to come.
2018
When the couple learned about Hoag’s emerging digestive health programs, they saw an opportunity to make a lasting impact for patients and families who live with inflammatory bowel diseases. In recognition of their $1 million gift, Hoag named the Margolis Family Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program. For Jeff and Debbie, whose lives have been shaped by his struggle with Crohn’s disease, this gift is very personal and very practical.
2018
When Richard and Virginia Hunsaker notified Hoag Hospital Foundation that they included a transformational $10 million gift in their estate to support the work of the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute as well as advancements in ophthalmology, Hoag announced the North Tower of Hoag Hospital Newport Beach has been named the Richard C. & Virginia A. Hunsaker Pavilion.
The inaugural Hoag Classic took place March 6–10, 2019, with presenting partners Konica Minolta and City National Bank. Kirk Triplett waved the Hoag Classic trophy in front of the cheering crowd at Newport Beach Country Club and donned the “Doctor of Golf” lab coat.
2019
Melissa and Michael have made not one but two generous gifts to Hoag, totaling $3 million. Their first gift established the Melissa & Michael Lora Cardiac Catheterization Lab Fund. Their second gift, which included a bequest, established the Melissa & Michael Lora Robotic Surgical Center Fund. With deepest gratitude for their generosity, Hoag named the Melissa & Michael Lora Robotic Surgical Center at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.
2019
On May 28, friends, family and Hoag physicians and leaders gathered to celebrate the extraordinary generosity of the Pickup family and the unveiling of the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute.
2019
The Hoag Hospital Foundation announced the Hoag Promise Campaign surpassed the $627 million goal 18 months ahead of its December 31, 2020, target. Twenty-two thousand donors gave $644 million (to date) to the Campaign, funding more than 100 positions and 17 endowed chairs.
2019
A nationally respected clinical leader on the rise, David T. Ahn, M.D., joined Hoag’s Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center as program director in July and was named the Dr. Kris V. Iyer Endowed Chair in Diabetes Care.
2019
Hoag grateful patient and author Dean Koontz and his wife, Gerda, who have been longtime donors to Hoag, graciously committed $9 million to transform cancer care in Orange County. In recognition, Hoag named the Dean & Gerda Koontz Radiation Oncology Center.
2019
Hoag Hospital Foundation held an Endowed Chair Investiture Ceremony in August 2019 honoring visionary donor families Tom and Marianne Larkin and Eric and Sheila Samson. Daniel Von Hoff, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.S.C.O., F.A.A.C.R., was named the Margaret Givan Larkin Endowed Chair in Developmental Cancer Therapeutics; Dipti Itchhaporia, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.E.S.C., the Eric & Sheila Samson Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Health; and Abhay S. Parikh, M.D., the Eric & Sheila Samson Endowed Chair in Gastrointestinal Health.
2019
In September 2019, Hoag began construction of the Fudge Family Birthing Suites at Hoag Hospital Irvine with the help of namesake donor Gary Fudge. A longtime Hoag supporter, Gary committed $4 million to the new facility, which will expand maternity services to Irvine.
2019
The Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center celebrated its ten-year anniversary with leading philanthropists, volunteer leaders, clinical leaders, support teams, friends and staff.
2019
Thanks to donors who gave more than $31.6 million to the Hoag Promise Campaign in support of Hoag Nursing, 80 percent of Hoag nurses now hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Thanks to philanthropy, Hoag is one of only ten Magnet® hospitals in the state of California. Starting in 2020, 80 percent of nurses with an advanced degree is a minimum to maintain Magnet® status.
2019
Friends, family and Hoag physicians and leaders gathered to celebrate the Matranga family’s extraordinary generosity and the unveiling of the Elaine & Robert Matranga Aortic Center at Hoag.
Hoag Innovators, founded and led by past Hoag Hospital Foundation Board Chair Robert Brunswick and his wife Kitty, make first grants to support innovation across Hoag, including the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center, Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute and Hoag’s Women’s Health Institute.
Because of our 70 years of philanthropic partnership with our community, Hoag was prepared to respond to the biggest health threat of our generation. Donors and community members rallied, donating supplies and more than $8 million to support Hoag's COVID-19 research efforts and our COVID-19 Support Fund.
2020
In a powerful virtual ceremony in May, the Hoag Hospital Foundation brought the record-setting Hoag Promise Campaign to a close. To commemorate this ten-year campaign journey, a beam of light illuminated the night sky above Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.
The gift was made to expand and enhance a program for type 1 diabetes at the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center. In appreciation, Hoag named the Mary & Lee Iacocca Program in Type 1 Diabetes to honor the Iacocca Family Foundation’s mission to fund innovative and promising diabetes research
The Lyon family’s gift is meant to honor the late real estate icon and military leader General William Lyon. This Center, on the Newport Beach campus, will provide state-of-the-art space for collaboration among clinical and hospital leaders.
2021
Donations totaling $13.3 million established five new endowed chairs in orthopedic surgery, women’s health, neurosurgery, interventional cardiology, and molecular imaging and therapy. These prestigious positions foster innovation, research, education, and more in their respective specialties while advancing Hoag as a health care leader. The following endowed chairs were named in 2021:
Robert S. Gorab, MD
Tom & Mayumi Adams Endowed Chair in Orthopedic Surgery
Lisa Karamardian, MD, FACOG
Jeffrey M. Carlton Endowed Chair in Women's Health, in honor of Dr. Anne Kent
Robert G. Louis, MD, FAANS
Empower360 Endowed Chair in Skull Base and Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery
Subbarao V. Myla, MD, FACC, FSCAI, MMM, CPE
Dr. Joel H. Manchester Endowed Chair in Interventional Cardiology
Gary Ulaner, MD, PhD, FACNM
James & Pamela Muzzy Endowed Chair in Molecular Imaging and Therapy
2022
Funded in part by the community's support of Boldly Hoag, Hoag’s expansion of the Sun Family Campus is the start of an ambitious, long-term effort to grow and heighten Hoag’s capabilities in order to continue improving the health of our communities while establishing Hoag as a national destination.
Support from the Boldly Hoag Campaign advances three interconnected initiatives: elevating the patient experience, recruiting and retaining top talent, and designing and building the future of health.
2022
Thanks to the generosity of the Schoellerman family and Tom and Marianne Larkin, two new endowed chairs are established. Dr. Vladana Milisavljevic, the Al & Mary Ann Schoellerman Endowed Chair in Neonatology and Dr. Aaron Ritter, the Larkin Family Endowed Chair in Integrative Brain Health, were honored at an endowed chair investiture ceremony along with the Schoellerman family and Tom and Marianne Larkin.
Additionally, Dr. Jeffrey Basset is named the Benjamin & Carmela Du Endowed Chair in Urologic Oncology, and Dr. Carlos Becerra is named the Margaret Givan Larkin Endowed Chair in Cancer Developmental Therapeutics.
2023
City officials, community leaders, donors, Hoag leadership, physicians, and staff came together on July 20, 2023 to celebrate breaking ground on the expansion of Hoag’s Sun Family Campus in Irvine. The expansion, funded in part by the Boldly Hoag Campaign, increases access to Hoag’s expert care for more and more communities while redefining the future of health care with Hoag’s patients at the center.
Named in honor of David and Diana Sun for their visionary $50 million gift, the expanded campus will include specialty care centers for surgical innovation, women’s health, and cancer and digestive health.
2023
The transformational gift establishes the Richard H. Pickup Center for Brain Health, which will bring together multidisciplinary experts across the care spectrum under one roof to tackle brain health from every angle—assessment and prevention, diagnosis, treatment and intervention, research, care coordination, and enhanced support for caregivers and families.
Mr. Pickup’s remarkable generosity empowers Hoag to accelerate its work of bringing comprehensive, advanced memory and cognitive care to Orange County, changing the trajectory of brain care in our community and beyond.
2023
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