Jeffrey M. Carlton Estate makes largest gift in Hoag’s 61-year history
Those closest to Jeffrey Carlton say that this unassuming and private man lived by a simple principle: do the right thing. He was personable with a caring nature and generosity of spirit that evoked loyalty and admiration from his over 100 employees.
Jeff, as he was known to his friends, founded Press Forge in 1978 and served as the company's Chairman and CEO until his passing in 2012. Press Forge is located in Paramount, California and is one of the largest U.S. suppliers of forging services and products to commercial and military aerospace, nuclear, oil and gas exploration and industrial markets.
"Jeff would never take any credit for creating this company out of an empty field in the middle of Paramount," shares Mike Buxton, president of Press Forge. "He liked to say that it was his employees who made it all happen, but none of us would have a job here today without Jeff's vision. Press Forge was one of the two most important things in his life, the other being his dad who passed away in 2004."
Forging Family
According to Mike, Jeff was part of the "blueblood" of forging. His grandfather started Carlton Forge back in 1929 out of his backyard. The company has operated continually since that time and eventually Jeff's father, the late Allan J. Carlton, Jr., took over and it became immensely successful servicing the oil fields. In the 1960s and 1970s, when commercial aerospace emerged and grew exponentially, Carlton Forge increasingly became an aerospace supplier. Jeff's father convinced him to start Press Forge to continue serving the oil field market. "With the support of his father, Jeff bought the raw land, put up the building, sourced the equipment and started Press Forge from scratch," shares Mike. "With all that family history, he was a forger at heart and the company thrived."
Jeff's initiative benefitted his employees and the local economy. Very well-liked, Jeff had the respect of Paramount Mayor Gene Daniels who says, "Jeffrey Carlton was a valued member of our community. His friendship, approachability, and thoughtful nature were all very much appreciated. The generosity of his gift to Hoag is no surprise to the many people in town who knew and respected him."
Honoring His Father
According to his wishes, the Jeffrey M. Carlton Estate made an irrevocable estate gift to Hoag which is currently valued at $53 million. The largest donation in Hoag's history to date, Hoag will use this transformational gift to support a variety of needs including advanced technology, innovative programs, world-class clinical staff and exceptional facilities.
Jeff's father, Allan, was a generous philanthropist and longtime supporter of Hoag. Allan's name, and that of his wife Lorraine, grace the donor walls of Hoag Hospital Newport Beach. "Jeff's gift honors his father's strong affinity for Hoag and commitment to supporting outstanding healthcare in our community," says Mike. "He was very caring about the people around him, and he would be very pleased to know that his gift to Hoag is going to touch the lives of so many in such a positive way."
Jeff's Lasting Impact
The Carlton Estate will become a foundation that will make a significant annual distribution to Hoag Hospital Foundation over the course of many years. In gratitude and recognition,
Hoag is committing the first $15 million to the Heart & Vascular Institute which will be renamed the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute.
"This will be the first of many ways we plan to honor Mr. Carlton's extraordinary generosity," announced Flynn A. Andrizzi, Ph.D., Hoag Hospital Foundation president and Hoag senior vice president. "The impact of this gift cannot be overstated; it will be felt by Hoag and our community for years to come." According to Flynn, the gift also represents an auspicious beginning to the Foundation's upcoming campaign which has an initial goal of $500 million by 2020.
"This historic gift comes at a pivotal moment in the history of healthcare," said Hoag President and CEO Robert Braithwaite. "As we move into a new era of healthcare delivery where we must accomplish more with less, every Hoag patient and our entire community will benefit from Mr. Carlton's generosity. We are deeply grateful."
Sign up for our Newsletter
