AFP honors EVMS representatives, partners and supporters
EVMS representatives, partners and supporters were among the Hampton Roads residents and groups recently honored for their commitment to the local community.
On Nov. 7, Association of Fundraising Professionals — Hampton Roads held its National Philanthropy Day Celebration. The event represents a special day set aside to recognize significant contributions to philanthropy — and those people active in the philanthropic community — to enrich the world.
Pictured above are Connie McKenzie, MSW, CFRE, Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations; Michal Fraser, President of the Cosmopolitan Club of Norfolk; Randy Wright, President of Cosmopolitan International; and Laurie Harrison, Director of Community Engagement.
Those honored on the day included individuals who have contributed to EVMS in significant and varied ways.
They include:
Outstanding Philanthropist – Individual: Louis and Prudence Ryan
The Ryans gave more than $2 million to establish a research fund through the EVMS Deliver on the Promise campaign. The Ryan Translational Research fund stimulates interdisciplinary research among faculty with expertise in biomedical science, healthcare disparities/delivery science, and clinical disciplines to improve the models of care and patient outcomes, as well as to meet community health needs. The Ryans also invested more than $1 million to establish the Prudence and Louis Ryan Chair in Research. This endowed position recently was utilized as a recruitment tool in the successful Vice Dean of Research search.
Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Shirley Baldwin
Baldwin, owner of Baldwin Advisory and former Director of Taxation at the Norfolk-based CPA firm Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, serves as Co-Chair of the Deliver on the Promise Campaign Steering Committee. Under her leadership, the campaign has raised almost $80 million to support EVMS. She is also the current Chair of the EVMS Foundation Board of Trustees.
Community Champions: David Mu, PhD, and the Cosmopolitan Club of Norfolk
Dr. Mu, Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology and Associate Dean for Research, was honored for his leadership in stewarding investments in both the Leroy T. Canoles Jr. Cancer Research Center and EVMS. In addition, the Cosmopolitan Club of Norfolk was recognized for the group’s support of the establishment of the Strelitz Diabetes Center and its continued support of diabetes research for close to 40 years.
Other longtime EVMS supporters and partners, including TowneBank (Outstanding Philanthropist – Organization), also were celebrated at the event.
“From where I stand, I can tell you there is a lot of power in this room,” said Alfred Abuhamad, MD, President, Provost and Dean of the School of Medicine, during the presentation. “The power to change lives, the power to create a lasting legacy and the power to transform our community. Your passion, your dedication, and your investments, in EVMS and in all the deserving causes and campaigns in Hampton Roads, are to be celebrated, because when any part of our community is served or supported, new opportunities are created for us all. What you do in this community has a ripple effect that goes well beyond the borders of our region.”
Find out more about the event.