Dear HCAD Community,
I’m always in awe of the accomplishments our HCAD alumni are making across the country to impact health care. The gathering during Alumni Weekend in October provided another example of how special our HCAD Community is.
We had a great turnout at our HCAD Alumni Awards Dinner on October 3 with impressive representation from milestone reunion classes, including groups from 1994, 2009, and 2014. I was especially proud to be celebrating my 20th reunion from the HCAD Program.
Thank you to our alumni, faculty and friends who joined us to help celebrate the recognition of two health care leaders for their contributions to the industry. The 2019 Momentum Award recipient was Enrique Gallegos ’06. Enrique has served as Chief Executive Officer of Laredo Medical Center since September 2014. Admittedly, I wiped a few tears after the loving acknowledgment he gave to his parents.
John Haupert ’83, M’92 was honored with the 2019 Duce Award. John has been President and CEO of Grady Health System since October 2011 in Atlanta. In his tenure with the organization, John has been instrumental in the turnaround. The impact John has had as a leader was obvious by the passion with which Laura Irvine ’96 introduced him. For those who weren’t able to join us at the awards dinner, here is a recap, including a photo gallery.
I look forward to seeing many of you at our next HCAD Alumni Association event in Chicago. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, courtesy of Corinne Smith ’86, M’94. Our HCADAA Community reception will be held at Clark Hill Law Office, 130 East Randolph Street, Suite 3900, Chicago 60601 during ACHE Congress. Our HCADAA board members will meet earlier that morning and conduct mock interviews with the HCAD students in preparation for the Preceptors’ Conference on May 1, 2020.
I am enormously proud of our alumni community, our faculty, staff and students. I find it especially rewarding to have opportunities like our newsletter to keep our alumni and friends abreast of all that the HCAD Program continues to offer. Thank you for your ongoing support of the program. I wish everybody a blessed holiday season.
Vanessa Saenz Smith ’94, M’99
President, HCAD Alumni Association
vanessassmith@aol.com
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