Modern Healthcare's Community Leadership Award
The healthcare industry is full of executives who define themselves by leading efforts to change lives and contribute to their communities. Modern Healthcare's Community Leadership Awards will recognize these leaders while bringing attention to the worthy causes they support.
Learn more about the Community Leadership Award on Modern Healthcare's website:
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/section/community-leadership/
Gary S. Shorb, President and CEO of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare - 2013 Community Leadership Award Nominee
1. June 21, 2013
To: Modern Healthcare Community Leadership Award Committee:
I am nominating Gary S. Shorb, President and CEO of Methodist Le Bonheur
Healthcare, a seven-hospital system in Memphis, Tennessee for this award. Shorb is
truly a community-minded servant leader who leads by example.
In addition to his core responsibilities as the leader of MLH, Shorb is active on several
community boards:
• Shorb is a board member for PeopleFirst, is an unprecedented collaboration to
strengthen Memphis and Shelby County's cradle-to-career pipeline.
Spearheaded by the PeopleFirst Partnership, it is a portfolio of initiatives
developed and implemented by "collective action networks" and anchored by four
goals, ten strategies and key performance metrics.
• Shorb is West Tennessee vice president of the Tennessee Business
Roundtable, an organization of senior level business leaders that collaborates
with state government and business organizations to develop and implement
policy supporting business and economic growth in Tennessee.
• Memphis Bioworks Foundation is a non-profit with a mission to support and grow
• Memphis Bioworks is a non-profit with a mission to support and grow
bioscience businesses and jobs in Memphis.
Thoughts on Gary Shorb from Dr. Steven J. Bares, President and Executive
Director of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation
“Over the last two years, as a member of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation
board of directors, Gary has had input on a number of successful economic
development projects, including workforce programs that have trained and
placed hundreds of Memphians in jobs, as well as the recent construction of a
$23 million commercial, pre-clinical research lab, which will help retain millions of
research dollars in Memphis. This lab is the third phase of the UT-Baptist
Research Park, a growing major bioscience research complex located in the
heart of the Memphis Medical Center that, to date, represents more than $120
million in investment and hundreds more local jobs. In addition, as a board
member, Gary has overseen the development of Innova, which is Bioworks’
venture fund, and the construction and operation of 34,000 square feet of
business incubator space, including offices and wet labs.
2. • f directors, Gary In addition, as a board member, Gary has overseen the
development of
•
These developments have been transformational for the Memphis bioscience
entrepreneurship ecosystem and were instrumental in the formation of the
ZeroTo510 accelerator program. Now in its second year, ZeroTo510 is a first-of-
its-kind business accelerator that helps medical device entrepreneurs navigate
the start-up process and achieve the Food and Drug Administration’s 510(k) pre-
market notification filing. Results for the six companies in the inaugural 2012
program were outstanding, with one company completing the program with a full
round (Series A) of venture capital funding of $2.5 million, and four others
finishing with additional funding in the amount of $100,000 each. Though the
initial seed capital helps these companies grow, the real driving force behind the
startups’ success is the resources and connections to potential customers
provided by local business leaders like Gary.”
• Memphis Tomorrow is an association of chief executive officers of Memphis'
largest enterprises. Our purpose is to bring top business leaders together with
government and civic leadership to foster economic prosperity for all who live in
our community.
Thoughts on Gary Shorb from Blair Taylor, President of Memphis Tomorrow:
“Gary is a key leader of Memphis Tomorrow --an association of CEOS of
Memphis’ largest enterprises who collectively engage in shaping the progress of
Greater Memphis -- having served on its executive committee for 7 years which
included 2 years as the organization’s chairman. Since 2007, Gary has, on behalf
of Memphis Tomorrow, led the business community in formal partnership with
Memphis’ City and County Mayors as co-convener of Memphis Fast Forward, a
community-wide strategic plan and collective action initiative focused on reducing
crime, strengthening education and talent, growing jobs, improving government
fiscal strength and efficiency and improving health outcomes. Gary is rare among
business CEOs in that he’s savvy about the role of politics in community
development work and so is able to be a leader among his peers in helping
navigate the political system to advance community priorities. He understands
3. and values the power of collaboration to achieve community goals, and has the
respect and eager partnership of his peers, colleagues and other community and
government leaders in driving community progress.”
• Overton Park is a 342-acre public park in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee. The
park contains a nine-hole golf course, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis
College of Art, Memphis Zoo, Levitt Shell, Rainbow Lake, Veterans Plaza, the
Greensward, two playgrounds, and a 126-acre Old Forest State Natural Area.
Thoughts on Gary Shorb from Tina Sullivan, Executive Director of Overton
Park Conservancy:
“In 2011, Gary Shorb’s visionary leadership led to the establishment of the
nonprofit Overton Park Conservancy, where he holds the position of founding
board chair. This popular city park, founded in 1901, had suffered from decades
of deferred maintenance, neglect, and unchecked development that chipped
away at its acreage. Mr. Shorb was able to navigate the complicated political
terrain of the many interest groups with a stake in the park’s future, lobbying for
one unified voice for the park. Without his ability to unite people around the
cause, it is unlikely that Overton Park’s recent transformation would have been
possible. Through the influence of Mr. Shorb’s leadership, the Conservancy has
built a culture of collaboration, seeking to include stakeholders in our decision-
making and to encourage more members of the community to visit and enjoy
Overton Park. He has built partnerships with key supporters, helping to secure
long-term financial support for the Conservancy’s operations. Mr. Shorb has
guided the Conservancy through the successful transformation of Overton Park,
with more than $1 million in improvements either completed or currently
underway. These projects, from the renovation of running trails to the rebuilding
of a playground, are bringing more visitors to the park every day for healthy
outdoor recreation. Because of Mr. Shorb’s commitment to Overton Park and the
surrounding community, we have been able to celebrate a tremendous number
of accomplishments and establish a strong foundation for the future of our city’s
most cherished park.”
• The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the Lorraine Motel, the
assassination site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., chronicles key episodes of the
American civil rights movement and the legacy of this movement to inspire
4. participation in civil and human rights efforts globally, through our collections,
exhibitions, and educational programs.
Thoughts on Gary Shorb from Beverly Robertson, President of the National
Civil Rights Museum:
“Gary is an enthusiastic Board member, one who is always supportive and never
steps away from a challenge. In these tough economic times, he continues to
chair our Comprehensive Campaign, which we launched in 2009. He pushed us
to accept the goal of $40M, a stretch for us. Our first priority for the campaign is
the $28M needed to renovate the historic Lorraine and a new administration
building - to date; we have raised $25.5M. The other component of the campaign
is to raise $12M to create an endowment fund to sustain the work of the Museum
for future generations - $2.1M is committed. With Gary’s leadership of the
campaign steering committee, the generosity of the Board and many donors,
professional staff and renovation team, we anxiously await the Grand Re-
Opening of the Lorraine building first quarter 2014! We are grateful to Gary for
his strong leadership.”
stake Memphis