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"Partners in Leadership" Awards Announced

ALBANY, N.Y., March 10, 2008 - Stewart’s Shops has been named the Distinguished Corporate Philanthropist of the Year by the Albany Medical Center Foundation, Inc.

The honor was bestowed at the Foundation’s Partners in Leadership reception held recently (March 5) at the Fort Orange Club in Albany. The Foundation, which serves as the Medical Center’s fundraising arm, also recognized the late Leon Goldberg, a long-time benefactor of Albany Medical Center, by honoring him post-humously with the Distinguished Individual Philanthropist of the Year Award. In addition, Albany Medical Center’s Nursing Alumni Association was honored with the Distinguished Volunteers of the Year Award and John Balint, M.D., professor of medicine at the Medical Center, received the Alden March Award for Public Service to Health Care.

“The support of these individuals and corporations and others like them has allowed Albany Medical Center to reach new levels of innovation and excellence, and for that we are truly grateful,” said James Barba, president and chief executive officer of Albany Medical Center. “We are profoundly grateful for their continued support. Albany Medical Center’s continued success is theirs to share.”

Founded in 1945 in Ballston Spa, Stewart’s Shops owns more than 300 stores throughout upstate New York and Vermont. Longtime supporters of Albany Med, Stewart’s Shops has supported the Children’s Hospital through their sponsorship of the annual Dancing in the Woods champagne ball since 1981. In addition, they have supported many neurosciences initiatives, including support for a research fund for Huntington’s disease, an endowed chair, an endowed fellowship, and funding for the Neurosciences Institute’s Advanced Imaging Research Center. Stewart’s also supported the emergency department’s expansion project in 2004, making their total donations to Albany Medical Center’s Pillars Campaign more than $605,000.

The late Leon Goldberg was a longtime supporter of Albany Medical Center. Following the death of his wife Anne from Alzheimer’s disease in 1999, he funded the establishment of the Anne B. Goldberg Alzheimer’s Resource Center at Albany Med with a pledge of $658,000. The Resource Center continues to provide free information about care management and support for Alzheimer’s patients and their families. Upon fulfillment of his pledge, Leon donated an additional $50,000 per year to support the program, which is matched each year by his former employer, General Electric, as part of its employee matching program, bringing his total giving to more than $1.1 million.

Albany Medical Center’s Nursing Alumni Association has given selflessly of its time to promote the importance of the nursing profession through several efforts including designing a “Nursing’s Legacy” display in the institution’s pedestrian bridge; establishing an annual event to honor nurses during Nursing Recognition Week each spring; and publishing a book titled The Legacy of Nursing at Albany Medical Center. In addition, in 2004, the Association established the Marjorie Mellor Endowed Chair for Nursing Education to help fund continuing education programs for nurses at Albany Med and throughout the community, and was instrumental in securing a $25,000 gift to the fund and has donated the proceeds from their book sales to support the Chair.

As a faculty member and attending physician at Albany Med for 45 years, and founder of the Alden March Bioethics Institute at Albany Medical College, Dr. John Balint has established Albany Medical Center as a leading international authority on medical ethics. In 2001, he collaborated with Union College’s Center for Bioethics Clinical Leadership to develop a Master of Science in Clinical Bioethics. Thanks to the generous support of patients, friends and former students, the John A. Balint Chair in Medical Ethics was created in 2002 to recognize Dr. Balint’s lifetime commitment to setting the highest standards of medicine and ethical care. Dr. Balint held the Chair until his retirement in 2005, although he continues to teach and remains an advisor in the Ethics Institute.

The event also recognized all donors who made a gift of $1,000 or more to the Medical Center last year. In 2007, more than 810 “partners” - individuals, businesses and foundations -contributed to Albany Medical Center’s Annual Fund and to capital purposes - the highest number since the program’s inception in 1994.

The mission of the Albany Medical Center Foundation is to encourage regional and national philanthropy in support of the missions and goals of the Albany Medical Center.
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