Greenville Hospital System and community celebrate GHS’ first 100 years
January 11, 2012
GREENVILLE, SC – January 11, 2012 – Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center(GHS) kicked off a year-long celebration of its centennial on Tuesdaywith hundreds of supporters and employees crowding the festooned commons of itsflagship hospital Greenville Memorial.
“I am honored to be here today and to have been a part of Greenville Hospital System’s history,” said GHS CEO and President Michael Riordan. “GHS would not be where it is today without the vision and commitment of a dedicated group of volunteers and leaders. We listened to the needs of our community and responded, while also maintaining a commitment to medical excellence through clinical care, education and research.”
“This commitment will notchange, and neither will our commitment to improving the health of thiscommunity.”
What began as an 84-bed CityHospital on that snowy January 100 years ago has grown into a 1,268-bedacademic medical center that is the state’s largest not-for-profit healthcareorganization. With more than 10,000 employees, GHS is also the county’s largestemployer and supports a payroll of approximately $866 million.
Elected leaders, current andpast board members, community champions, physicians, nurses, long-timeemployees and volunteers spoke or were recognized throughout Tuesday’scelebrations. Events included whirl-wind celebrations on all its five campuses,a 100-year pictorial postmark and the unveilings of a historic marker at theoriginal City Hospital site and a life-sized history exhibit at Memorial.
“GHS is committed toadvancing health care for generations and plans to do so for another 100 yearsand beyond,” said board chairman Jerry Dempsey. “It is a privilege to take careof this community.”
Former CEOs Bob Toomey, JackSkarupa and Frank Pinckney, who Riordan described as visionaries, were creditedwith the “growth and medical excellence GHS has become known for in thiscommunity.”
Tuesday’s events celebrated the historic significance of the day but also kept an eye toward the future, including the new USC School of Medicine-Greenville, which opens with its inaugural class of students in July.
The celebration was streamedlive via video feed and broadcast to more than 10,000 employees and 141physician practices.
Babies born Tuesday at theGreenville Memorial and Greer Memorial hospitals celebrated with commemorativecentennial onesies blazoned with “Baby of the Century!”
The celebration officiallykicks off a year-long celebration, complete with a GHS Habitat for Humanity CentennialHouse; historical exhibits at GHS, local libraries and the Upstate HistoryMuseum; interactive living history events; a centennial marathon; extensivecommunity outreach and a community-wide scavenger hunt launching in May. A bookchronicling the 100 years will debut this spring at the Upstate History Museum.
Artifacts, memorabilia and“GHS stories” collected through the year will be included in a time capsule tobe buried December 2012. A sampling of stories is already posted onghs.org/100years. The centennial website features vignettes of GHS history, supportopportunities and even a link to a Centennial Store, where a percentage ofproceeds go the Centennial Habitat House project.
“Innovation, creativity andleadership are what make this country and community great, and these qualitiesare clearly evident here at GHS,” said keynote speaker Sen. Jim DeMint. “Infact, the USC School of Medicine-Greenville and the ongoing research takingplace at the Institute for Translational Oncology Research are perfect examplesof what can happen when you blend innovation, creativity and leadershiptogether.
“Over the years, I’ve seen this community grow, and I’ve seen Greenville Hospital System grow right along with it. I’ve also traveled all over this great nation, and I know Greenville to be among the best cities in the world and GHS to be among our nation’s top academic medical centers.
“We are fortunate to live insuch a great place and to have high-quality health care right here in our ownbackyard.”
For more information about theGHS centennial, visit ghs.org/100years.
