As First Vice President — Investments, Global Wealth Management Group for Merrill Lynch, Greg Hayes knows a thing or two about the meaning of the word “currency.” For sure, we know it means legal tender, but Greg’s understanding of currency extends its dimensions so that it embraces many reasons for supporting a worthwhile institution such as St. Mary Medical Foundation. “Dollars are just one form of currency, and certainly one means of contributing to St. Mary,” Greg said. “But there are other forms of currency which are equally as valuable, such as contributions of time, wisdom and work. Greg’s commitment to his community attracted the attention of long time St. Mary supporters Jim McCaffrey and Todd Buch when all three men served together on the board of the American Red Cross. “Both Jim and Todd are passionate about St. Mary and encouraged my involvement,” said Greg. “We shared the common belief that everyone has to do their part in the community and that we should lead by example.” Greg has moved far beyond being just a financial supporter of SMMC. He serves on the Foundation Board, and is an articulate speaker before potential donor groups and community organizations. “There may be a time in your life when St. Mary will be at the end of an ambulance ride for you or for a loved one,” Greg said. “You want the peace of mind of knowing that the right physicians, technology and life saving solutions are in place when the ambulance pulls up to the entrance. Because if it’s you, your spouse or one of your children in that ambulance,...
The art of good intentions Art and science have always been considered two sides of the same coin. Keith Haldeman is an example of using both aptitudes for professional and personal enrichment. His profession is in science but his passion is in the arts, and he has managed to combine the two in a way that benefits SMMC. As a Physician’s Assistant in the Operating Room for the past 32 years, Keith uses his critical thinking skills to assist numerous surgeons in cardiac, orthopedic, general and Robotic procedures. At home in his studio he uses his creative skills to create beautiful glass bowls, ornaments, and vases. In college Keith wanted to pursue his interest in fine arts but was unable to take the classes he wanted without declaring that as a major. So he double majored in biology and fine arts at Rutgers, where he received his Bachelor of Science. Keith realized supporting himself would be challenging in the art field so after graduation he followed his other interest, medicine and went to school to get his Physician Assistant degree. In 1983 Keith became the first Physician Assistant at St. Mary Medical Center, but his passion for art never wavered. He experimented with pottery but wanted more, so he decided 10 years ago to enroll in the Bucks County Community College Fine Arts program. There, he learned the technique of glass blowing and fell in love with the art form. For the past decade Keith has used the school’s facilities to mold and manipulate molten glass to create works of art and function. He works with other students and...
Passion, commitment to excellence and community support from area leaders; these are some of the reasons John Gilbert and Sarita Tirpak got involved in St. Mary Medical Center. Both are lifelong residents of the area. Sarita grew up in Levittown and John in neighboring Washington Crossing, New Jersey. John’s first contact with the hospital was through his friend and business associate Sid Yates, one of the founding members of St. Mary. John started working in Newtown in 1975 when Sid introduced John to many other area business leaders who were also involved with the hospital. From the early days of Sister Clare to the current leadership of Greg Wozniak, John and Sarita have been impressed with the hospital’s focus on quality, growth and mission. Faith plays an important role in Sarita’s life and the healing environment at St. Mary made it their hospital of choice when her father was in the late stages of his cancer. “Our family was truly appreciative of the quality of care he received. The nurses and nurse assistants are amazing people. They treated my father like a gentleman and always showed him respect in all aspects of his care.” “What has impressed me over the years is the level of passion and commitment our community members have to providing access to excellent healthcare to our area. Passion is contagious, and being part of something special makes us want to do more.” Two years ago John and Sarita’s interests took a new turn. They made their first gift to St. Mary and have been advocates ever since. They take their role as community leaders very...
A twenty-five year love affair with St. Mary—still going strong Len and Marilyn Franckowiak are loving and living retired life. They have lived in Bucks County long enough to witness St. Mary sprouting from a farm field and growing into a wonderful medical center. “It is comforting to know that our medical needs can be addressed within a short ride, and sophisticated emergency care is available at the end of an ambulance ride.” “We, our children, and grandchildren have experienced very good care through the generations. There are so many reasons why we donate, encourage others to donate and volunteer our services.” Marilyn was first encouraged to volunteer 25 years ago by Sr. Hildegarde Grogan, who, at the time was Vice-President of Patient Services. Sr. Hildegarde needed someone to sift through tons of data and prepare charts—and at that time, it was with a pencil, ruler, and graph paper! Soon Marilyn was named a community representative to Ethics Committee on which she served for 15 years. Sister Hildegarde was aware that Marilyn’s first career was in nursing, and she put her to work researching and writing the nursing standards for the new Cancer Center. When Sister left, Marilyn continued to work for the next five Vice Presidents. For the past year, Marilyn has worked for the Trauma Prevention Coordinator. Another area of opportunity for her service was the Healing Environment program. Marilyn makes afghans and hats for cancer patients, has delivered them to and visited with patients, and even designed two items to aid patients during their healing. Marilyn absolutely cherishes every minute of her more than 6500 hours...
Leadership happens when individuals seize the moment and show others the path to a greater good. Certainly, leadership was demonstrated when the physician partners at the Endoscopy Center at St. Mary pledged a major gift to the St. Mary Medical Center Capital Campaign, Expanding on Excellence, Your Health, Your Hospital. Drs. John Volpe, Anne-Marie Marcoux and Richard Goldstein led their partners Drs. Salowe, Barash, Kravitz and Modena to become one of the first medical groups to make a donation. Through the Expanding on Excellence Campaign, the group saw an opportunity to help the hospital further its mission in an important way. It was, in Dr. Marcoux’s words, a group decision to say “thank you” to a medical center whose leadership has recognized the needs of physicians by creating a medical environment that better serves the needs of the patients. “The Endoscopy Center has enhanced the way we practice medicine,” explained Dr. Volpe. “We can give better care to the patient because we have the tools and state of the art technology to do so.” “St. Mary is a good friend professionally and a strong pillar of the community,” Dr. Goldstein added. “We see ourselves as partners in the process and recognize the philanthropic efforts St. Mary makes in the community through the work they do at the Mother Bachmann Maternity Center and other outreach programs in Bensalem.” And they also see St. Mary worthy of their philanthropic support. Having worked with other hospitals, they are incredibly impressed by the leadership, transparencies, and stewardship of a well-run organization. Drs. Volpe, Goldstein and Marcoux are trailblazers in their support for this...
