American Heart Association Holds Annual Awards Dinner
Brookwood Medical Center, CEO Garry Gause and Dr. Michael Honan
Receive Top Honors

Birmingham, AL….The American Heart Association held its annual Awards Dinner on Thursday evening, June 26, 2003 at the Summit Club in downtown Birmingham. Awards were given to the corporation and the individual who demonstrated the greatest commitment to the American Heart Association throughout the past year.

This year’s Corporate Award recipient was Brookwood Medical Center, which raised over $130,000 for the Heart Association.

The winner of this year’s Volunteer of the Year award is Brookwood’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Garry Gause.

As Brookwood’s 2002 Heart Walk company leader, Gause led his employees in an effort that stepped up their fundraising goal from $5,000 in 2001 to $75,000 in 2002. Brookwood Medical Center surpassed its goal by raising more than $130,000, making Brookwood the 6th largest Heart Walk company in the nation. The American Heart Association has also ranked Brookwood Medical Center as #1 in the nation in dollars raised per employee.

According to Jean Morrison, Vice President of Field Services for the American Heart Association:

"Garry Gause is a great leader and motivator who leads by example. He literally set the pace, and people followed in his footsteps. Thanks to Garry and the Brookwood Medical Center employees, the American Heart Walk exceeded its goal by $100,000, increasing 45% over our previous year."

Dr. Michael B. Honan, the outgoing president of the Metro Board of Directors for the American Heart Association, will receive the Distinguished Service Award.

"Dr. Honan has shown an amazing commitment to the American Heart Association," said Jean Morrison. "He has given countless hours of his time and energy to our organization, and has been involved in virtually every aspect of our fundraising and educational efforts. He is very passionate about the mission of the American Heart Association, and truly has a heart of gold."