* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [LBJ Hospital Groundbreaking] [00:00:16] AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THIS IS A GREAT DAY IN THE HISTORY OF HARRIS HEALTH. THIS MORNING'S CEREMONY REPRESENTS A MAJOR MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM. THE JOURNEY ON THIS CAMPUS BEGAN ALMOST 35 YEARS AGO, WHEN ON JUNE 2ND, 1989, DOZENS OF AMBULANCE AMBULANCES LINED UP AT THE OLD JEFFERSON DAVIS HOSPITAL AND TRANSPORTED PATIENTS TO THE NEW LBJ CAMPUS FOR NEARLY 35 YEARS, LBJ HOSPITAL HAS RESPONDED TO THE MEDICAL NEEDS OF THE NORTHEAST HOUSTON COMMUNITY TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY THROUGH SIGNIFICANT POPULATION GROWTH, HURRICANES AND A PANDEMIC LBJ HOSPITAL HAS CARED FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY. IN RECENT YEARS, WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED OUR OUTREACH TO BECOME A BETTER PARTNER WITH OUR COMMUNITY THAT INVOLVED LISTENING TO OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND MEETING OUR PATIENTS WHERE THEY ARE, AND ADDRESSING A MULTITUDE OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS IMPACTING THEIR HEALTH. SO TODAY WE CELEBRATE YEARS OF PLANNING AND BREAK GROUND FOR AN EXPANDED HOSPITAL, A LEVEL ONE CAPABLE TRAUMA CENTER, AND A FULLY PRIVATE ROOMED FACILITY FUNDED IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT OF OUR HARRIS COUNTY VOTERS. THANK YOU. AS WE START THE CEREMONY, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TALENTED STUDENTS OF THE CASHMERE HIGH SCHOOL STAGE BAND. THEY'RE ALSO KNOWN AS THE THUNDER SOUL BAND AND ARE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MR. ELLIS WILLIAMS. THANK YOU. I HAVE A LIST OF FOLKS I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A NOT ALL INCLUSIVE LIST AS I MAY HAVE MISSED SOME OF YOU. SO IF I DON'T SAY YOUR NAME, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. SO INCLUDING OUR BOARD MEMBERS, BOTH CURRENT AND FORMER, UH, DR. CAR COSTAS, UH, DR. UH, MS. ELENA MARKS, DR. YUAN JOHNSON, MS. CAROL PERT, DR. CODY PIKE, MS. JENNIFER TIINA, DR. ART GRACIE, DR. KIM MONDAY, AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, BOTH PRESIDENT, FORMER FORMER THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE MULTIPLE ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH US TODAY. UH, FIRST OFF, UH, MAJOR, MAJOR. I AM A FORMER ARMY OFFICER, SO PLEASE EXCUSE ME, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER. WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM PRECINCT ONE, MS. AMBER RE, WEED PRECINCT THREE, UH, LAWRENCE BELL, CITY COUNCIL, MARIO CASTILLO, UH, ANGELA WELLS FROM CONGRESSWOMAN SYLVIA, UH, CONGRESSMAN'S OFFICE. AND SYLVIA GARCIA'S OFFICE. OH, CONGRESSMAN. OH, I'M SORRY, ANGELA, I'M MISSING YOUR HANDWRITTEN SCRIBBLED NOTES HERE. WE ALSO HAVE, UH, CHARRA BOWIE FROM, UH, ADRIAN GARCIA'S OFFICE. SO THANK YOU OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. THANK YOU ALSO TO OUR HCHD BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR STRATEGIC FUND BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT, ALONG WITH, UH, SEVERAL MEDICAL COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES. UH, TODAY WE'LL HAVE A SPEAKER, MR. KEVIN DILLON, WHO'S THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT UT HEALTH HOUSTON. OUR PARTNERS HERE AT LBJ, UH, DEAN JOHN HANCOCK, WHO'S DEAN OF THE MCGOVERN MEDICAL SCHOOL AT UT HEALTH HOUSTON. WE ALSO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES, UH, FROM BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, DEAN'S OFFICE AS WELL. AND THEN MANY OF OUR HARRIS HEALTH EXECUTIVE LEADERS, OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS, OUR PATIENT FAMILY ADVISORY COUNSELOR COUNCIL, AND ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THE COLORS WILL BE PROUDLY PRESENTED BY THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 87 90 FROM SPRING BRANCH. JOINING THEM IN THE PLAYING OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM IS THE CASHMERE STAGE BAND. AT THIS TIME, PLEASE RISE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PRESENTATION OF COLORS AND THE PLAYING OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM. [00:06:47] PLEASE BE SEATED. OUR INVOCATION TODAY WILL BE GIVEN BY REVEREND CLEMENS. REVEREND HARVEY CLEMENS JR. HAS BEEN THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF PLEASANT HILL BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE FIFTH WARD FOR 41 YEARS. HE'S A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN WHO HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO SUPPORTING THE RESIDENTS OF FIFTH WARD THROUGH HIS NUMEROUS ROLES AS FOUNDER AND CHAIR EMERITUS OF THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, PRESIDENT OF THE PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, CHAIR OF THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE 18, AND PRESIDENT OF THE CENTER FOR URBAN TRANSFORMATION. PLEASE GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO REVEREND HARVEY CLEMENS AS HE LEADS OUR EVENTS INVOCATION. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, AND YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN ME AS WE GO TO OUR CREATOR. WE THANK YOU ALMIGHTY CREATOR FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO COME BEFORE YOUR THRONE, TO SPEAK TO YOU, TO THE CONCERNS AND THE NEED OF SUFFERING HUMANITY. WE THANK YOU FOR BEING ONE WHO IS A VISION, A VISION TO CREATE A WORLD, A UNIVERSE, A PLANET. WE THANK YOU, FATHER GOD FOR THE DOCTORS AND THE NURSES WHO HAVE GIVEN THEMSELVES TO THE RIGOR OF THEIR ACADEMY. WE THANK YOU FOR THE ENGINEERS WHO HAVE DESIGNED THE EQUIPMENT THAT PEERS INTO OUR BODIES. WE THANK YOU, MY FATHER, FOR THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE KEPT HEALING IN YOUR OWN HANDS. FOR YOU ARE NO RESPECT OF PERSON. THANK YOU. NOW FOR THE REASON THAT WE HAVE GATHERED HERE ON THIS MORNING TO MOVE FROM THE THEORETICAL TO THE EXPERIENTIAL TRAUMA ONE CARE CENTER. THANK YOU FOR THE VOTERS. THE VIEW, THE MISSION THAT WE ARE NOW SET OUT UPON. THIS IS ALL OF OUR PRAYERS, EACH AND OUR OWN WAY, BUT MANY OF US IN THE NAME OF JESUS THE CHRIST. AMEN. AMEN. I THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME. I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO GIVE A FEW BRIEF REMARKS AFTER THE INVOCATION, AND IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO BE BRIEF WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IS ABOUT TO OCCUR ON THIS VERY LOCATION. THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN A JOURNEY AND CAREFULLY PLANNED FOR COMMITTED PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY. BACK IN 19, I'M LIKE YOU, I I'M DATING MYSELF, 1900 BACK IN 2022, . AFTER ALL, I AM 73 YEARS OLD. SO [00:10:02] BACK IN 2022, I MET WITH DR. FARS, DR. FARSI AND, UH, DARRYL KING OGLE RODRIGUEZ, AND TEAM MEMBERS OF PPNG IN MY OFFICE. IT WAS IN THAT MEETING THAT WE RECOGNIZED THE NEED AND THE IMPORTANCE FOR THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE, TO BE HEARD. AFTER THAT MEETING WAS OVER, I WAS ASSURED BY DR. PORSCHE THAT THE COMMUNITY VOICE WOULD BE HEARD IN THIS EFFORT. WE HAVE MET OVER THIS TIME, HAVE MET WITH 41,000 INDIVIDUALS, 78 COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND THE SUPPORT OF 72% OF THE VOTING POPULATION TO PASS THIS $2.5 BILLION BOND REFERENDUM. AND THIS VERY SPOT, YES, YOU CAN CLAP FOR THAT. JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE WERE ALL SUFFERING FROM A PANDEMIC. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT PANDEMIC REVEALED UNTO US THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR SUFFER FROM SIGNIFICANT HEALTH DISPARITIES. A NEED TO CLOSE THAT GAP, A NEED TO DO SOMETHING IN THIS COMMUNITY TO SOLVE THOSE KINDS OF PROBLEMS. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE VISION AND THE LEADERSHIP OF HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM. THANK YOU BOARD. THANK YOU BB AND AND G FOR THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU ALL GAVE TO MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS HEARD. NEVER AGAIN DO WE WANT TO HAVE LIFE EXPECTANCY IN OUR COMMUNITY 24 YEARS LESS THAN THE REST OF HOUSTON. NEVER AGAIN DO WE WANT TO STRUGGLE WITH GETTING OUR ELDERLY PEOPLE INTO THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS A HISTORICAL MARK IN THIS VERY LOCATION, THIS VERY LOCATION. A LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTER ON THIS CAMPUS WILL BE, WILL BE RESURRECTED, WILL MOVE THE IDEA OF EQUAL HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE FROM THE THEORETICAL TO THE EXPERIENTIAL. NOTE THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR AND SAY, I WAS THERE WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU REVEREND CLEMENS. OUR FIRST SPEAKER NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION TO MOST OF YOU. DR. ESMAIL PORTA IS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM, AND THE VISIONARY LEADER BEHIND ARE GATHERING HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE GROUNDBREAKING OF OUR NEW HOSPITAL ON THE CAMPUS OF LBJ HOSPITAL. HIS UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR NORTHEAST HARRIS COUNTY AND ITS NEIGHBORHOODS BEGAN YEARS AGO AS HE HONED HIS KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND MEDICAL SKILLS. AS A UT HEALTH MEDICAL RESIDENT CARING FOR OUR PATIENTS HERE AT LBJ, HIS WORK AT LBJ MADE AN INDELIBLE AND PROFOUND IMPACT ON HIS SENSE OF PURPOSE AND CARING FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED. PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING A WARM WELCOME TO DR. PORTA. THANK YOU ALL. GOOD MORNING. UM, I'M TRYING NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL TODAY. I'M GONNA DO MY BEST. UM, FIRST BEFORE I FORGET, I REALLY WANT TO THANK, UH, TRISH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS COMMUNITY. I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ANY HAND IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. THIS IS AN AMAZING VENUE, UH, TO BE PUT TOGETHER. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. SO I TRY TO, UH, I KNEW I WAS GONNA BE EXCITED AND NERVOUS, SO I WROTE STUFF DOWN, WHICH IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR ME. I USUALLY JUST SPEAK FROM THE HEART AND LET THE SPIRIT MOVE ME. BUT, UH, HERE IT GOES. JUST REALLY GLAD TO SEE SO MANY OF Y'ALL HERE, ESPECIALLY OUR CURRENT AND PRIOR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, WHO HAD A HUGE HAND IN GETTING US TO THIS TO THIS POINT. UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WHO ARE PRESIDENT TODAY. I REALLY DUNNO HOW TO GIVE TODAY ENOUGH CREDIT AND WAIT FOR WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO SAY THAT TODAY IS A PIVOTAL MOMENT [00:15:01] IN THE HISTORY OF HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM AND IN REALITY FOR THE ENTIRE HARRIS COUNTY IS A DRAMATIC UNDERSTATEMENT. YOU ALL HEARD SOME OF THE REASONS WHY THIS HOSPITAL IS SO BADLY NEEDED, BUT FOR ME, ESPECIALLY, AS YOU HEARD JUST FROM TRISH, THIS IS A 31 YEAR JOURNEY, UM, TO THIS DAY ON JULY 1ST, 1993. AND YES, I AM DATING MYSELF. I ENTERED LBJ HOSPITAL FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. IT WAS THE FIRST DAY OF MY VERY FIRST ROTATION AS AN INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENT, AND I WAS ASSIGNED TO LBJ EMERGENCY ROOM OF ALL PLACES. AND TO MAKE IT MORE INTERESTING, I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE AREA OF THE EMERGENCY ROOM THAT AT THE TIME WAS CALLED THE GIN HALL. AND THE REASON FOR THAT, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER THOSE DAYS, IS THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO SOUGHT HELP IN THAT AREA HAD EITHER AN OFFSET TRICKLE ISSUE OR A GYNECOLOGICAL ISSUE, WHICH WAS REALLY IRONIC BECAUSE OBSTETRICS AND DEFINITELY GYNECOLOGY WERE BEYOND THE DOUBT. MY LEAST FAVORITE ROTATIONS IN MEDICAL SCHOOL, . NONETHELESS, I ACCLIMATED AND IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, I BECAME REALLY GOOD AT HANDLING EARLY PREGNANCY ISSUES AND OTHER WOMEN'S SELF ISSUES. AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH LBJ HOSPITAL. FAST FORWARD 31 YEARS AND I AM EXHILARATED TO CELEBRATE THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR A FUTURE ADULT LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CAPABLE HOSPITAL ON THIS CAMPUS. YOU KNOW, I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES IN THE PAST, LOVINGLY THAT LBJ HOSPITAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, THIS HOSPITAL WAS TOO SMALL TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY WHEN IT WAS OPENED ITS DOORS 35 YEARS AGO, EVEN WITH QUAD OCCUPANCIES, BOTH IN TERMS OF CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY. YOU ADD TO THAT, THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN OUR POPULATION IN HARRIS COUNTY. ON TOP OF THAT, THE GROWING HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY, NORTHEAST HARRIS COUNTY. AND YOU REALLY GET A SENSE OF WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT AND CRUCIAL AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME TO BE TALKING ABOUT AND BREAKING GROUND FOR THE FUTURE LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTER HOSPITAL ON THIS CAMPUS WITH TWICE THE CAPACITY OF TODAY'S LBJ HOSPITAL AND MUCH, MUCH MORE CAPABILITIES. NOT TO MENTION THE DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE UNDERSERVED, THEY'RE POOR, THEY'RE UNINSURED, THEY'RE UNDERINSURED THAT LBJ HOSPITAL SERVES. AS YOU ALSO HEARD, I'M COMFORTED TO KNOW THAT THESE SPACS THAT I JUST MENTIONED WERE ALSO OBVIOUS TO THE RESIDENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY AS THEY ARE TODAY TO ALL OF US GATHERED HERE. AND THIS IS WHY NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 72% OF HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE GENERAL ELECTION VOTED YES IN SUPPORT OF OUR FUTURE LEANING $2.5 BILLION BOND PROPOSAL. SO I WANT TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TODAY IS THE START OF THE FULFILLMENT OF OUR PROMISES THAT WERE MADE BY HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR PATIENTS, TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND MEDICAL STAFF. I WANT TO THANK HARRIS COUNTY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES CURRENT AND PAST, AND ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT. AND I DO HAVE TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE METROPOLITAN ORGANIZATION WHO HAVE BEEN OUR BIGGEST CHEERLEADERS THROUGHOUT THIS ALL ACTIVITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M HAPPY TO STAND HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE START OF THE FUTURE OF HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM, A FUTURE THAT IS BRIGHT AND FULL OF PROMISES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR PATIENTS, FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND FOR OUR MEDICAL STAFF. THANK YOU ALL AND GOD BLESS. THANK YOU. IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE CHAIR OF OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DR. ANDREA KATI. HER DEDICATED LEADERSHIP AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GUIDING OUR ORGANIZATION TOWARD GREATER SUCCESS. AND TO ME PERSONALLY, SHE'S A TRUSTED ADVISOR AND PARTNER IN ALL WE'RE WORKING TO ACHIEVE AND IS SOMEONE I DEEPLY ADMIRE FOR [00:20:01] HER DEDICATION TO CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME DR. ANDREA CAT TO THE STAGE. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. BUENO AND THANK YOU DR. PZA. THOSE WERE VERY TOUCHING WORDS AND I APPRECIATE THEM SO VERY MUCH. I AM ABSOLUTELY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO BE HERE TODAY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO COLLECTIVELY RECOGNIZE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR CURRENT AND PAST BOARD MEMBERS. COULD YOU PLEASE STAND AND GET A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? WE STAND ON YOUR SHOULDERS. IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO OUR MISSION THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY BREAKING GROUND ON THIS VISIONARY PROJECT. AND IT DOES TAKE LEADERSHIP AND IT DOES TAKE A VILLAGE. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT OF SPANISH FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S HEARING OUT THERE. THERE'S A AFRICAN PROVERB THAT SAYS, IF YOU WANNA GO FAST, GO ALONE. IF YOU WANNA GO FAR, WE GO TOGETHER. AND IT IS TOGETHER WITH ENTIRE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM LEADERSHIP, THANK YOU. WITH OUR ACADEMIC PARTNERS, MEDICAL STAFF, OUR WORKFORCE, AND THE BLESSING OF OUR HARRIS COMMUNITY VOTERS. THANK YOU. WE HAVE REACHED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS A BETTER HEALTHCARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEDICAL. THIS GROUNDBREAKING REPRESENTS NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION OF A BUILDING, BUT THE SYMBOL OF HOPE, OF PROGRESS, OF COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. OUR NEW HOSPITAL WITH WILL BE A BEACON OF HEALTH OF HEALING OFFERING STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES AND INNOVATION, TREAT INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS TO IMPROVE LIVES OF THOSE WE SERVE REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUNDS AND OTHER IN THEIR LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES. AS WE EMBARK IN THIS NEW CHAPTER, I EXTEND MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO SUPPORTED US PLACING THIS BOND ON THE BALLOT LAST NOVEMBER, AND WHOSE LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION HAVE BROUGHT US TO THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION. TOGETHER, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE LASTING IMPACT OF THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY. LASTLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO THANK OUR HARRIS HEALTH PATIENTS FOR TRUSTING US WITH THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING AND OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT IN MAKING THIS A MUCH NEEDED EXPANSION AND REALITY. AMIGOS. THANK YOU COMMUNITY. THANK YOU HARRIS HEALTH FAMILY. I AM ABSOLUTELY HUMBLED TO BE HERE AND EXCITED TO SEE THIS PROJECT COME TO FRUITION. THANK YOU. IT IS NOW MY GREAT PLEASURE AND HONOR TO INTRODUCE TO YOU A MAN WHO KNOWS THE THING OR TWO ABOUT ELECTIONS GETTING LEGISLATION PASSED AND WHO ALSO SHARED THE BALLOT LAST NOVEMBER WITH OUR BOND PROPOSAL. HOUSTON'S ESTEEMED MAYOR AND MY VERY GOOD FRIEND, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR WHIT MEYER'S CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE HAS SPENT DECADES AND HE HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO CHAMPIONING THE NEEDS OF HOUSTONIANS AS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE. HE HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE ACCESS, ADDRESS HOUSING INEQUALITY, AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS. HE IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING COLLABORATIONS ACROSS AGENCIES TO ENHANCE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCIES FOR CONSTITUENTS SERVICES AND HIS COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY AND EQUITY CONTINUOUS TO INSPIRE [00:25:01] AND GUIDE OUR CITY TOWARD THE BRIGHTER FUTURE AS WELL AS MYSELF. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER TO THE STAGE. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, DR. PARSER FROM ONE CAN-DO PERSON TO ANOTHER. CONGRATULATIONS. THERE'S A REASON WHY FOLKS HAVE US IN OUR POSITIONS. AND SPEAKING OF POSITIONS, AS I LOOK ACROSS THIS ROOM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A REASON THEY DON'T LET THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT GATHER AT THE SAME TRANSPORTATION. FLYING IN MEETINGS PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE THIS MANY SUCCESSFUL, ENERGETIC, COMMITTED PUBLIC, NOT PUBLIC OFFICIALS. IT'S A PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT I'M LOOKING OUT AT BECAUSE I STRONGLY BELIEVE WITH ALL MY FAITH, THAT EVERYONE I MAKE AN EYE CONTACT WITH IS A PUBLIC SERVANT. WHETHER YOU'RE EVER ON THE BALLOT OR NOT. AND SOMEDAY WE'RE ALL GONNA BE JUDGED. WHAT DID YOU DO WITH YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE? AND I SEE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUCH AN OUTSTANDING RECORD. YOU KNOW, BOB BULLOCK, A TOUGH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THAT HAD SUCH AN INFLUENCE ON ME IN THE 90, USED TO TRAIN US THAT IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN GET DONE IF YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS THE CREDIT. AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE INSTITUTIONS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, AND IT'S ALL BEING DONE UNDER DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION. THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR HOUSTON. IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF OUR GREATNESS IN HARRIS COUNTY. NOT ONLY THE LEADERSHIP, BUT SIGNIFICANTLY THE RESIDENTS. WE HAVE SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER. I WILL LEAVE HERE A BETTER MAYOR THAN THE ONE THAT ARRIVED BECAUSE I'M FEEDING OFF THE ENERGY, LOVE, AND EXPERTISE THAT ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY. SO LET'S ACKNOWLEDGE IT. RECOGNIZE WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO DO. I WISH TIME ALLOWED ME, BUT I KNOW I'M SINGING TO THE CHOIR. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE MEDICAID EXPANSION IN THIS STATE. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE IT. AND IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER, ANOTHER THING I SAY, REMEMBER, ELECTIONS MATTER. WE WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE WITHOUT A SUCCESSFUL ELECTION. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. I WANT TO, I, I CAN'T, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT A METRO METRO PROPOSAL, MICRO TRANSIT, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ELECTRIC VEHICLES. IT LOOK LIKE A FANCY GOLF CART WORKING THIS CAMPUS. THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT SIZE CAMPUS FOR THE WORKERS AND THE RESIDENTS. THE DREAM WOULD BE CURB TO CURB SERVICE, GO INTO CASHMERE AND GIVE SOMEONE A RIDE. WE'RE DOING IT IN THIRD WARD SUCCESSFULLY. SO THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M BETTER THAN WHEN I GOT HERE. LET'S GO TO WORK. THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU MAYOR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS A TRUE ADVOCATE FOR HER COMMUNITY, FOR OUR COMMUNITY. MS. HUEY GERMAN WILSON HAS LIVED AND WORKED IN TRINITY AND HOUSTON GARDENS FOR OVER 30 YEARS. AS A MEMBER OF TRINITY GARDENS CHURCH OF CHRIST, SHE CHAMPIONED THE CHURCH'S FOOD PANTRY AND SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS FACING HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY. AS PRESIDENT OF SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 48, TRINITY HOUSTON GARDENS, CASHMERE FEEDER PATTERN, COMMUNITY COUNCIL KEEP HOUSTON BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION AND ONE OF THE FOUNDING DIRECTORS OF THE NORTHEAST HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. SHE HAS BEEN A PART OF MANY INITIATIVES TO BETTER AND IMPROVE HER COMMUNITY. WE AT LBJ ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH MS. HUEY AND HER ROLE WITH THE NORTHEAST HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. OUR HOSPITAL HAS SUPPORTED THE NORTHEAST COMMUNITY FARMER'S MARKET ON THIS VERY PARKING LOT, ON THIS VERY GROUND FOR FIVE YEARS IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND OTHER FOOD ITEMS TO OUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING A WARM WELCOME TO MS. HUEY GERMAN WILSON. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. NO, GOOD MORNING. I STARTED OUT THIS WAY. IT WAS MORNING, BUT I THOUGHT WE HAD TRANSITIONED IN THIS HEAT TO AFTERNOON. BUT THIS IS HOUSTON. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT THIS MORNING. I'M HUEY GERMAN WILSON, ONE OF THE FOUNDING DIRECTORS OF NORTHEAST HOUSTON REDEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. AND I SERVE WITH KEITH DOWNEY AND KEN WILLIAMS, UH, [00:30:05] AND THE WORK THAT WE DO IN THIS COMMUNITY. BUT THE BEAUTY OF IT ALL IS WE'RE ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WERE BORN AND RAISED IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO WHILE I'VE SPENT 30 YEARS WORKING IN THIS COMMUNITY, I THINK WHEN LBJ LAUNCHED IN 1996, I MEAN 86, SORRY, I WAS, UH, I WAS BUSY GIVING BIRTH, UH, AT ANOTHER HARRIS HEALTH FACILITY THAT THIS FACILITY REPLACED. I SAY THAT BECAUSE I NEED PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AND HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE THAT HARRIS HEALTH SAW THE LOGIC IN PUTTING THIS HOSPITAL AT THIS LOCATION. LOCATION IS EVERYTHING. AND FOR THESE COMMUNITIES, CASHMERE GARDENS, TRINITY GARDENS, FIFTH WARDS, CITY GAS, EAST TEX, JENSEN, HOMESTEAD IN LITTLE YORK CITY, UH, UH, I'M SORRY, SCENIC WOODS TO NAME JUST A FEW. THIS IS THE ONLY HOSPITAL IN OUR ENTIRE AREA. THERE IS AN ENTIRE MEDICAL CENTER, 20 MINUTES FROM US. BUT IF I'M INJURED AT MY HOME, I WON'T MAKE IT THERE. I NEED A HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM, A LBJ THAT TRAINS THE BEST DOCTORS IN THE WORLD AT MY DISPOSAL. AND THEY TAKE US NO MATTER IF WE ARE, UH, INSURED, UNINSURED, UNDERINSURED, MEDICAID, WHATEVER YOUR SITUATION. SO I'M GRATEFUL TO THIS HOSPITAL SYSTEM FOR BEING HERE BECAUSE FOR SO MANY OF US, THIS IS IT. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT HARRIS HEALTH, THEIR ADMINISTRATION REACHED OUT TO US WHEN WE HAD NO PLACE TO TAKE OUR FARMER'S MARKET. WE ARE FOOD INSECURE. WE ARE HERE. AND, AND TRISH MENTIONED IT, BUT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. WE'VE GOT A FIESTA ON ONE CORNER AND SEVERAL GROCERY STORES IN BETWEEN THAT CANNOT SERVE OUR NEEDS. AND HARRIS HEALTH STEPPED INTO THAT GAP, AND I MUST COMMEND THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE SPENT THIS 35 YEARS STEPPING INTO THAT GAP AND PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE. WE TALK ABOUT CAR TRUCKS FALLING OFF THE FREEWAY, HURRICANES, PANDEMICS. THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN STRUCK WITH MULTIPLE PANDEMICS OVER THE YEARS THAT NOBODY EVER ACKNOWLEDGES OR DEALS WITH BECAUSE THEY HAPPEN IN THESE COMMUNITIES. LBJ SERVED ALMOST AS A HOTEL DURING HARVEY BECAUSE PEOPLE COULDN'T COME AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR RELATIVES BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET BACK HOME. SO THEY STAYED. SO WHEN THEY REACHED OUT TO US TO HELP US WITH OUR FARMER'S MARKET, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING BECAUSE WE HAD NOWHERE TO GO. AND WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE HEALTHY OPTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY AT A PRICE POINT THAT OUR COMMUNITY COULD AFFORD. AND AS WE DO THAT, HARRIS HEALTH COMES OUT TO EVERY FARMER'S MARKET. THEY, THEIR EMPLOYEES COME OUT TO EVERY FARMER'S MARKET, THEIR DOCTORS AND NURSES AND, AND, AND ADMINISTRATION COMES OUT TO EVERY FARMER'S MARKET TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE INFORMATION. SO IT WON'T BE LONG PASTOR CLEMONS BEFORE, WE WON'T HAVE 20% LESS YEARS ON OUR LIFE BECAUSE WE ARE TURNING A CORNER. IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE. WE ARE NOT THE EPICENTER OF MOTHER INFANT MORTALITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EXPANDED LBJ THAT IS FORWARD THINKING ENOUGH TO THINK ABOUT OUR NEEDS, THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE A CANCER CLUSTER IN FIFTH WARD AND K GARDENS THAT'S NOT FIVE MIN MILES FROM WHERE YOU SIT. AND THEY'RE ALREADY THINKING AHEAD TO HOW WE RECTIFY AND REMEDY THESE SITUATIONS AND HOW WE MITIGATE THESE SITUATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY. EVERYBODY HAS NOT BEEN AS GRACIOUS AS HARRIS HEALTH WHEN THEY PLAN THEIR EXPANSION. AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY. METRO IS PLANNING AN EXPANSION RIGHT PAST THE HOSPITAL THAT THEY HAVE, UH, I'M SORRY. HARRIS HEALTH HAS INSISTED THAT THEY BRING IN SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WASN'T PLANNED. HARRIS HEALTH HAS, IS GOING TO MAKE OUR GROCERY STORES EXPAND BECAUSE THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. HOUSTON ISD HAS A FACILITY THAT'S NOT TWO MILES FROM HERE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT FACILITY DOES. IT MIGHT AS WELL BE THE CIA BECAUSE WE HAVE NO INTERACTION. IT'S FOOD SERVICE. IT'S A PLACE WHERE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO STORE OUR STUFF FOR THE FARMER'S MARKET. BUT THAT'S NOT OPEN TO US BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS NOT A GOOD NEIGHBOR. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE RAILROAD [00:35:01] HAS EXPANDED FROM TWO LINES, ABOUT 400 FEET FROM HERE, BUT FROM TWO LINES TO 12 LINES. AND THEY'RE NOT GOOD NEIGHBORS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT HELPFUL IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE MUST COMMEND LBJ. I HAVE TO DO THAT THIS MORNING BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SO VITAL IN THE HEALTH FAIRS THAT WE DO, THE TOURS THAT THEY TAKEN AND, AND LOOKED AT OUR COMMUNITY AND BEND THE HOSPITAL THAT WE NEED THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER THAT WE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I WANNA COMMEND THEM. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS EXPANSION. DIDN'T KNOW IF WE'D LIVE TO SEE IT, BECAUSE NORMALLY A BOND PASSES AND IT'S 10 YEARS BEFORE YOU SEE ANYTHING. SO TO BE SIX MONTHS LATER, AND WE'RE ALREADY AT THE GROUNDBREAKING, I MUST COMMEND YOU, HARRIS HEALTH, DR. PORTA, TRISH, THE THIS IS MONUMENTAL AND THE COMMUNITY SEES IT AND WE APPRECIATE IT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU LBJ TO MAKE THIS BE A BETTER PLACE, A BETTER COMMUNITY. OUR CORNERSTONE AT 59 AND SIX 10, WE, WE ARE EMBRACING THIS AND WE ARE SO EXCITED. THANK YOU. AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS FROM PRECINCT ONE HAS POSTED A RESOLUTION HONORING THIS DAY AND THE GROUNDBREAKING, UH, FOR THE CEREMONY. SO I WON'T READ IT TO YOU, BUT, UH, THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS AND PRECINCT ONE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KEVIN DILLON. MR. DILLON IS THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT UT HEALTH HOUSTON, OUR ACADEMIC PARTNER AT HARRIS HEALTH, LBJ HOSPITAL. KEVIN LEADS THE UNIVERSITY'S BUSINESS OPERATIONS TO ADVANCE HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND EXCEPTIONAL CLINICAL CARE, WHILE ALSO CREATING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR ALL. THE EXPANSION OF OUR LBJ CAMPUS IS POSSIBLE IN PART BECAUSE OF THE SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING A WARM WELCOME TO MR. KEVIN DILLON. THANK YOU, TRISH. UH, GOOD MORNING. UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER, ELECTED OFFICIALS, DR. PORTA, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING YOUR FRIENDS AT UT HEALTH HOUSTON, A PART OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM IN THIS CELEBRATION. I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING OUR PRESIDENT, DR. GIUSEPPE KORTO, A GREAT FRIEND TO LBJ AND TO HARRIS HEALTH. THIS MORNING, GIUSEPPE IS CONFERRING BACHELOR'S, MASTER'S, AND DOCTORAL DEGREES ON MORE THAN 600 GRADUATES OF OUR CSIC SCHOOL OF NURSING. HE'S DOING THAT RIGHT NOW. UM, CSIC SCHOOL OF NURSING, I PROBABLY SHOULD MENTION CSIC IS THE HIGHEST RATED OF NURSING SCHOOL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. UM, DR. POI, I, I HOPE HARRIS HEALTH HAS SOME REPRESENTATIVES AT THAT GRADUATION CEREMONY SIGNING UP OUR NURSES AS THEY'RE MOVING THEIR TASSELS FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AND ARE COMING OFF THE STAGE AT THE SMART FINANCIAL CENTER AS WE SPEAK. I ASSURE YOU, OTHER HEALTH SYSTEMS ARE THERE SIGNING UP NURSES, UH, THESE EXCELLENT YOUNG FOLKS WON'T BE AVAILABLE. UH, THEY WON'T BE WITHOUT EMPLOYMENT FOR LONG. SINCE 1990, THE BEGINNING OF UT HEALTH'S AFFILIATION WITH HARRIS HEALTH. LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF OUR PHYSICIANS, RESIDENTS, AND FELLOWS HAVE PROVIDED EXCELLENT, UH, HEALTHCARE TO OUR SHARED PATIENTS HERE IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON. LBJ IS A PRIMARY TEACHING HOSPITAL FOR UT HEALTH'S MCGOVERN MEDICAL SCHOOL. WE HAVE ALMOST 700 INDIVIDUAL PHYSICIANS AND NEARLY 200 ADVANCED CARE PRACTITIONERS PROVIDING CARE, TRAINING, RESEARCH AND MEDICAL EXPERTISE AT LBJ AND AREA CLINICS. AS MLE MENTIONED, DR. COURSE HIMSELF, A FORMER UT HEALTH HOUSTON INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENT WHO TRAINED HERE, UM, ONCE AT UT HEALTH, ALWAYS AT UT HEALTH, ALWAYS PART OF THE FAMILY, DR. PORTA. UM, WE JOINED THE ENTIRE HOUSTON COMMUNITY IN OUR ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR THIS UPCOMING EXPANSION OF THE LBJ CAMPUS. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING MORE AND NEW SERVICES HERE IN THE COMING YEARS. HARRIS HEALTH AND UT HEALTH SHARE A COMMITMENT NOT ONLY TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES, BUT ALSO IN ADDRESSING THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. AS SOME OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED ALREADY, SEVERAL OF OUR, UH, OTHER SCHOOLS BEYOND THE MCGOVERN MEDICAL SCHOOL, INCLUDING [00:40:01] OUR SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, ARE HERE AT LBJ, WORKING WITH OUR HARRIS HEALTH COLLEAGUES TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR NON-MEDICAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH OUTCOMES. THE FOOD PHARMACY IS ONE SUCH PROGRAM. ALSO, I THINK YOU PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. TOGETHER WE WILL EXPLORE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE OF OUR SCHOOLS AND MORE OF OUR FACULTY AND STUDENTS TO BE A PART OF THIS IMPORTANT WORK, INCLUDING NURSING, DENTISTRY, BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS, AS WELL AS OUR NEWEST SCHOOL OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SCIENCE. I'M SURE WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE LEVELS OF NEEDS THROUGHOUT GREATER HOUSTON, UH, FOR MORE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE. WE'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUES FROM THE BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE FOR THEIR DECADES LONG COLLABORATION TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY CARE AT THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM. WE AT UT HEALTH HOUSTON STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER AT, UM, HARRIS HEALTH TO MAKE THIS NEW AND EXPANDED LBJ GENERAL HOSPITAL, THE BEST IT CAN BE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING US AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS WONDERFUL DAY. BEFORE WE TRANSITION TO SOME BOARD REMARKS, UH, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A, UH, PROCLAMATION ON THE NEW LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CAPABLE HOSPITAL AT LBJ. UH, SIGNED BY, UH, OUR MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS THEO FRANKLIN. MR. FRANKLIN IS A LONGTIME HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBER. SINCE HIS ELECTION IN 2014, HE IS CURRENTLY THE FOUNDATION BOARD CHAIR, A POSITION HE'S HELD SINCE 2018. HE HAS BROUGHT A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE TO THE FOUNDATION, WHICH HAS BENEFITED BOTH HARRIS HEALTH AND ALL THE RESIDENTS OF HARRIS COUNTY. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MR. FRANKLIN. THANK YOU TRISH, AND HONORED GUESTS. WHAT AN EXCITING DAY FOR THE PEOPLE. WHAT AN EXCITING DAY FOR THE PEOPLE'S HOSPITAL. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE DAY FOR US TO CHAMPION THE FUTURE OF HARRIS HEALTH RIGHT HERE ON THIS CAMPUS. GOOD MORNING. IT IS MORNING, MS. GERMAN WILSON. UH, MY NAME IS THEO FRANKLIN. I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD FOR THE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT FOUNDATION. WHAT A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER HERE TODAY AS ONE HARRIS HEALTH TO WITNESS HISTORY IN THE MAKING. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HARRIS HEALTH, DOCTORS, NURSES, ADMINISTRATORS, BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF, AND THE ENTIRE HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY FOR MAKING THIS DAY POSSIBLE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WHO HAVE GIVEN GENEROUSLY OF THEIR TIME, INFLUENCE AND TREASURER TO WORK HAND IN HAND AND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM IN SUPPORT OF THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN. IF ANY BOARD MEMBERS PAST OR PRESENT OR STAFF ARE PRESENT, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND SO WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE YOU? LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT FOUNDATION. WE WERE ESTABLISHED OVER 30 YEARS AGO AT THE 5 0 1 C3 CHARITY TO RAISE FUNDS AND TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM. SINCE OUR INCEPTION, WE HAVE GRANTED WELL OVER $125 MILLION TO THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM AND THE HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY. THESE FUNDS HAVE SUPPORTED HUNDREDS OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE GONE TO LBJ. WE HAVE GIVEN MONEY TO THE FOOD PHARMACY TO HELP MAKE THAT WHAT IT IS TODAY. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS AND BEYOND. THANK YOU ALSO TO OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS, SPONSORS, DONORS, AND VOLUNTEERS OF THE HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT FOUNDATION. WHAT WE'RE ALL DOING AND WHAT WE ALL DO HERE TODAY, ALL OF US MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND YOUR GREAT WORK IS VITAL TO THE, TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR COUNTY. YOU ARE TRULY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE ACCOLADES KEEP POURING IN WHILE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON [00:45:01] LEE COULD NOT BE PRESENT TODAY, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, TWO CERTIFICATES OF CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION, UH, TO BOTH HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM AND LBJ HOSPITAL. UH, ON BEHALF OF SHEILA JACKSON LEE, MEMBER OF CONGRESS MAY 9TH, 2024. THANK YOU, CONGRESSWOMAN. OUR FINAL SPEAKER TODAY, NOTE THAT CLUE IS MS. BETH ROBERTSON. AS MANY OF YOU WELL KNOW, SHE'S A FEARLESS COMMUNITY LEADER WHO HAS CHAMPIONED MANY CHARITABLE CAUSES IN HOUSTON, ESPECIALLY IN HEALTHCARE. WHEN THE FUNDING NEEDS FOR OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WE'RE COMING TOGETHER, SHE READILY STEPPED UP TO SPEARHEAD THE PHILANTHROPIC COMPONENT. WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL THAT AS SHE IS SERVING AS OUR BOARD PRESIDENT FOR THE HARRIS HEALTH STRATEGIC FUND AND LEADING THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING A WARM WELCOME TO MS. BETH ROBERTSON. THANK YOU. WELL, WHAT A DAY. I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE. HAVE WE NOT DR. CORSET AND I, JUST AS A SIDE THING, THEY'VE GAVE ME THINGS TO SPEAK, BUT MAYBE I'LL SPEAK LIKE THE MAYOR USUALLY DOES AND STRAIGHT FROM WHAT I'M THINKING. MY DAUGHTER AND I, WHEN WE TALKED TO DR. PORTA WHEN HE FIRST GOT HERE, WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND WE SAID, THIS IS THE ONE THAT CAN GET THIS DONE. AND HE'S THE DO IT GUY MAYOR. SO WE'RE GONNA EXPECT HIM TO DO IT. UH, BUT I AM SO INSPIRED BY EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY, THE INCREDIBLE GIFTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING HERE. NOT THE MONEY GIFTS, BUT THE GIFTS THAT YOU GUYS ARE GIVING US EVERY DAY IN THIS HOSPITAL AND IN THE CLINICS AND IN BEN TODD. I MEAN, THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL, SPECIAL DAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE. THE HEALTHCARE HAS BEEN FABULOUS NOW, BUT THINK WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THESE EXPANDED, IMPROVED FACILITIES. IT IS JUST REALLY PRETTY EXCITING. AND I'M VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS NEW STRATEGIC FUND THAT IS GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON PHILANTHROPY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. YOU KNOW, THE 2.5 BILLION SOUNDS REALLY LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT I THINK WE CAN SPEND, WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING CLOSE TO, TO REALLY 3 BILLION. AND SO WE NEED SOME EXTRA STUFF. SO, BUT THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY HAS STEPPED UP. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A BOARD OF VERY SIGNIFICANT LOCAL LEADERS THAT ARE EXCITED TO HELP WITH THIS PROCESS. AND WE'VE HAD PEOPLE STEP UP LIKE THE QUINN FOUNDATION, WHO GAVE OUR INAUGURAL GIFT OF $10 MILLION TO START US OFF. THANK YOU, ROB. THANK YOU. AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY ARE SITTING HERE TODAY TO WATCH. SO THIS IS NOT JUST MONEY GOING IN, BUT IT'S THEIR HEARTS GOING IN. ASIDE FROM THAT, WE'VE HAD, THE CULLEN FOUNDATION HAS STEPPED UP. THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT THAT THE HOSPITAL FOUNDATION HAS, HAS DONE A MILLION. AND I HAVE NEW NEWS YESTERDAY AT THE CULLEN TRUST FOR HEALTHCARE MEETING. $5 MILLION WAS APPROVED FOR THE GRANT. SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA, THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME. I REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE THE HEALTH OF HOUSTON AND EVERYONE, NOT JUST THE THE PEOPLE, THE PATIENTS THAT ARE HERE, BUT ALL THE PATIENTS. WE ARE GOING TO MAKE PUBLIC HEALTH. WE ARE GONNA BE NUMBER, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE NUMBER ONE IN UNINSURED ANYMORE, OKAY? WE'RE GONNA BE NUMBER ONE IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME FROM MILES AROUND TO SEE WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE HAVE THE EFFORTS AND WE CAN DO THIS. AND JUST AS, AS KEVIN WAS SAYING, I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO HAND IN HAND WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN HOUSTON THAT WE'RE GONNA DO ANYWAY. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I GUESS YOU SORT OF SEE, UH, BUT BE, BE WITH US. AND IT'S NOT JUST THE MONEY. IT IS THE, IT IS THE KNOW, IT IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATION. WE NEED TO GET THE WORD OUT. SO GO TO YOUR PEOPLE AND TELL THEM ABOUT IT. WE'RE GONNA COME TO YOU TOO TO DO SOME CULTIVATION. WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT ALL OF OUR PEOPLE HERE WAITING, LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF Y'ALL. BRAVO AND THANK YOU. BRAVO 13. THANK YOU MS. ROBERTSON. I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ONE ADDITIONAL GUEST WHO ARRIVED, UH, AND, AND [00:50:01] REALLY NEEDS NO, UH, INTRODUCTION. BUT WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER, UH, MS. LESLIE BRIANA'S, UH, PRECINCT FOUR, WHO HAS JOINED US. SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS WE CONCLUDE THIS FORMAL PORTION OF OUR PROGRAM, PLEASE JOIN ME ONE MORE TIME IN RECOGNIZING ALL THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN TODAY'S CEREMONY, AS WELL AS THE MANY PLAYERS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENE WHO MADE TODAY'S EVENT POSSIBLE. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL TRANSITION TO A COMMEMORATIVE GROUNDBREAKING PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. UH, BACK TO YOUR, YOUR BACK. MY BACK LEFT, YOUR BACK. RIGHT. UH, OUR TEAM WILL ASSIST THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN PRESELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN, DIRECT YOUR PLACEMENT NEAR OUR SANDBOX WHERE YOU WILL RECEIVE A SHOVEL AND A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. AND ADDITIONALLY, AFTER THE GROUNDBREAKING PHOTOS, WE HAVE A VIDEOGRAPHER PRESENT. AND WE REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER SHARING WHAT THIS MOMENTOUS EVENT MEANS TO YOU PERSONALLY AND TO THE COMMUNITY. OUR STAFF WILL DIRECT YOU. WHEN THE VIDEOGRAPHER IS READY, PLEASE MINGLE. ENJOY THE HORS D'OEUVRES. STAND IN FRONT OF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND, AND, AND SAVOR THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS DAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING, INCLUDING OUR BOARD MEMBERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, LEADERSHIP, AND SPECIAL GUESTS. THANK YOU ALL. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.