Page 7 - Eskenazi Health Foundation - 2021 Annual Report
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JOHN THOMPSON WAS AWARDED THE 2021 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM THE INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF FUNDRAISING PROFESSIONALS. AS YOU WILL SEE, IT IS A RECOGNITION WELL DESERVED.
 John is a man who has devoted his life to hope; recognizing hope, teaching hope, giving hope. In this world, there is no more pertinent topic than that of hope. Eskenazi Health has made it through unprece- dented hardships. We have made it; what now? What do we do with our time and resources to alleviate each other’s hardships? John has spent his life pondering these questions and it has really boiled down to one word: help. He recognizes that he is where he is because of the help he has received. In turn, he wants to do his part to help people in whatever ways he can.
John has been working with Eskenazi Health since 2008. He joined the Board of Directors in 2008 and led the campaign to construct the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital. The fundraising goal for this project was $50,000,000. Under his leadership, along with that of Deborah Daniels, campaign co-chair, and
the campaign cabinet, more than $87,000,000 was raised. Due to a limit in the number of consecutive terms one can serve, John left the board in 2016. This was hardly an end as he returned as Chair of the Board in 2018 and 2019. This time, he led the board through a strategic planning process. He left out of necessity, but he returned as soon as he could.
In addition to serving with Eskenazi Health, he serves or has served on the boards of the following:
The Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), Indiana Black Expo, Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority, Riley Children’s Hospital Foundation,
Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and the Studio Museum of Harlem.
He has received many honors, including being the 18th recipient of IBJ’s Michael A. Carroll Award in 2011, the seventh recipient of the College Mentors for Kids Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, and the fifth recipient of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s Dynamic Leader of the Year award in 2019.
“The driving force [of my career] is really simple. Health equity has always mattered to me. America is in a good position to provide very good health care to all Americans regardless of race, income, or net worth. Eskenazi Health is one of the facilities that’s leading the charge. Building a health care system that serves the underserved like Eskenazi Health does is a way
to demonstrate to the world that it is possible to have a public health care facility that offers the highest quality services to all.”
John has a saying that he has repeated many times. He says, “I have been helped, so I want to help.”
Help. This is his mission. For every successful person, some person or institution came along to give them
a helping hand. In turn, it’s our job to help others.
This is how we spread hope. We do our part to let people know that they can succeed. That they’re not alone. Everyone has something to contribute. Every- one sees things differently. Eskenazi Health needs to give everyone a chance to show what they have to offer. I’ll leave you with a few words from John.
“We don’t live in a vacuum. We aren’t doing this alone. How can Eskenazi Health, with our unique positioning and skills, be a meaningful part
of making the world a more equitable place?”
     ESKENAZI HEALTH FOUNDATION | 2021 ANNUAL REPORT | 07


















































































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