CLEVELAND (December 12, 2006) University Hospitals today celebrated the largest single donation in its 140-year history – a $30 million gift from Cleveland entrepreneur Monte Ahuja, his wife, Usha, and their family. UH President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas F. Zenty III made the historic announcement to more than 700 community leaders, UH physicians, leaders, donors and Board members at UH’s special holiday celebration at Severance Hall.
The unprecedented gift is in support of Vision 2010, UH’s $1.2 billion, five-year strategic plan. In recognition of the Ahuja family’s extraordinary generosity, UH will name the future 200-bed East Side hospital in Beachwood “The Ahuja Medical Center.”
“Monte and Usha have generously supported University Hospitals with their time and talents for many years,” said Mr. Zenty. “Through this gift, Monte and Usha are demonstrating not only their dedication to University Hospitals, but to the economic vitality of this region and to maintaining the highest caliber health care for the people of Northeast Ohio.”
Since UH unveiled the plans for the expanded East Side medical campus and new hospital in May, community leaders have hailed the project as a catalyst for economic growth and an opportunity for Greater Cleveland to reaffirm its national leadership position in the health care industry. Construction of the medical campus is underway at the 53-acre site at the Chagrin Highlands, west of Interstate 271 at the Harvard Road exit – and across the interstate from UH’s existing Chagrin Highlands Health Center.
Mr. Ahuja’s history is one of hard work, strategy and resolve. Born and raised in India, he earned a BS in mechanical engineering before emigrating to the United States in 1969. As a financially struggling student, he earned an MS in mechanical engineering at The Ohio State University in 1970 and an MBA at Cleveland State University.
Upon graduation, Mr. Ahuja established a small distribution company that eventually grew into a global success. Today this business, now known as Transtar Industries Inc., is the leading worldwide distributor of original equipment quality transmission parts to the motor vehicle repair industry. The company – with 35 locations in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico – has annual revenues more than $250 million. In a major restructuring last year, Linsalata Capital Partners acquired a majority stake of Transtar. Mr. Ahuja retained a share of the company and his role as Chairman and CEO.
While in college, Mr. Ahuja met his future wife, Usha. A gold medalist for mathematics in India, Mrs. Ahuja was in the United States obtaining her PhD. She taught mathematics at several universities for nearly 20 years while also serving as a business partner and confidante to her husband. Mrs. Ahuja is currently a member of the UH Board’s Development Committee, and she has been instrumental in coordinating many events that support UH.
Mr. and Mrs. Ahuja have two daughters, Ritu and Manisha – who is married to Neil Sethi – and a grandchild, Rohan.
“In many ways, my life is an example of the great American dream. I consider myself very fortunate to be so successful in business and to have such a wonderful family, and I want to give back to the community,” said Mr. Ahuja, who is Vice Chairman of the UH Board of Directors and who led the Board task force that developed Vision 2010. “I can think of no better investment than University Hospitals’ Vision 2010. The vision is more than buildings; it is promise to the people of Northeast Ohio – and beyond – that UH is here to serve them for generations to come.”
The Ahuja Medical Center will feature a comprehensive array of inpatient and outpatient services ranging from high-tech minimally invasive surgery to leading-edge diagnostics and procedures. Physician offices and facilities for community outreach and education programs will round out the plans. UH hired an internationally known architect who is working with UH leaders and other health care experts to design a revolutionary complex that provides a unique healing environment and is conducive to providing the highest quality of care. The building is being designed with the needs of patients, their families and caregivers in mind. The architects also will utilize environmentally friendly techniques throughout the design.
“The Ahuja Medical Center will be situated within a short drive of the some of the fastest-growing communities in our market and will be convenient to our many current patients in those suburbs. Our strategy is to provide our patients the right care at the right location to meet their individual needs. We are grateful that the Ahujas are supporting that strategy in such a significant way,” said Achilles A. Demetriou, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of University Hospitals.
“The Ahuja Medical Center is one of the most exciting construction projects being undertaken in health care today – not just in Ohio, but nationally,” said Chris Connor, Chairman of the University Hospitals Board of Directors. “Its impact on health care in this region and nationally will be profound.”
The Ahujas’ gift highlights a year of record donations and has propelled University Hospitals to the most successful year of philanthropy in our history. During 2006, more than $100 million has been donated to UH.
With 150 locations throughout Northeast Ohio, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of hospitals, outpatient centers and primary care physicians. At the core of our Health System is University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals Case Medical Center is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research centers of excellence in the nation and the world, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopedics and spine, radiology and radiation oncology, neurosurgery and neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, organ transplantation and human genetics. Its main campus includes the internationally celebrated Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked best in the Midwest and first in the nation for the care of critically ill newborns; MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and Ireland Cancer Center, which holds the nation's highest designation by the National Cancer Institute of Comprehensive Cancer Center. For more information, go to www.uhhospitals.org