John Muir Health Foundation Forms Major Gifts Committee

Capital Campaign Welcomes New Leadership

Walnut Creek, Calif. (April 28, 2009) - John Muir Health Foundation, the charitable fundraising organization for all John Muir Health programs and services, announced today that Bob Saydah and Dwight Pedersen will serve as co-chairs of the Major Gifts Committee for the Capital Campaign.

The two long-time East Bay residents will lead the Committee's efforts focused on raising $2.5 million via gifts ranging from $25,000 to $250,000 from grateful patients, individual donors, foundations and local businesses. The Foundation's Capital Campaign is seeking to raise $56 million by 2011 for the approximately $800 million building expansion projects at John Muir Health's Concord and Walnut Creek campuses, currently in progress.

"Bob and Dwight are dedicated to raising public awareness about John Muir Health as an important community resource," said Milt Smith, president of the John Muir Health Foundation. "We are thrilled to bring their executive leadership experience to the Campaign at this historic, exciting time."

In addition to his new role as co-chair of the Major Gifts Committee, Saydah is currently serving as vice chairman of the board for the Foundation. He got involved with John Muir in 2005 after a family member had received cancer related care at John Muir Medical Center. "The only way we are going to keep good doctors and good nurses is to provide them with equipment and facilities that enable them to do exceptional work," he said. "Since John Muir Health is a not-for-profit healthcare provider, it is important that surrounding communities all get behind this institution, and I am honored to be part of this extremely important effort."

An Alamo resident for 25 years, Saydah spent decades in pharmaceutical marketing and sales. He was a senior partner in Heidrick & Struggles San Francisco office in the firm's Health Care Products Practice. His other experience includes a 30-year tenure with the Lederle Laboratories Division of American Cyanamid Company. Saydah received a bachelor's degree in biology and master's in bacteriology from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.

Dwight Pedersen, whose son-in-law Dr. Michael deBoisblanc heads the John Muir Trauma department at John Muir's Walnut Creek Campus, will co-chair the Major Gifts Committee with Saydah to help achieve the Campaign's goal. "In the current economic environment, it is especially important to secure the money the hospital needs to make sure that John Muir Health continues delivering the phenomenal quality of healthcare," Pedersen said.

Pedersen has lived in Contra Costa County since 1959. He was the president and CEO of American Protective Services, Inc. in Oakland. He served on the Board of Directors of Westaff, Inc.; was an executive vice president with Pinkerton; and a CPA at Wolf & Co. Pedersen served in the U.S. Air Force, leaving with the rank of Captain. A San Francisco Bay Area native, he received both his bachelors and masters in business administration at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

About John Muir Health Foundation

John Muir Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1979 to secure philanthropic support for the not-for-profit John Muir Health organization, which serves communities in Contra Costa County, and parts of Solano County and Marin County.

Locally governed John Muir Health is a leader in high quality patient care that continues to help make possible a number of "firsts" in the region, including the first oncology center in Northern California to offer breakthrough technology in the diagnosis of lung and esophageal cancer, the first Novalis stereotactic radio surgery system in Northern California, the first Level III neonatal intensive care nursery in Contra Costa County, and the first and only designated Trauma Center for Contra Costa County.

(Posted April 28, 2009)