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UCI Health to recognize Michael Hayde with 2014 CEO Leadership Award

April 03, 2014
Michael Hayde, chief executive of Western National Group, to receive UCI Health leadership award

Michael K. Hayde, chief executive officer of Western National Group, has been named to receive UCI Health’s highest honor, the CEO Leadership Award, in recognition of his transformational impact on patient care.

“Around UCI Health, it’s common to hear Mike’s name mentioned in connection with compassionate care,” said Terry Belmont, chief executive officer of UC Irvine Medical Center.

“An astute businessman and visionary philanthropist, he has made important contributions to establishing UCI Health as a shining star for patient care locally and as an innovator that defines best practices in medicine nationally. We are grateful for his generous spirit and ongoing commitment to making high-quality care accessible to Orange County residents.”

As trustee of the M.A. Douglas estate, Hayde played a key role in securing a $21 million estate gift for construction of UCI Health Douglas Hospital, which opened in March 2009. The seven-story university teaching hospital, named in honor of Hayde’s late business partner and friend, now stands as a testament to the concern for others and community leadership demonstrated by both men.

Hayde has also made philanthropic investments in technologies and services that affect the patient experience across UCI Health, and he continues to encourage innovations in patient care through volunteer leadership activities.

This is only the second time the award has been presented; local philanthropists Tom and Elizabeth Tierney were honored in 2012 for leading a record-setting community campaign to fund construction of the hospital.

Medical center CEO Belmont will present the award to Hayde at the 2014 UCI Health gala, themed “Healers & Heroes,” on Saturday, April 26, at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. Following the program, guests can dance to the upbeat sounds of JT & Friends.

Funds raised at the black tie-optional event will benefit cancer research and patient care.

Tickets begin at $1,000, with tiered sponsorship opportunities available, ranging from $12,500 to $500,000. For reservations or information, visit ucirvinehealthgala.com or call 714-456-6178.

UCI Health comprises the clinical, medical education and research enterprises of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at physician offices throughout Orange County and at its main campus, UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif., a 412-bed acute care hospital that provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, and behavioral health and rehabilitation services. U.S. News & World Report has listed it among America’s Best Hospitals for 13 consecutive years. UC Irvine Medical Center features Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program, Level I trauma center and Level II pediatric trauma center, and it’s the primary teaching hospital for the UC Irvine School of Medicine. UCI Health serves a region of more than 3 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the University of California, Irvine: Located in coastal Orange County, near a thriving employment hub in one of the nation’s safest cities, UC Irvine was founded in 1965. One of only 62 members of the Association of American Universities, it’s ranked first among U.S. universities under 50 years old by the London-based Times Higher Education. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UC Irvine has more than 28,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It’s Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $4.3 billion annually to the local economy.