UTHealth Celebrates

UTHealth thanks donors for raising a record $110 million with art-filled celebration

What: UTHealth LIVE!

Where: Midtown Arts and Theatre Center Houston (MATCH).

The scoop: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) had a lot celebrate at a party to thank donors and partners for contributing more than $110 million since last September, with three months remaining in the fiscal year.

Included in the total from 2,300 individuals and a host of charitable organizations is the John P. McGovern Foundation’s commitment of $75 million, the largest gift in the university’s history. The UT Medical School has been renamed in honor of John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern.

Other contributors include The Schissler Foundation Fellowship, the Memorial Hermann Foundation, the Elkins Foundation, New York Life Foundation, Houston Endowment, Inc., John S. Dunn Foundation, Episcopal Health Foundation, Hermann Eye Fund and The Vivian L. Smith Foundation.

Special guest Mark Summers, the renowned Canadian artist behind the award-winning branding campaign, "The Many Faces of UTHealth," discussed the inspiration for his art. A special gallery exhibition of Summers' work for the UTHealth campaign was on display. Guests also had a chance to win a custom portrait done in Summers' famous scratchboard style and UTHealth chair-elect Phil Ferguson was the winner.

The 130 guests dined on beef tenderloin carpaccio, risotto cakes with apricot chutney, mesquite smoked chicken breast, and minced ahi tuna tartare in a miniature corn taco, and, for dessert, a chocolate ganache truffle splashed with edible paint and lime basil bars served on a shortbread crust, all prepared by A Fare Extraordinaire.

Who: UTHealth president Dr. Giuseppe N. Colasurdo, UTHealth board chair Bob Graham and wife Annie, Sally and Joe Bridges, Gayl Carlberg, Russell and Diana Hawkins, Maria Pappas, Lanie Rose, Lisa Roy, Nancy Schissler and daughter Lynn Red, Mark Summers, Carol and Carl Vartian, Memorial Hermann Health System board chair Will Williams and wife Mary, Memorial Hermann Health System president and CEO Dr. Benjamin Chu, and Martha Wong.

Cathy Brock, Annie Graham, Rose Hochner, Gayl Carlberg.

Photo by Sam Schultz

Cathy Brock, Annie Graham, Rose Hochner, Gayl Carlberg.

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Public memorials and services set for 'Houston's anchorman' Dave Ward

Photo courtesy of Dave Ward

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ABC13 anchor emeritus Dave Ward died on December 13 at age 86.

Members of the public are invited to pay their respects to the longtime newsman at visitations and funeral services this week. Plans include:

Wednesday, Dec. 17: Ward will lie in repose from 11 am-6 pm at the Crimestoppers of Houston Dave Ward Building, 3001 Main St., Houston, TX 77002.
Thursday, Dec. 18: Public visitation open to all at George H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors at 1010 Bering Dr., Houston, TX 77057 from 11 am-2 pm and 4-8 pm
Friday, Dec. 19: Funeral service open to the public at 12 pm at St. Martin's Episcopal Church at 717 Sage Rd., Houston, TX 77056.

ABC13 will carry the funeral live on television and streaming platforms.

For more than 50 years, Dave was Houston's anchorman. He began each newscast with his signature line, "Good evening, friends." That's how the legendary newsman felt about the viewers who shared his love for the city he was so proud to call his home.

His name was David Henry Ward, but he was known to thousands of Eyewitness News viewers simply as "Dave." Born in Dallas in 1939, Dave grew up in Huntsville and began his radio career with KGKB Radio in Tyler while attending college. Three years later, he joined the staff of WACO Radio as a staff announcer and quickly climbed to Program Director the following year.

Dave moved to Houston in 1962, where he worked for KNUZ Radio as a News Reporter and News Director for four years. He made the move to Channel 13 in 1966 as the station's only on-the-street news reporter and photographer, coming "inside" in early 1967 to anchor Channel 13's weekday 7 am. newscast.

Later that year, he became the first host of the wildly popular "Dialing for Dollars" program, which later evolved into "Good Morning Houston." Houston viewers flocked to see him and hear him, and by January 1968, Dave became the anchor of Eyewitness News at 6 and 10 pm.

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Read more about Dave Ward’s life and legacy, with video, on CultureMap's news partner, ABC13.com.

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