Published: March 19, 2012
Ira Ginsburg was recognized today with Sparrow's highest honor, the 2012 Sparrow Founders' Award.
Ginsburg , of East Lansing, retired this month as Sparrow's Senior Vice President of Operations after 47 years with the health system. Among his many accomplishments, Ginsburg was instrumental in the development of the $160-million, 450,000 square foot Sparrow Tower, which opened in 2008.
"Ira's tireless and enthusiastic efforts have had a great impact on all of our entire team as we strive to provide safety, quality, satisfaction and value to every Patient, every time," said Dennis Swan, President and CEO, Sparrow Health System. "We are enormously proud to honor such an outstanding role model for our values. He richly deserves and has clearly earned the Founders' Award."
Since 1998, Ginsburg has been responsible for the planning and development of all of the facilities within the health system. In addition to the Sparrow Tower, Ginsburg oversaw the development and construction of the Sparrow Professional Building and the Sparrow Specialty Hospital, both in Lansing.
Past recipients of the award include former Sparrow Board chairperson Lance Lynch; community leader Virginia Hilbert; Sparrow volunteer and longtime board member Evelyn Scheffel; former Sparrow President and CEO F. Karl Neumann; Mason businessman Frank Guerriero; community leader Duane Vernon; former Sparrow Vice President and Director of Nursing Sue Tadgerson; former Sparrow Health System Board Chairs, Marylee Davis, PhD and Mary Jessup; former Michigan State University Athletic Director Ron Mason; TV-10 sports anchor Tim Staudt; former executive director of the Michigan Medical Society Kevin A. Kelly; and physicians Dr. William Harrison, Dr. Mahlon Sharp and Dr. Joseph Sheets.
The celebration marks Sparrow's 116th year of service to the mid-Michigan community. Founded in 1896 by a group of 114 women volunteers, the organization got its start as Lansing Women's Hospital. In 1912, the hospital was rebuilt as Sparrow Hospital at its current site at 1215 E. Michigan Avenue, taking the name of Lansing businessman and benefactor Edward W. Sparrow.
For more information, contact Laura Hall at 517.364.2216.