Leaders from across the region join Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota's new Foundation board and commit to ensuring kids' health remains top priority

MINNEAPOLIS, May 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota today announced the formation of a standalone Children's Foundation board. The new Foundation board will focus on ensuring that Children's continues to excel at delivering its critically important mission: championing and improving the health of all children and their families by providing innovative, high-quality and family-centered pediatric services.

"Philanthropy is increasingly essential to support Children's commitment to exceptional care, innovation and outcomes," said Theresa Pesch, president of Children's Foundation. "Complementing our existing leadership, the Foundation board's efforts will help ensure that every child has access to comprehensive, high-quality, patient- and family-centered care regardless of their ability to pay."

Michael Ciresi, name partner at Minneapolis-based Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, an internationally recognized litigation firm, will serve as the inaugural chairman of Children's Foundation board. Gregory Goven, formerly a senior vice president at C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., a global transportation and logistics company, will serve as the Foundation board vice chair.

"Every child deserves access to the best specialized health care available and Children's is and has been Minnesota's pediatric care leader for decades. Children's treats more kids than any other hospital in the Twin Cities combined, nearly 60 % of the population," said Ciresi. "Members of this new Foundation board have a shared conviction to make sure that the health of our children, both today and for generations to come, remains a top priority. Our members are inspired, engaged and ready to roll up their sleeves."

The new Children's Foundation board includes the following business and community leaders:

• Michael Ciresi, name partner, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi
• Gregory Goven, former SVP, C.H. Robinson Worldwide
• Raymond Barton, former CEO, Great Clips
• Russell Becker, CEO and president, API Group, Inc.
• Gary Blackford, CEO and president, Universal Hospital Services, Inc.
• Patricia Comeford, founder and CEO, You're Never Stuck, Inc.
• Molly Culligan, founder and managing partner, M Culligan & Associates, L.L.C.
• Shannon Evenstad, community volunteer
• Gregory Frankenfield, CEO, Magenic
• Suzanne Gill, president, The Children's Association - Minneapolis
• Linda Haluptzok, vice president, HVH Auto Parts, Inc.
• William Jeatran, CEO, RJF Agencies
• Matthew Majka, COO, Minnesota Wild
• Thomas McGough, Jr., president, McGough Construction
• David Miller, CEO, Minnetonka Moccasin Co.
• Michael Richards, MD, principal, Kirke Financial Services, L.L.C.; managing partner, TEC Industries; president, Wild Rose Entertainment
• Patrick Ryan, president and CEO, Ryan Companies US, Inc.
• Jonathan Wood, COO and partner, Whitebox Advisors
• Alan Goldbloom, MD, president and CEO, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
• Theresa Pesch, president, Children's Health Care Foundation

"The strength of such a board is in appointing an extraordinary cross-section of deeply committed business and community leaders," added Pesch. "We're thrilled to have them as part of our extended team and we expect to add several other highly influential members over the next year."

The new Foundation board will operate independently from Children's existing hospital governance board.

About Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
Serving as Minnesota's children's hospital since 1924, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota is one of the largest pediatric health care organizations in the United States, with 381 staffed beds at its two hospitals in St. Paul and Minneapolis. An independent, not-for-profit health care system, Children's of Minnesota provides care through more than 12,000 inpatient visits and more than 300,000 emergency room and other outpatient visits every year. Children's is the only Minnesota hospital system to provide comprehensive care exclusively to children. Please visit childrensMN.org.

SOURCE Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota