Memorial Blood Centers Names 2012 Board of Directors Leadership

ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Memorial Blood Centers (MBC), Minnesota's oldest and largest community-based blood center, today announced changes to its Board of Directors. Newly elected to provide leadership to MBC's governing body as Board Chair is Thomas F. Heaney, an experienced healthcare executive and two-term member of the Board. Heaney will serve a one-year term as Board Chair and will be eligible for re-election in November 2012.  

"I am honored to be taking on this new role with Memorial Blood Centers," said Heaney. "Over the past five years, I've been privileged to work directly with CEO Don Berglund, the organization's leadership team, and my fellow board members to accomplish great things. Now I look forward to playing an even greater role in helping the organization continue to grow in order to ensure that a safe and ample supply of blood is available whenever and wherever it's needed most. Our goal is to expand our reach to save and sustain the lives of even more of our neighbors, friends, and family members in need."

Currently Managing Director of Trio Executive Search where he serves as National Practice Leader for its Corporate Practice and Board of Directors Practice, Heaney has held a variety of senior-executive leadership positions in the healthcare field. Formerly president, United Healthcare Management Company, and senior vice-president, United Healthcare Corporation, he also has served as COO of Physicians Health Plan of Minnesota (now Allina Health Systems).

Current Board of Directors Vice-Chair, Phillip Martin, Partner Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly; and Secretary, Kenneth LaChance, Senior Vice-President, Wells Fargo Bank will continue to serve in those leadership roles through 2012.  Retiring Board Chair, Thomas Becker, M.D., M.B.A., Medica Health Plans, will remain on the board as a director, serving along with other current members:  Daniel Boulay, Medtronic, Inc.; James Cherveny, SMDC Health System, Duluth (Retired); Patrick Courneya, M.D., HealthPartners; Matthew Dokken, 3M; James Dowiak, U.S. Bancorp, Roger Green, HealthEast Care System; Rita Kenyon, J.D., SPHR; Concordia University St. Paul; Timothy Kuck, Universal Hospital Services, Inc.; Erik Lindell, Target Corporation; Scott Lynch, J.D., Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota; Jeff Nelson, Tatum, LLC; Brent L. Wilde, University of Minnesota Physicians.

In additional news, MBC also announced the retirement from the Board of Directors of Thomas J. Whelan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Nemer Fieger, a PR and Marketing Communications firm based in St. Louis Park. In making the announcement CEO Don Berglund said, "It is with great sadness that I announce Tom's departure. As one of the longest serving members of our board—a total of 15 years—he will be greatly missed. We have been so honored to have his creative mind and marketing genius contribute to our thinking and innovation. He's left a rich legacy in how we communicate and interact with donors and deliver the services most important and valuable to them. He has been one of our most vocal advocates, talking to service organizations and businesses about the importance of blood donation and garnering much-needed ongoing community support of our mission. And throughout his time as an active board member, he has become a friend to the organization that has meant a great deal to all of us. We thank him for everything he has done—and for everything he will continue to do as our "Rogue" Ambassador and loyal blood donor. Our paths will surely cross again, and often."

Tom Whelan began serving MBC on its Board of Directors in 1994 and was the first individual from the community—that is, the first non-Minneapolis Jaycees president and non-healthcare industry professional—to chair the board. After nine years and a three-term limit, he took a one-year hiatus but was recruited back in 2005. In 2010 he was the recipient of the very special Presidential Award, presented to a board member who has demonstrated outstanding support of the organization and its mission. A monthly platelet donor at MBC's Eden Prairie facility, Whelan has donated over 28 gallons.   

About Memorial Blood Centers

Memorial Blood Centers has been saving lives for over 60 years as an independent nonprofit supplying life-saving blood to area hospitals and other partners throughout the U.S. Operating 11 donor centers and conducting hundreds of blood drives each month, Memorial Blood Centers also provides comprehensive testing and expert technical services as a national leader in transfusion medicine. For more information, call 888-GIVE-BLD or visit MBC.org.

SOURCE Memorial Blood Centers