Discussing the Past, Present and Future of MCV Foundation

The MCV Foundation welcomed a new chair last year, as immediate past chair John Doswell passed the baton to Gail Johnson. We had a chance to catch up with the two of them recently to discuss the past, present and future of MCV Foundation.

John Doswell, immediate past chair

You had many accomplishments during your time as chair. What are you most proud of?

I’m extremely proud of the entire board as well as staff. As a group, they’ve become more engaged. As a result, the foundation has become more visible and critical fundraising efforts have made huge strides.

I’m also proud that each committee chair utilized best practices and took their responsibilities extremely seriously.

What was your strategy in bringing together a board so engaged and committed to inspire and steward philanthropy throughout the MCV Campus?

The board represents a unique mix of business and community leaders, volunteers and alumni. When we wanted them to become engaged, they were always committed. It was easy, all I had to do was ask for their help.

They’re a talented group and a talented staff, and because of that we’ve made great strides. One of the goals was to make sure that the trustees were well aware of the many highlights of our MCV Campus partners. As one of the premiere academic health centers in the country, we can be proud of our many accomplishments. Showcasing them makes it easier for philanthropy to happen.

The Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center, for example, went from an idea to a first class facility in a short time, thanks to a very engaged group of supporters. Our Pauley Heart Center is second to none. Our critical care trauma unit is one of the most significant trauma units in the country. The new McGlothlin Medical Education Center is meeting the needs of many by educating more medical students than ever. These are “wow” moments in which we can all take pride.

We have a long legacy of making significant contributions to the healthcare of the world. The MCV Foundation has partnered in these efforts for 65 years now.

It was a privilege for me to have sat in the room with the group during my time as chair. It’s an extremely talented and skilled group that made the foundation the wonderful success that it is. The MCV Foundation staff is equally talented and skilled.

We have outstanding new leadership in place. I’m thrilled with Gail being chair. She has a superb background and is well-known on campus. Her business experience is a significant asset.

Gail Johnson, current chair

You have a rich personal and professional history with the MCV Campus and the MCV Foundation. Tell us about that history and about your experience.

My experience with MCV started at age 6, when I had what is now considered a minor surgical procedure. At the time, it was a major event causing me to spend two weeks of my life on the 9th floor of MCV West experiencing MCVH through the eyes of a child. I was greatly challenged by that event and, having been a hospital “candy striper” volunteer when I landed on the MCV doorstep as a nursing student, I already knew I wanted to focus on the care of families. My nursing career eventually led to the creation of my own early education and health care business. When a position on the MCV Foundation Board of Trustees became available, I had an opportunity to give back to my alma mater using the skills that I had learned in business. I jumped at the chance to be a part of the Board of Trustees, representing nursing. I wanted to be able to represent nursing in a unique way.

What are your goals as chair? How do you see them building on the work of the chairs that have come before?

First of all, I stand on the huge shoulders of John Doswell, who did an incredible job of leading the foundation. Because I could never compete with his work, and wouldn’t try, I have chosen my own path of leadership.

I come at a unique time at the university. We crafted and signed a document in 2013 outlining the foundation’s relationship with the university and now we’re bonded toward a unified goal, which is to assist the university in philanthropy while maintaining our individuality. John led that effort, and now we’re on the other side of that agreement. It is now time to determine our path as we strive to align our goals and the university’s goals in this newly defined relationship.

A primary goal in the months ahead is to complete a strategic planning exercise. We will build on the effort led by John Doswell and Bruce Thomas in 2011. At that time, we re-affirmed with the university that leading and managing fundraising, in conjunction with the university and campus leadership, is a primary part of the foundation's mission. Thus, given the two pillars of the foundation's mission — managing the campus philanthropic assets and strategic fundraising — our current objective with strategic planning is to work with our university and campus partners to define a vision for joint success for the next five years or so, and to set the action agenda each year to make it all happen.

Though we are a very large board, everyone feels engaged with our mission and in alignment with the university at large.

There has been a shift to place more emphasis on philanthropy and less on asset growth. How do you see us accomplishing this shift?

I wouldn’t say there’s a shift; I’d say they are parallel tracks. The philanthropy has increased the assets, but asset management also increases the assets so we can better support the mission of the foundation, the university and, especially, the MCV Campus and its work.

The work of the foundation supports each of the schools and partners. For example, scholarships, professorships and endowed chairs, as well as entities like the Pauley Heart Center, have all come through efforts of the foundation. It’s a synergistic event; there is a growing asset because of philanthropic efforts and these effectively managed assets are growing, enhancing philanthropic efforts.

We’re focusing on philanthropic efforts that are aligned with the university’s goal and asking ourselves, “How can we do more?”

How do you see the foundation working in partnership with university leadership?

I see the foundation focusing on our mission which is to support the MCV Campus while aligning our goals and objectives with university’s efforts and enhancements overall.

VCU is a rising giant. Working in close partnership with Dr. Rao on the university level as well as Dr. Retchin on the MCV Campus, everyone is aligned to accomplish goals that lead to national accolades. We are each a part of that. We can enhance and focus on philanthropy to help make a powerful university. It’s all about mission-focused work.

The executive committee has been especially engaged in the past few years. How will you maintain that momentum on engagement with both the executive committee and the board at large?

Engagement comes when you clearly understand the mission of the organization and you clearly see the role of philanthropy on the MCV campus. Connecting these dots makes it easy to get engaged because one can see how time spent on the board can help save or improve a life. As we get people connecting the dots with actual outcomes then board service becomes really meaningful. It’s easy to stay engaged as long as one can see a direct connection between our meetings, our work, and the resulting patient outcomes.