The 2026 MCV Foundation Annual Awards honorees (L to R): Mike Gracik, past chair, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Advisory Board; Patricia Sime, M.D., chair, Department of Internal Medicine, VCU School of Medicine; Shirley Gibson, D.N.P., vice president of real estate, VCU Health System; and James H. Starkey III, Lifetime Honorary Trustee, MCV Foundation. Photos: Daniel Sangjib Min
Brian Thomas, interim president and CEO of MCV Foundation, provided welcome remarks to the crowd of MCV Foundation staff, board of trustees, lifetime honorary trustees and friends from across the VCU Health campus.
Louise Canfield, MCV Foundation lifetime honorary trustee Charles Crone, Ginny Crone and Earl Johnson enjoyed the reception.
Patricia Kinser, Ph.D., RN, dean of the VCU School of Nursing with honoree Shirley Gibson, D.N.P., vice president of real estate at VCU Health System, and Nancy Langston.
Marcia Thalhimer, MCV Foundation lifetime honorary trustee Gail Johnson, and Ann Boevé, during the cocktail hour.
B. Ellen Byrne, D.D.S., Ph.D., was recognized as a new lifetime honorary trustee during the annual awards.
MCV Foundation Annual Awards Celebrate Four Champions of Service, Stewardship and Philanthropy
On June 15, the MCV Foundation honored four remarkable individuals whose service, dedication and support for VCU Health and VCU Health Sciences strengthen the MCV campus at every level.
“Each of this year’s honorees represents the very best of our community – leaders whose service, generosity and vision strengthen every corner of the MCV Campus,” said Brian Thomas, interim president and CEO of MCV Foundation. “We are proud to celebrate their extraordinary impact and the legacy they continue to build.”
This year’s recipients include a devoted volunteer leader whose decades of service to Massey patients and families have strengthened its mission through strategic guidance, compassionate support and philanthropic leadership. Another is a visionary administrator whose transformative leadership has secured historic gifts, advanced academic excellence and championed innovative programs. A third honoree is a distinguished healthcare leader whose five decades of service, strategic vision and commitment to VCU Health have shaped major projects, elevated patient care and reinforced the institution’s mission. Another recipient is a trusted philanthropic leader whose integrity, insight and long-standing service to the MCV Foundation have strengthened the organization’s governance, elevated its investment stewardship and advanced the mission of the MCV Campus.
Steve Gaidos, chair of the MCV Foundation Board of Trustees, offered his appreciation to the recipients. “Our continued excellence is possible because dedicated individuals like these whose service and philanthropy move our mission forward every day,” he said.
The 2026 MCV Foundation Awards
Learn more about each honoree and watch their video tributes by visiting the honoree profiles.
- Jerome F. Strauss III Award: Shirley Gibson, D.N.P., Vice President of Real Estate, VCU Health System
- Michael B. Dowdy Award: Mike Gracik, Past Chair, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Advisory Board
- W. Robert Irby Award: Patricia Sime, M.D., Chair, Department of Internal Medicine, VCU School of Medicine
- Eugene P. Trani Award: James H. Starkey III, Lifetime Honorary Trustee, MCV Foundation
Support for the MCV Campus, whether through a lifetime or a one-time contribution, makes a real impact on saving and improving lives. If you are interested making your own impact on the lives of patients, researchers and students on the MCV Campus, learn more about giving to VCU Health.
