The Wistar Gala
The Wistar Gala
Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 6:30pm
Park Hyatt at the Bellevue
200 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Black tie
This elegant evening honors an individual who reflects the qualities of compassion, integrity, generosity, commitment, and vision that the Institute’s founding members demonstrated with the bestowing of The Wistar Award. This year, The Wistar Institute is pleased to introduce an additional award: The Caspar Wistar Medal of Achievement.
The Wistar Award
The award reflects the qualities of compassion, integrity, generosity, commitment and vision that Wistar’s founder, Isaac Wistar, demonstrated in creating the Institute.
This year’s recipient is Brian H. Dovey.
Member and former Chair, The Wistar Institute Board of Trustees
Partner, Domain Associates
Brian Dovey, a most fitting recipient of this recognition, has exhibited personal generosity and commitment to Wistar’s mission in serving as Wistar’s Board Chair for seven years and supporting its science through his philanthropy.
The Caspar Wistar Medal Of Achievement
The medal is bestowed upon an individual or organization that has had significant impact on global health.
This year’s inaugural recipient is Stanley A. Plotkin, M.D.
Emeritus Professor, The Wistar Institute
Internationally renowned vaccinologist and developer of vaccines for rubella, rabies, and rotavirus.
Dr. Stanley Plotkin, for over 50 years, has made exemplary contributions to the fields of virology and vaccinology. He has educated generations of vaccine scientists and health professionals. His innovations in vaccine research have had a global impact, saving countless lives and promoting healthy futures for citizens of the world.
For more information about The Wistar Gala, please call Elyse Hoffmann at 215.898.3955.
Wistar Gala Committee
Adele K. Schaeffer, Chair
Elyse Berger
Penny Fox
L. Patrick Gage, Ph.D.
Julie Louise Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H.
Joseph Goldblum
Brian Halak
George Hobbs
Ruth and Rick Horowitz
Phil Hosbach
Dr. Russel and Jane Kaufman
Susan S. McDonald, Ph.D.
Paul Offit, M.D.
Helen Pudlin
Edward J. Ryan
Martha McGeary Snider
Margie and Bryan Weingarten
William Wunner
Past Wistar Award Recipients
Robert A. Fox, 1994 Recipient
Robert A. Fox was the first recipient of the Wistar Award. Since joining the Wistar Board of Trustees in 1974, Fox has played an active role in the Institute’s governance and financial stewardship, as secretary (1974-1982), chairman on the finance committee (1975-1984), and president (1984-1994). Over the years, the Foxes’ philanthropy has underwritten numerous initiatives, including the Robert & Penny Fox Distinguished Professorship held by Cancer Center Director Dario Altieri, M.D., the Robert A. Fox Structural Biology Center, and the renovation of Wistar’s auditorium. Currently, Mr. Fox is chair of the Building Wistar, Changing the World capital campaign, and in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Fox’s generous support the new research tower scheduled to open 2014 will be named the Robert and Penny Fox Tower.
Doris Rousso Taxin, 1999 Recipient
Doris Taxin helped raise over two million dollars to establish The Wistar Institute's Albert R. Taxin Brain Tumor Research Center after her husband, Albert, died in 1993 of a brain tumor. She has been a member of The Wistar Institute's Board of Trustees since 1993 and Board secretary since 1994. Since its inception, the annual Albert R. Taxin Golf Classic has raised over $1.7 million for brain tumor research at Wistar.
Kevin M. Tucker, 2005 Recipient
Wistar will always be grateful that, in 1992, a man of such wisdom and resourcefulness as Kevin Tucker joined The Wistar Institute Board of Managers. Mr. Tucker was a vital part of the Institute serving as chair of our board from 1998 to 2005, and tirelessly advocating for cancer research. His guiding vision and steady hand helped lead the Institute through an era of shrinking federal research budgets and organizational changes. His strategic mind and vision helped set Wistar on its current path, but it was his kindness and his devotion in service to others that truly inspired. On June 19, 2012, Kevin M. Tucker died following a long illness.
Harold M. Davis, 2007 Recipient
Harold M. Davis, now an Emeritus member, was an active member of the Wistar Board of Trustees for more than 20 years. With his wife Eleanor, the Davises support breast cancer research at the Institute. The Davises’ interest in cancer research stems from personal experience. Harold lost a brother to cancer, and Eleanor survived breast cancer. "When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1979 at a young age and Hal became involved at Wistar, I thought it was a perfect opportunity for us to invest in basic biomedical research – to help find a cause, and eventually a cure,” said Eleanor.
Ira Brind, 2009 Recipient
President of Brind Investments, Inc., Ira Brind has been a Wistar board member for more than 20 years. During this time, he served as treasurer from 1988 to 1994 and as chairman from 1994 to 1998. His active leadership during that decade enabled the Institute to pursue its scientific mission through faculty expansion, and many young recruits have matured into innovative and productive investigators who compromise Wistar’s world-class faculty today.
Adele K. Schaeffer, 2011 Recipient
A lifelong champion and advocate for biomedical research, Adele Schaeffer has been an active Trustee of The Wistar Institute board for more than 20 years. She served as Chair of the first Wistar Gala in 1994 and has continued in this role for each Wistar Gala since. She also serves as Chair of the development committee and is a member of the capital campaign steering committee. Through all her efforts on behalf of Wistar, she has helped raise over $1 million for our life-saving research.
