Hospitals Invest $1 Million in Tomorrow's Workforce... Today

November, 2006 - Columbus Regional Medical Foundation and St. Francis Hospital Foundation have joined forces to invest in Columbus Technical College's campaign to secure the steady supply of trained healthcare workers for the community, College officials announced today. The two foundations have each committed $500,000 to the Tomorrow's Workforce... Today campaign through the Columbus Technical College Foundation Inc.

"The leaders of these two fine organizations understand the importance of a sustainable workforce by their commitment to this campaign," said J. Robert Jones, president of Columbus Technical College. "Columbus Technical College is committed to showing this trust is justified by providing high-quality graduates to our medical community."

Tomorrow's Workforce... Today is a campaign which will see a new Health Sciences facility developed at what will be the cornerstone of the College's future campus on River Road. It will enable the College to educate more than twice the number of Allied Health students that can be accepted into training programs at this time, including nursing students.

"These are challenging times for healthcare providers, and decisions on financial support of community projects must be weighed carefully," said Larry Sanders, chairman and chief executive officer of Columbus Regional. "Our foundation's financial commitment to Columbus Technical College's campaign is a sound investment in the future of health care delivery, and it will have long-term benefit to all of us who live and work in this region," he added.

"St. Francis Hospital is an enthusiastic supporter of Columbus Technical College and its premier training and educational offerings, especially where health care is concerned," said Robert Granger, president and chief executive officer of St. Francis Hospital. "We view this financial commitment as an investment in improving the healthcare system of the greater Columbus community and beyond."