George W. Graham Memoriam

George W. Graham, Torrance Memorial Medical Center’s former chief executive officer (CEO), passed away on July 8. He served Torrance Memorial for three decadesas administrator, president and CEO, and president emeritus. Hisvisionary leadership brought advanced care to the South Bay, andhis legacy leaves a lasting imprint on the hospital he rebuilt fromthe brink of insolvency in 1975.

Over the course of his career, George nurtured the advancementof the medical center by recruiting skilled medical staff and healthcare professionals and acquiring the latest medical technologiesto ensure Torrance Memorial remained at the forefront of medicalcare. He sought to meet the needs of a rapidly growing andchanging community and set the trajectory of excellence, whichhas allowed Torrance Memorial to be the regional medical centerit is today.

George will be greatly missed, and we extend our heartfeltcondolences to his family.

1970s & 1980s

The late 1970s and 1980s ushered in many building projects andsaw decisions that would forever change the face of the medicalcenter. Significant projects completed during this time includedthe dedication of the new three-story East Wing, opened in 1978.Just five years later, the five-story, 78-bed North Wing opened in1983, increasing capacity to 325 beds.

1990s

Torrance Memorial continued to meet the community’s need forservices by opening the Outpatient Center in 1991 to accommodatethe burgeoning number of outpatient surgeries and offer advancedtreatment for cancer care and heart disease. Diagnostic imagingcontinued to grow with the expansion and dedication of theVasek and Anna Maria Polak Breast Diagnostic Center, named forseveral large donations by Vasek Polak in honor of his late wife.

2000s

George and his team planned for the growth of the medical centerover the course of his three-decade career, and many of theseideas materialized in the years leading up to his retirement in2005. With an eye on ensuring that excellent care and advancedtechnology would be available to the community in state-of-theartfacilities, campus-wide expansion planning began. In 2000,an ambitious Growing for Our Community campus master planwas unveiled, and work began to make the West Tower and theLundquist Tower a reality. •

In 2005, George W. Graham stepped down as president and CEO—handing over this role to longtime CFO and COO Craig Leach. Here, the two stand on the future site of the seven-story Lundquist Tower, completed in 2014.

Digging in for the 2003 West Tower groundbreaking are William Averill, MD, chief of medical staff; Thomas Simko, MD, president of the Health Care Foundation board of directors; George W. Graham; Craig Leach; and William Collier, Jr., chairman of the board of trustees.

Patricia Sacks, MD, Robert Huber, MD, Sally Eberhard, senior vice president of planning and development, and George W. Graham bulldoze the way for the Polak Breast Diagnostic Center.

1983 The five-story, 78-bed North Wing opened in 1983, increasing capacity to 325 beds.

An early 1977 Torrance Memorial Medical Center, prior to the campus’ explosive growth.

FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES REMEMBER GEORGE

“My late husband, Dick Hoffman, MD, considered George the ‘savior’ of Torrance Memorial. Dick was in that small group that brought in George as a ‘consultant’ and then hired him permanently as the essential leader needed to bring the hospital out of disorder and financial disaster.

George was far from an ordinary leader. He was gutsy, courageous, assertive, bold and he listened. He was a visionary way ahead of his time, making sound judgments and decisions quickly and taking calculated risks. He believed a first-rate radiology department was essential for the growth and reputation of the hospital and invested in advanced technology to attract the besttrained partners. The strength and respect the radiology department enjoys today is the flagship of the hospital and a reflection of the great pride and excellence George cultivated.”

CAROLE HOFFMAN

“I wasn’t here to see George’s righting of the then-listing Torrance Memorial ship. But I was around to see him bring it through the obstacle course of developing a first-rate medical center during his three decades at the helm. One word is often used to describe George: vision. He had the vision to build a solid system. He had the vision to expand the success he generated through the birth of managed care. And he had the vision to ensure his team would continue on the path to excellence. I’m grateful for the legacy he left us, and I’m proud to have personally worked with him.”

MARK LURIE, MD

“I don’t know the people who ran the hospital during its first 50 years, but I would venture to say George Graham has had more impact on Torrance Memorial Medical Center than anyone in the history of the hospital. He laid a fantastic foundation for the future. He was a great leader, a great man. We will all miss him.”

CRAIG LEACH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, TORRANCE MEMORIAL

“George Graham was a man with a mission and a vision. His mission was to stabilize a financially shaky community hospital. His vision was to set Torrance Memorial on a path to becoming an excellent medical center. This would not have been possible without his intelligence, tenacity and grace, and the support of our community and current leadership. He was an amazing leader. Thank you, George.”

THOMAS SIMKO, MD

“When George came to Torrance Memorial, many hospitals had adversarial relationships between the hospital administration and the medical staff. George respected the doctors and established a trusting relationship that allowed a team approach to move the hospital forward. We were good friends with George and Marion and shared many adventures. We miss them very much!”

ED BOLD, MD, AND PAULA BOLD

“George invited me to join the board of trustees and later asked me to serve as chair of the board. Thanks to his wisdom and the collective sound judgment of the magnificent leadership team he assembled, my association with Torrance Memorial Medical Center has never been cause for a single sleepless night. On the contrary, my association with George (both personal and professional) and the hospital has been a source of significant pride. Watching the growth and many accomplishments over the years, I only wish George were here today to see what his wisdom and vision shaped.”

BILL COLLIER