More than 450 attendees and 50 sponsors built an endowment totaling more than $750,000 at the Dec. 14 Jim Barber Tribute Dinner, which for years to come will underwrite the Jim Barber Administrative Fellowship Program.

A photo gallery featuring images from the event can be accessed by clicking here.

The evening, held Pasadena’s The Langham Huntington, saw health care leaders from across California recognize outgoing HASC President and CEO Barber while looking towards the future — both for Barber and the new fellowship program that bears his name.

Barber’s career was marked by bold moves, California Hospital Association President and CEO C. Duane Dauner noted as he addressed the crowd.

Barber still has plenty of energy to pursue his passions for sailing, family life and a possible new role in health care, Dauner noted.

“He started out as a young man when I first met him, and now he’s retiring – as a young man,” Dauner said to laughs from the ballroom.

Both Dauner and Richard Afable, MD — HASC’s 2016 Board Chair – pointed to Barber’s dogged determination as he learned the game of golf as emblematic of his style. And while that determination has marked his own efforts — Barber has always extended it to help others move forward too, Afable said.

“That really is the hallmark of Jim,” Afable underlined. “He goes out of his way to make other people successful.”

The evening unfolded at the Pasadena hotel, festive in its holiday décor, distinguished by oil paintings and architecture. A pair of Flamenco guitarists energized the reception hour.

Following dinner, the assembly enjoyed a six-minute film recounting Barber’s career, punctuated by interviews with mentors and associates including Jim Lester, Yoshi Honkawa, Lowell Smith, Tom Priselac and others.

After the film concluded, Barber delivered an emotional farewell. He offered gratitude to his associates, friends and coworkers – first by noting the presence of 23 former association board chairs. He extended special “thank yous” to Lester, Smith and Honkawa — as well as the late Jim Ludlum and Steve Gamble — the latter HASC’s long-serving chief executive who played a key role in grooming Barber for leadership.

Barber called Gamble “the total package association executive” and the man who taught him that building relationships comes first and foremost in the job.

In closing, Barber quoted the late competitive sailing great Paul Elvstrom, “You have not won the race, if in the winning, you lose the respect of your competitors.”

Judging by the comments of many, Barber played by that dictum.

The Jim Barber Administrative Fellowship Program will support one deserving professional annually as she or he hones skills in health policy, advocacy, media relations, program management, issue research and public speaking. The goal is to create an enhanced pool of professionals for tomorrow’s management and C-Suite.

Fellowship details, including notes on the application process, will be released over the next few months.

Contact:
Pat Wall
(213) 538-0715
pwall@hasc.org