2006 Changemaker: Frank J. Sardone, ACHE
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Healthcare leader Frank J. Sardone, President and CEO of Bronson Healthcare Group in Kalamazoo, MI, is the recipient of the 2006 Changemaker Award from The Center for Health Design (CHD). Selected by CHD's Board of Directors, The Changemaker honors individuals or organizations who have demonstrated exceptional ability to make change happen.

In December 2000 under Sardone’s leadership, Bronson completed a $210 million project to redevelop its campus into a new, all-private room facility utilizing light, nature, art, and music to create an environment that fosters healing and wellness. Bronson has been nationally recognized not only for the new facility, but also for excellence in patient care, its culture of excellence, and the quality of its workforce.

"At The Center, we consider Bronson to be the closest example we have of a Fable Hospital – one that invested in evidence-based design, measured its outcome on patients and staff, and has realized a return on that investment many times over," said Rosalyn Cama, president of CAMA Inc. and chair of The Center for Health Design's board of directors, who presented the award at the Healthcare Design conference in Chicago. "And while Frank will tell you that it was a team effort, without his visionary leadership, it couldn’t have happened," she stated.

Sardone joined Bronson in 1988 and assumed his current role in 1996. Also in 1996, he received the Michigan American College of Healthcare Executives Regent’s Young Healthcare Leader Award. He has served on the boards of numerous professional organizations including The Center for Health Design, Center for Healthcare Governance, Michigan Hospital Association, and Michigan Hospital Association Insurance Company.

Active in his community, Sardone serves as chair of the Greater Kalamazoo United Way, and is a board member of Southwest Michigan First and Downtown Kalamazoo, Inc.

View video of Frank's acceptance remarks.