Newswise — The 11th "Heart of San Diego" Gala benefiting the University of California, San Diego's Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center will be held on Saturday, March 8 at the Hotel del Coronado. Honoring philanthropists J. Robert Beyster, Ph.D. and his wife Betty, the annual black-tie fundraiser will feature dinner, dancing, and live and silent auctions. Festivities begin at 6pm and will include a special tribute to the Beyster family.
As recipients of this year's Heart of San Diego Award, the Beysters will be recognized for their pivotal role in transforming San Diego into one of the world's most innovative science and technology regions. The couple has also been key in establishing the Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center, a new leading-edge patient care and clinical research facility being built on the UC San Diego Medical Center campus in La Jolla.
J. Robert Beyster founded San Diego-based Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in 1969. He is the former chairman and CEO of SAIC, which today employs more than 44,000 people and has annual revenues of more than $8 billion. The Beyster Institute, which promotes global entrepreneurship, employee ownership, and economic development through consulting, training and international projects, became part of the university's Rady School of Management in 2004.
"Together, Bob and Betty Beyster are being recognized for their tremendous vision and support of San Diego. In founding SAIC, they have been a strong catalyst for the region's entrepreneurial spirit and economic drive," said Anthony DeMaria, M.D., director of the Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center. "And with their words and actions, they have helped bring to life the region's first comprehensive cardiac center at UC San Diego."
More than 500 gala patrons will join the Beysters and other generous Cardiovascular Center donors to toast the recent groundbreaking of the future home of the Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center. In its new location, the Center will consolidate advanced clinical care and research in one state-of-the-art facility dedicated to caring for patients with any stage or type of heart disease and stroke.
"Betty Beyster has had a great influence on the humanistic design of the Center. She has helped to envision a calming fountain and garden for both patients and their families to aid the healing process," noted DeMaria. "The gala celebrates this creativity and the Center's overall progress. Every day the Center is closer to completion, bringing us that much closer to hosting revolutionary research and unparalled patient care—all under one roof."
The Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center unites leaders in the fields of cardiovascular research, cardiology, and cardiothoracic surgery in a comprehensive approach to battle heart disease and stroke, the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Such interdisciplinary cooperation enables more patients to participate in clinical trials and to benefit sooner from new methods of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Long-time co-chairpersons of the gala are Zandra Rhodes, founder of the Fashion and Textile Museum in London, and Salah Hassanein, chairman of Variety Children's Lifeline. They will be joined by co-chairs Gene Ray and Tom Dillon. Tickets are $500 to $650 per person, or $5,000 to $6,500 per table. Sponsorships up to $50,000 are available. Reservations can be made by calling the Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center at 619-543-3258.
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