SANFORD HEALTH-MERITCARE ANNOUNCES

University of North Dakota issued the following news release:

Sanford Health-MeritCare and the University of North Dakota Foundation tiffany silver accessories a $1.5 million gift to establish the Dr. Roger Gilbertson Endowed Chair of Neurology at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS). Dr. Gilbertson is president emeritus of MeritCare Health System.

Endowed chairs provide an invaluable means to ensure academic excellence in teaching and research. The Dr. Roger Gilbertson Endowed Chair in Neurology will provide leadership in developing projects involving students in support of the SMHS mission to discover knowledge that benefits the people of North Dakota and enhances the quality of life.

"This gift through the UND Foundation is a true testament of Sanford Health-MeritCare's dedication to the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences and their interest in creating unique opportunities for students," said Tim O'Keefe, executive vice president and CEO of UND Foundation.

"The foresight and generosity of friends like Sanford Health-MeritCare is providing this university its margin of excellence. In honoring Dr. Gilbertson in this fashion, there will also be permanent recognition of his commitment to quality medical education in North Dakota," tiffany silver bangles said.

Lauris Molbert, vice chair of the Sanford Health-MeritCare Board of Trustees said, "The Board wanted to do something to honor and recognize Roger Gilbertson's service to MeritCare that would be as lasting and significant as his contribution to health care throughout the region. This gift lifts up his leadership role as a physician, teacher, and scientist."

"Sanford Health-MeritCare has a broad vision and keen sense of the future because we stood on the shoulders of Roger Gilbertson in establishing it," said Kelby Krabbenhoft, president and CEO of Sanford Health-MeritCare. "This endowment gift exemplifies that vision and the person it honors."

"Combining excellence in medicine, teaching and research is a hallmark of our organization," Krabbenhoft said. "Supporting leadership in the further development of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences is an important way for us to see that is accomplished. This has been an integral part of the growth of MeritCare. And, such support matches Sanford's efforts to expand the potential of the Sanford University of South Dakota School of Medicine."

"Sanford Health-MeritCare has even greater potential to help set the bar involving innovation in clinical tiffany silver bracelets, research and academics," Krabbenhoft said. "Working together with the University of North Dakota and Sanford University of South Dakota medical schools, we can be a national model for the future training of physicians and health professionals."