University of Chicago adds six new members to governing Board of Trustees

University of Chicago MedicineAug 8 2014

The University of Chicago Medical Center added six new members to its governing Board of Trustees, and named a new president of the medical staff.

The new trustees, who are nationally known and respected for their business savvy and financial leadership, began three-year terms in June.

Sandra Culbertson, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and vice chair of clinical affairs, has been named president of the medical staff, replacing P. Allan Klock, Jr., MD.

"These additions to our Board of Trustees will continue to strengthen our organization as we strive to maintain our leadership position in patient care, medical education and research, and community engagement," said UCMC Board of Trustees Chair Emily Nicklin. "I will rely on their individual skills and expertise, and thank them in advance for the work they will undertake on behalf of our medical center, our faculty, staff and, most importantly, our patients."

The new trustees are:

•James Abrams is chief operating officer at Medline Industries Inc., a leading manufacturer and distributor of health care products and the primary distributor to more than 450 major hospitals and health care systems. Prior to joining Medline, Abrams was an attorney with Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago in 1987.

•Thomas J. Duckworth operates Stone Gate Venture Partners, a private investment firm, and previously worked for Goldman Sachs. Duckworth is vice president of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation.

•Rachel Kohler, a principal at KoHop Ventures LLC, earned her MBA in 1989 from the University of Chicago. She was named to the University of Chicago's Board of Trustees in 2013. Earlier this year, Kohler was named chair of the board of directors of the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at the university.

•William L. Morrison is president and chief operating officer of Northern Trust Corp., and is a director of Northern Trust Global Advisors.

•David (Duke) Reyes is chief executive of Reyes Beverage Group, the largest beer wholesaler in the U.S., and a director of Reyes Holdings, one of the largest privately held companies in the U.S.

•James Stephen is executive chairman of Weber-Stephen Products LLC, a manufacturer of portable charcoal and gas grills. He is a member of the Visiting Committee to the Division of Biological Sciences and the Pritzker School of Medicine. In 2013, the Stephen family continued its long tradition of support for neonatal care at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital by donating $10 million for the new Margaret M. and George A. Stephen Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).