This is only the second time that the Council has presented the Crystal Leaf Award. It was granted for the first time in 2009 to Dr. Harry R. Jacobson, vice chancellor for Health Affairs Emeritus at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“It is a privilege to be part of Nashville’s dynamic health care community and I am honored to receive the Council’s Crystal Leaf Award,” Cigarran said. “I look forward to continuing to work with the Health Care Council to further Nashville’s role as a center for health care expertise.”
Cigarran is co-founder, former CEO and current chairman emeritus of publicly-traded, Nashville-based Healthways, Inc. Healthways is the largest independent global provider of comprehensive solutions that improve well-being, decrease healthcare costs, enhance business performance and generate value for customers, which include employers, integrated health systems, hospitals, physicians, health plans, communities and government entities. These solutions are provided to more than 40 million people on four continents.
Cigarran is also co-founder, former chairman and CEO and current director of the publicly-traded AmSurg Corporation, an ambulatory surgery center company. In addition, he has served on the boards of several health care and other companies.
Known for his commitment to education and community service, Cigarran currently serves on the Alignment Nashville operating board, on the Haiti Education Mission committee and as chairman of the Healthways Foundation board. He has also served on the board of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the advisory board of the Owen School Healthcare MBA Program. He is a director and past chair of the Nashville Health Care Council Board of Directors.
“We are proud to recognize Tom and acknowledge the significant contribution he has made to Nashville’s health care community. Because of the dedication, commitment and innovative spirit of Tom and entrepreneurs like him, our city has become the nation’s health care industry capital,” said Caroline Young, president of the Nashville Health Care Council.
Photo: Caroline Young (president, Nashville Health Care Council), Tom Cigarran (chairman emeritus, Healthways and Crystal Leaf Award recipient), Jim Cheek (member, Bass, Berry & Sims), Ben Leedle (president and CEO, Healthways and chairman of the Council board)
About the Nashville Health Care Council
The Nashville Health Care Council, founded in 1995 as an initiative of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, is an association of health care industry leaders working together to further establish Nashville’s position as the nation’s health care industry capital. Worldwide, Nashville’s health care industry generates over 400,000 jobs, more than $70 billion in annual revenue, and is Nashville’s largest and fastest growing employer. For more information on the Council, please visit www.healthcarecouncil.com.