Pauley Gifts to Establish an Endowed Chair and Support Heart Education

By Cheryle Rodriguez

Two new gifts to the Pauley Heart Center will establish an endowed chair and support heart education efforts at VCU. Both gifts honor current Pauley physicians.

Kenneth Ellenbogen, M.D., chairman of the Virginia Commonwealth University Division of Cardiology, announced during the Pauley Heart Center Consortium Tuesday night that an anonymous donor has made a $500,000 lead gift to establish an endowed chair, named for George Vetrovec, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Adult Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. The gift will be matched by the VCU Glasgow endowment, making it a $1 million endowed chair.

Veterovec is world-renowned for his studies on coronary artery disease. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 papers, eight book chapters and has edited two tests on interventional cardiology.  

In addition, Vetrovec has served on numerous cardiovascular journal editorial boards and has served as a consultant to the FDA New Cardiovascular Devices Panel. He has received several honors, including the National Award of Merit in 1991 and the Richmond Golden Heart Award in 1997.  

“This will serve as a wonderful tribute to Dr. Vetrovec and ensure his legacy at the VCU Pauley Heart Center on the MCV Campus,” said Ellenbogen.

Ellenbogen also announced that Frances Crutchfield, who recently established the George and Frances Broaddus-Crutchfield Lecture, has made a $105,000 gift in memory of her husband, George Crutchfield, and in honor of Michael Hess, M.D., chairman of the Division of Cardiopulmonary Laboratories and Research. Hess cared for Crutchfield for more than 30 years. The gift has been established to support and advance education in heart failure.  

The Pauley Heart Consortium is an annual dinner to honor individuals who support the VCU Pauley Heart Center and its faculty. 

 

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