Michael A. Stocker, MDIn Appreciation

Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.Harry S. Truman

Dr. Michael Stocker,

Your wisdom, guidance, and personal warmth are a source of inspiration to our institutions. Thank you for your character, creativity, and perseverance. You did more than talk the talk, you walked the walk and in so doing, motivated us to reach further than we thought possible. The service that you have provided to the City of New York will benefit our communities for generations to come. I thank you for your original and decisive leadership and extend my sincere best wishes for your continued success.

Denise C. Soares, RN, MASenior Vice President, Generations+/Northern Manhattan Health NetworkExecutive Director, Harlem Hospital Center,Renaissance Health Care Network Diagnostic and Treatment Center

Dr. Michael Stocker was a strong Board Chairman who, like Breakthrough, was always looking to improve processes within HHC. His understanding of the provision of medical services made the Board’s Hospital Quality Assurance Committee a venue for education and change, not a session for dispensing corporal punishment. The staff were always appreciative of the thoughtful questions he raised and I personally felt encouraged by many of his comments about the good things we were doing at the facility. He leaves HHC a better place!

Chris D. ConstantinoSenior Vice President, Queens Healthcare NetworkExecutive Director, Elmhurst Hospital Center

Dr. Stocker,

In my opinion, a quote from Jim Rohn may have been inspired by your leadership style. “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude: be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”

Your leadership has allowed HHC not only to flourish, but to become a model healthcare organization. HHC has taken giant strides in patient safety, population health management, and “affordable care.” The NYC community has been well served with you at the helm.

It is my personal pleasure to have been able to work with you, learn from you, and be a member of your team.

Thank you for your time and commitment, and best of luck.

Art WagnerSenior Vice President, Southern Brooklyn and Staten Island Healthcare Network Executive Director, Coney Island Hospital

Dear Mike,

For the inspiration we derive from your indefatigable support of HHC;

For the wisdom and experience you bring to the table, which challenges us to be more and to be better in what we do;

For your sense of humor and candid questions;

For your full embrace of Breakthrough and belief that we can transform ourselves and our organization,

Thank you! Fondly and with best wishes,

Joanna Omi and the Breakthrough TeamSenior Vice President, Organizational Innovation and Effectiveness

Dear Dr. Stocker,

Thank you for your outstanding service to the Corporation. Over the past three years that I have worked closely with you, I have grown to appreciate and learn from you about the qualities that make an exceptional Chairman of the Board. I developed a profound respect for your business acumen and your thorough understanding of the healthcare environment. Your forward-thinking, proactive approach to moving the Corporation’s agenda for the future is admirable. Your excellent working relationship with HHC’s CEO, Al Aviles, established a solid foundation for a successful partnership to improve HHC. Above and beyond these qualities was the dedication to work very hard on issues. For all this and more, I am grateful to have served under your Chairmanship to help create a lasting legacy of your time at HHC.

Best wishes,

Sal

Salvatore J. RussoSenior Vice President & General Counsel

I remember our first meeting. I sat waiting in your office for 10 or 15 minutes. You walked in looking like the Marlboro man eating a New York City hot dog. We talked. You made a connection. I understood that you wanted to be useful.

A few days later, I was sitting with colleagues trying to figure out a way to get a piece of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act action for HHC, when someone said, “We need a connection from Montana who can get to Max Baucus.” I bolted from the meeting and barged into your office suddenly, you smiled broadly as if you had expected me. I asked you about Montana and Baucus and you said—“He really responds to constituents and I have a cousin…”

From Baucus to Aetna this was the beginning of a fruitful relationship. Whenever called upon for a strategy or a connection you delivered, and you seemed to be pleased to be useful.

With great affection!

Marlene ZurackSenior Vice PresidentFinance Chief Financial Officer

Mike,

Your focus on systematically strengthening the Board’s oversight role in the critically important areas of corporate compliance, internal audits and procurement, and the concomitant centralization of these core functions that you spurred on the management side, will help ensure a continued high level of organizational integrity at HHC going forward. This legacy is emblematic of the personal integrity that you brought to bear here, and your wise and strategic use of the authority of the Chairman’s office.

On a personal level, I am indebted to you for the countless times that you ran interference on contentious issues, provided sage advice on strategic direction, and made me laugh during stressful moments. You have been a true partner in furthering the mission about which we both care deeply, and you have been generous on many levels. I’ve learned a great deal from you about leadership and for that I am especially grateful. HHC is stronger for your having been here.

Al

Alan D. AvilesHHC President and Chief Executive Officer

Now and in Time to Be...W.B. Yeats, Easter 1916

While his native modesty would reject the notion, Dr. Michael A. Stocker is a man of great and diverse complication, and to those of us who know him even only a little, totally fascinating.

In full HHC Board committee mode, he’s Colombo – “Oh, excuse me, sir, I just have one more question...” – and the sly question that follows cuts to the heart of the matter and reveals the hitherto undisclosed but salient fact that changes everything.

Or he’s Robert Mitchum, eyes narrowing, lips slightly curling, 1955 Oldsmobile purring in the street below, dispatching an evildoer. “Did you really think the Capital Committee would let you get away with it, Frankie? We don’t miss much...”

Or he’s the first cousin to an Irish poet laureate, helping a misguided staff member understand that HHC’s mission demands performance that’s a little higher than the norm. “If you do your job right, then you have the chance to be heroic. You may die in battle, but it will be a noble death...”

In this mix of personae, there’s also a captain of industry, an almost borscht belt comedian, a courtly assassin like Max Von Sydow in Three Days of the Condor, a quietly generous philanthropist, an amiable pater familias, and a physician leader who is conversant with healthcare from the street to the senate.

Mostly, all these characters notwithstanding, Michael Stocker is a man of such unshakable integrity, genuine warmth, luminous intelligence, and constant quality that under his chairmanship HHC became better simply by trying to meet his standards. He’s the guy you want to do your best for, because you know that if you do, the people we care for are going to benefit.

Joe SchickSenior Advisor to the President Executive Director, The Fund for HHC

Dear Dr. Stocker,

Working for you these past five years reminds us of the following quote:

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.Dwight D. Eisenhower

We will miss you dearly,

Chairman’s Office Staff

What can you say about someone who has been a visionary leader during the most difficult of times and yet has been the essence of humility wisdom and understanding at all times? For sure he is a rare leader in the healthcare arena. It has been an extraordinary pleasure and privilege to have served on the HHC Board of Directors under his leadership and he will truly be someone whose shoes will be very difficult to fill.

Vincent Calamia, SM, MD, FACP, FACEMember, HHC Board of Directors

Hi Mike Stocker,

We all come to this Board with different strengths, yours is a broad firsthand knowledge of health plans and other issues. It was a pleasure to serve the people of New York City with you. I am glad Mayor Bloomberg appointed you after you so generously volunteered. Come back to visit soon.

See ya!

Josephine Bolus RN, MS, CNP, APRN-BCMember, HHC Board of Directors

Dr. Stocker brought a unique brand of stewardship to the HHC Board, with his expansive experience, knowledge and background in healthcare. His high standards for patient safety and quality care enhanced the level of service provided to all HHC patients.

Thank you Dr. Stocker.

George M. ProctorSenior Vice President, North and Central Brooklyn Healthcare Network Executive Director, Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center

I knew Dr. Stocker was going to be a special Board Chair when he offered to engage his Montana family members in our fight for DSH funding (and we did!). From the very beginning, Dr. Stocker jumped right into advocating for HHC’s mission with the many New York thought leaders he knows (and he knows everybody), while also displaying an appreciation and genuine comfort level with grassroots advocates. I will always be grateful for the support he has given me (we had just one “small moment”....) and the wisdom he has shared.

I will miss his generosity and his huge intellect and strategic insights wrapped in that Midwestern veneer.

LaRay BrownSenior Vice President, Corporate Planning, Community Health and Intergovernmental Relations

Mike Stocker inspired me from the start with his confidence, experience in the health industry, knowledge of the Corporation and commitment to its mission. Quiet strength characterized his leadership style as Chairman which encouraged full Board participation. Both he and the former Chair, Charlyn Goins, created an atmosphere of respect for diverse opinions I had not experienced in my many years on the Board prior to the Bloomberg administration. Mike’s years as Chair have flown by and I am very sad to see him step down.

Privately Mike and I were able to agree and disagree on health policy drawing on and respecting our very different backgrounds - Wisconsin and Chicago versus Connecticut and Harlem.

Rev. Diane LaceyVice Chair, HHC Board of Directors

Dear Mike,

I sit here with pen in hand, so many wonderful thoughts to convey and seeking just the right words to express, concisely, what an outstanding Chair of the HHC Board of Directors you are.

First and foremost, you truly are a very accomplished and knowledgeable leader, both in the private and public sector, who steered this Board through very challenging times. You have a very pleasant, modest, relaxed style about you while possessing exceptional leadership skills. What makes you an ideal leader is your aspiration to do “what’s right.” You always listen to the concerns of communities and you absolutely understand the complexities and challenges that our public hospitals continually face. It is obvious that you love what you do and this motivates others around you to support the changes needed to assure excellence in healthcare.

Thank you for respecting and understanding the needs of our healthcare consumers and the unique needs of the communities we serve. On a personal note, thank you for taking the time to answer all of my questions, for sharing your opinions, and for always providing me with tons of information. Your leadership enables me to make well informed decisions. Last and certainly not least, thank you for welcoming this grassroots, community person from Queens County. You undoubtedly are a remarkable leader.

Best wishes,

Anna KrilMember, HHC Board of Directors

I will truly miss Mike Stocker because he has been a leader, an educator, and chief explainer of all complex matters before the Board. One day I saw him walking toward the meeting room in a sharp suit but wearing comfortable sneakers! I was empowered to ditch the leather shoes and wear my own comfortable suede loafers. Once again he led. Outside the Corporation, I was thrilled to view the St. Patrick’s Day Parade with him from the reviewing stand last March. Good luck Mike in all future endeavors.

Robert F. NolanMember, HHC Board of Directors

During Michael Stocker’s chairmanship, HHC’s operations have taken great strides forward. Dr. Stocker understood that the business of healthcare was in transition alongside the dramatic changes that were occurring in care delivery, and his leadership helped the Board to recognize that the direction we were establishing for HHC represented real organizational progress.

Mike Stocker brought character, intelligence, experience and quiet strength to his role and a bottom-line belief that HHC was a great organization. He believed in HHC and the work that we are doing, even to the extent of working alongside me and my team through many iterations of OP 100-5, as we struggled together to make something that would guide the corporation’s purchasing policies for years to come. The hill was steep, but the summit was well worth it.

Antonio D. MartinExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

One of the key qualities of an exceptional leader, seldomly acknowledged, is to be comfortable with being in charge. For you, Dr. Stocker, that literally starts with your Saucony sneakers and is truly demonstrated by your warm, considerate and mutually respectful relationship with HHC leadership. This quality may seem a shallow thing, but it is so much more. In you, it is indicative of an intelligent and charismatic person -- one who knows his strengths and when to wield these tools and when to hold back, humble enough to acknowledge his weaknesses and ask for directions when lost, constructive in your criticism even in moments of vexation and doubt, and using your vast experience to coach others without lecturing. Again, this is only one of the many beneficial qualities that made you a remarkable Chairman, and it was a pleasure to work with and learn from you. Most importantly, HHC is much better off because of your leadership. Thank you.

Tamiru MammoChief of Staff

Dear Dr. Stocker,

Thank you for the time, talent, expertise, collaboration, and the mentoring you have given to the support of Enterprise IT Services. Your guidance has enabled HHC to move forward with many of the IT strategic initiatives in support of the Corporation…even when at times you may have thought it was “magic.” Your ideas, input, and enthusiasm were most helpful and have assisted us in making valuable contributions to support HHC mission.

I personally want to thank you for your professional guidance with Board matters and the many initiatives we have been able to move forward on.

It has been a pleasure to know you both professionally and personally.

Bert RoblesSenior Vice President, Information Technology Corporate Chief Information Officer

I’m amazed that after all these years, our exchanges have been limited. And I know it’s not because you don’t like me. I consider it a sign of your professionalism, integrity and highest standards of conduct that kept you and the rest of the Board out of the press headlines! For that, I am eternally thankful.

Ana MarengoSenior Vice President, Corporate Communications and Marketing

Dr. Stocker,

Your wise, knowledgeable, steadfast, and incredibly patient leadership has been an inspiration to me and I am sure to all Board members and staff.

The amount of time and energy you contributed to HHC, (especially at the high price of your salary,) is worth an uncountable amount.

Most importantly for me is the great pleasure and delight I have received from having the honor to serve on the Board with you and to getting to know you personally. It truly has been an honor.

You are in the truest sense of the words a gentleman and a scholar.

I genuinely look forward to keeping in contact with you for many years to come.

Warmly,

Emily

Emily A. YoussoufMember, HHC Board of Directors

Dr. Stocker has served HHC with great distinction as the Chair of our Board, as well as providing strong leadership at its QA committee, which meets on the majority of Fridays of each year. Amongst his many attributes, three Ps standout in the context of all these meetings. These three are preparation, prioritization, and persistence. His preparation not only includes carefully reading all the materials, but discussions with members and senior management. Careful preparation set the stage for prioritization that leads to a laser-like focus on one or perhaps two key issues, and then to follow them through relentlessly… persistence.

I learned to deeply respect his unrelenting commitment to ensuring that HHC was doing the best job that we could, that we were accountable every second for the precious responsibility we had been given – the care and lives of our patients. His modeling of this behavior in a way that joined care delivery to the business of health care has been very valuable in guiding the work of the division of Medical & Professional Affairs.

Michael Stocker leaves a very valuable legacy for HHC and will be missed.

Ross Wilson, MDCorporate Chief Medical OfficerSenior Vice President, Medical and Professional Affairs

HHC has been fortunate to have Dr. Stocker as our Chairman over the last five years. I have appreciated and benefitted from his strong advocacy and attention to quality of care issues throughout his stewardship of the QA committee. I have witnessed how his unwavering commitment, deep concern, credible authority, and informed critiques have positively influenced the quality of patient care and patient safety at many of our facilities. Thank you for your distinguished service, your grace, dignity, respect, and invigorating influence. You will be missed.

Warmly,

Lynda CurtisSenior Vice President, South Manhattan Healthcare NetworkExecutive Director, Bellevue Hospital Center

Thank you.