Hailed as a focused leader who spurred the revitalization of Parkland Health and Hospital System at a critical time, Debbie Dudley Branson was honored Wednesday with the 87th annual Linz Award at a luncheon at the Omni Dallas Hotel. The award, presented jointly by Zales Jewelers and The Dallas Morning News, is one of the most prestigious civic honors in Dallas.
Branson, a Dallas trial lawyer who was appointed to the Parkland board of managers in 2011, was elected board chair the following year. At the time the system was facing multiple complex serious problems, including the potential loss of its accreditation, its hospital license, and its Medicare certification and funding.
Under Branson’s leadership, a number of changes were recommended. A more effective governance structure was put in place; a new, $1.3 billion state-of-the-art campus was built; and a permanent CEO (Dr. Fred Cerise) was hired for the system.
Accepting the award before a crowd of about 500, Branson said trying to revive Parkland was “a true labor of love” that wouldn’t have been possible without its thousands of front-line employees, doctors, and volunteers. However, she added, “I know the quest is not over to make Parkland better.”
Among healthcare leaders attending the luncheon were Joel Allison, president and CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health; Doug Hawthorne, founding CEO of Texas Health Resources; and Winfred Parnell, M.D., Branson’s newly elected successor as chairman of the Parkland board.
