22nd Annual JGH Silver Star Mercedes-Benz Golf Classic tees up over $1 million

From left to right: Myer Bick, President & CEO, JGH Foundation; Annette Goldman, Director of Events, JGH Foundation; Lorne Gorber; Michael E. Roach; Stephanie Roza, Senor Coordinator, Events, JGH Foundation; and George Sakkas.

The Jewish General Hospital Foundation held its 22^nd Annual JGH Silver Star Mercedes-Benz Golf Classic in honour of CGI, Canada’s largest IT service provider, and its President & CEO, Michael E. Roach, on June 2 at the Elm Ridge Country Club.

Co-chaired by Lorne Gorber, Senior Vice-President, Global Communications and Investor Relations at CGI, and George Sakkas, Portfolio Manager and Associate Director, Wealth Management, at The Larente Group, the event attracted 420 of Montreal’s foremost business and community leaders from all backgrounds and age groups for a luxurious day on the golf course. Included in this group were 80 young adults and professionals under the leadership of David Marsh and Peter Rosenthal, who once again participated in the Next Generation Golf Classic morning tournament thanks to the support provided by lead sponsor CIBC, along with Canada Life, Collins Barrow, the Issenman & Sigler Families, Manulife, Mitchel Lincoln Packaging and Usines Géants.

The evening festivities included a special video produced by CGI, followed by an inspirational speech by Michael E. Roach, CGI President and CEO, and 2014 Golf Classic honouree. Participants enjoyed a cocktail dinner featuring delicious gourmet delicacies graciously donated by Gibby’s, L’Autre Saison and L’Orchidée de Chine restaurants, with live entertainment by The Fundamentals. Rounding out the evening was a raffle, during which a lucky winner snatched the ultimate prize: a Barbados getaway for two, including air travel provided by Vision 2000 and a seven-night stay at the luxurious Crane Residential Resort, courtesy of Anita and James Altman.

The marquee event raised over $1 million, thanks to the extraordinary commitment and hard work of the organizing committee and the many people and institutions whose participation and support demonstrated their respect and admiration for CGI, its President and CEO, Michael E. Roach, and its founder and Executive Chairman of the Board, Serge Godin. Since its inception, the Golf Classic has raised over $17 million to improve the medical care, life expectancy and quality of life of the people of Montreal, Quebec and beyond.

Proceeds from this year’s edition will benefit the upgrade of the new Perioperative Information Management system in the operating rooms of the Jewish General Hospital. This is an advanced software system that efficiently automates the entire perioperative environment, from scheduling to post-operative recovery, thereby ensuring a more efficient and safer use of the hospital’s operating-room resources. The system will help improve operational efficiency, patient workflow and safety, quality of care and surgical outcomes. Benefits for patients will include better preparation for their surgery, fewer delays and cancellations, more focused care from nurses and physicians who won’t have to spend as much time performing manual administrative tasks, and real-time status communication to patients’ loved ones through one or more big-board electronic displays. The system will also enable nurse clinicians and physicians to measure outcomes and evaluate the quality and effectiveness of care, allowing the JGH to continue to improve the quality of the patient experience and care.

We thank the many individuals, companies and groups who participated and gave their time, energy and financial support to this worthwhile and highly rewarding cause. A very special thank you goes to the following: The dedicated Co-Chairs, Next Generation Co-chairs and members of the Golf Classic organizing committee; longstanding event host Sam Eltes of Silver Star Mercedes-Benz; our many generous sponsors; our dynamic and ever-helpful partners at the JGH Auxiliary; and the staff of Elm Ridge Country Club for their close collaboration. Special thanks also go to Ron Waxman and Michael Shapiro, the Foundation staff, particularly Annette Goldman and Stephanie Roza along with Tricia Ramkerath-Jagdat, Mary Etzitian and Rana Saheb, as well as Circé Labelle from CGI and the staff from The Larente Group, whose dedication and commitment helped to deliver one of the most prestigious and successful golf fundraisers in North America.