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J.
David and Beverly Allen know the value of a good partnership.
Longtime partners both in life and in business, they are now
working together to chair the School of Nursing's capital
campaign.
They bring considerable knowledge
of Emory to this task as well as extensive business acumen.
Together, for example, they took a one-office oral surgery
practice and turned it into
a network of eight offices with 54 employees.
They also managed the delicate
balance of running their business with raising three daughters,
Lisa, Debra, and Pamela, all now grown and out on their own.
"We made a pact," says David. "I would be
there for major events, and Beverly would be there for ‘minor,
medium, and major events.'" |
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Back
in 1975, after David completed his oral surgery residency at Grady
Memorial Hospital, he and Beverly opened an office off of U.S. I-20
at Panola Road in east Atlanta, with Beverly running the front office
while David worked with patients. Although he was trained as an
oral surgeon, David chose the office's location with the skill
of a businessman. "It's not something they teach you
in dental school," he says with a laugh. "There were
four oral surgeons in downtown Decatur at the time. I figured patients
who lived in Covington would have to drive past my office to get
to Decatur. Why not stop there instead of driving all the way to
Decatur? We got busy very quickly."
Then he noticed a number of referrals
coming in from the Conyers area. He and Beverly opened their second
office there in 1980. Three years later, they opened a third office
in Snellville, and they were off and running. As the practice continued
to grow, Beverly traveled from office to office, managing the finances
and human resource issues.
"It was gratifying to watch
the practice grow over the past 31 years," says David. "But
our recent retirement makes it possible to now turn our attention
to other challenges, such as this effort on behalf of the School
of Nursing." |
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Both
David, 67C, 70D, 75DR, and Beverly, 68C, have been active within
Emory and the greater Atlanta community and plan to be more so since
they both retired in November. In addition to starting a health
care consulting business after retiring, David sits on the board
of trustees for the University, the Woodruff Health Sciences Center,
Emory Healthcare, and The Emory Clinic. He was the natural choice
to chair the 2007 Georgia Chamber of Commerce after recruiting more
than 200 new members during his two-year term on the membership
committee. He's also been president of the Georgia Dental
Association, the DeKalb County chapter of the American Cancer Society,
and the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
But the most important civic commitment
David and Beverly say they've made thus far is to lead the
fund-raising campaign for the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.
They've always appreciated the difficult work of nurses, working
with them every day as they did in their own practice. But it was
during tough times in recent years during illnesses of family members
that they saw another side to caregiving.
"When my brother was sick with
lung cancer, the nurses provided the bulk of his care," says
David. "They made sure he was comfortable and not in any pain.
Anytime I had a question or concern, their answers always left me
reassured."
"We knew they were in good hands,"
Beverly says of their relatives. She and her husband are eager to
talk to others about the value of investing in nursing education.
"This campaign is crucial to
being able to recruit tomorrow's nursing students,"
says Dean Salmon. "The Allens are a wonderful example of the
types of leaders and partners in health that we educate our students
to model. They are perfect advocates to take our nursing message
and the stories of our incredible students to business and community
leaders in Atlanta and across the United States."
David first met School of Nursing
Dean Marla Salmon at a board meeting shortly after she came to Emory.
"She has a real commitment to producing not only great nurses
but ones who will lead the profession," he says.
The greatest need to be addressed
by the campaign is scholarship money. The average nursing student
carries $37,000 in debt, compared with the average $20,000 for Emory
undergraduates overall.
"We're honored to lead
the campaign," Beverly says. "It is both a challenge
and an opportunity, and David and I have never shied away from either." |
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Become
a Partner in Caring |
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By
supporting the Emory Nursing Partners in Caring Fund, you'll
ensure scholarships for nursing students. At the same time,
you'll support important research, education, service
learning, and development of 21st century health policies
that will touch people everywhere.
Thank you for sending your gift
today payable to Emory University and designated to Nell Hodgson
Woodruff School of Nursing, Partners in Caring Fund. You can
use the envelope enclosed in this magazine.
Mail your gift to Alumni and
Development Records, Emory University, Plaza 1000, 1762 Clifton
Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322-4001. |
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