William, Rebecca Considine make $1 million gift to fund pediatric research at Akron Children’s Hospital

AKRON, Ohio — Akron Children’s Hospital Medical Center has received a $1 million gift commitment from longtime CEO William Considine and his wife, Rebecca, to help launch a research institute at the children’s hospital system.

The gift, which comes during William Considine’s 30th year as leader of Akron Children’s, will establish the Rebecca D. Considine Clinical Research Institute. Akron Children’s Chairman Philip Maynard hopes the Considine’s gift kicks off between $3 million and $5 million in total gifts for the institute within five years.

“The Considines are making a tremendous investment in the health of our community’s children,” said Maynard about the surprise of such a large gift from the hospital’s chief executive and his wife, a longtime volunteer and children’s advocate.

The Considines announced their gift Friday at the preview of the Holiday Tree Festival, an annual fund-raiser for the hospital.

Michael Reed, a clinical pharmacologist who directs the clinical research institute, called the gift “pivotal” in turning Akron Children’s research centers into an institute, which will unite the centers and their clinical practices. The gift will enable the research that identifies a need at the bedside, develops a solution at the laboratory bench, then take it back to the bedside to help patients, Reed said.

“I see this money being used for programmatic development,” William Considine said. “You win with people, not bricks and mortar.”