« All NewsLexington Medical Center Foundation Welcomes Two Members
Posted by: Jennifer Wilson, Public Relations Manager | December 16, 2010
West Columbia, SC – The Lexington Medical Center Foundation is pleased to welcome Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin and Southern First bank president Justin Strickland to its board of directors.
Steve Benjamin was elected Mayor of Columbia in April, 2010. He has served on boards for organizations including the Columbia Urban League, Benedict College, Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce and as a founding board member of the Eau Claire Promise Zone and Choose Children First.
Mr. Benjamin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina where he served as President of Student Government. He also graduated from the USC School of Law where he was Student Bar Association President. Mr. Benjamin and his wife live in Columbia with their two daughters.
“The challenge of making quality healthcare accessible to every community is too big and too important to face alone,” Mayor Benjamin said. “We have to work together and I am proud to have this opportunity to start reaching across borders to make the entire Midlands Region a healthier place to live and work.”
Justin Strickland is President of Southern First bank. He has served with organizations including Children’s Trust Fund of South Carolina, SC Bankers Association, Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce and Junior Achievement. His honors include the South Carolina Outstanding Young Bankers Award.
Mr. Strickland graduated from Walterboro High School, the University of South Carolina, SC Bankers School and the Graduate School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University. He is married with two children.
The Lexington Medical Center Foundation is a non-profit organization with a goal of receiving charitable gifts to help assure high value, quality health services and patient-centered care are available for the people of the Midlands. The Foundation serves the community by organizing and funding a wide variety of initiatives including nursing scholarships, programs for patients in need, women’s cancer care plans and the hospital’s nationally-recognized Doula program.
Lexington Medical Center, in West Columbia, S.C., anchors a county-wide health care network that includes six community medical centers throughout Lexington County and employs a staff of 5,200 health care professionals. The network also includes the largest extended care facility in the Carolinas, two occupational health centers and more than 40 physician practices. At its heart is the 414-bed state-of-the-art Lexington Medical Center, with a reputation for the highest quality care. Lexington Medical Center won "Best Hospital" by readers of The State for ten years in a row, "Best Hospital" by readers of the Free Times, "Best Place to Have a Baby" by readers of Palmetto Parent, the "Consumer Choice Award" from the National Research Corporation and the prestigious "Summit Award" from Press Ganey.
