New London, CT (June 30, 2020) - After a long and successful career in health care, Bill Stanley, vice president for government and community relations at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, will retire in mid-October, L+M Healthcare President and CEO Patrick L. Green announced today.
“Bill has devoted more than two decades to L+M in one of its most challenging areas - fundraising. Bill’s talent and skills have resulted in his having played an important role in the growth and development of this hospital. My sincerest thanks and best wishes go to Bill as he enters this new important phase of his life," said Green.
“Bill has been a pillar in our organization for many years and I look forward to celebrating his career and accomplishments in the coming months.”
Stanley, 65, of East Lyme, joined the hospital’s administrative team in 1999. During that time, he oversaw the hospital’s Centennial Capital Campaign, chaired by retired Pfizer executive Dan Brannegan, which raised a record total of more than $30 million to fund the Smilow Cancer Center in Waterford.
In 2011, he organized the hospital’s Centennial Gala celebration, which drew a capacity crowd of 2,000 to Mohegan Sun’s Uncas Ballroom, netting $350,000 for the campaign.
“With the hard work of a dedicated L+M Development team and the generous support of thousands of donors and volunteers, we’ve done great work together,” Stanley said. “The work is easier when there is such a compelling story to tell, when your colleagues step up day after day to provide excellent, compassionate care from the time our littlest patients come into this world all the way through to the end of life many years later.”
While working at L+M, Stanley served 20 years on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, including two terms as chair. In 2017, he received the chamber’s William Crawford Distinguished Service Award. He has served nine years on the Three Rivers College Foundation Board, including eight years as chair. Stanley also continues to serve on the boards of the Connecticut Mirror and the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, for which he chaired an $8.4 million campaign in 2007.
More recently, Stanley, Brannegan, retired OB/GYN Dr. Henry Amdur, and attorney Dan King combined to raise more than $45,000 in the #FitfortheFrontline challenge, a national initiative to raise money for frontline hospital workers. The foursome recently walked 36 holes at Great Neck Country Club in Waterford, having secured per-hole sponsorships from about 200 donors.
Stanley thanked Brannegan L+M Emeritus Directors Naomi Rachleff and John Budds, and previous Development Chair Dr. Jay Allen “for their outstanding leadership and guidance in Development” during his time as vice president. He also acknowledged Graham Gavert, who served more than 25 years as director of development before leaving the post earlier this year, the hospital’s Auxiliary, Lawrence And Memorial Benefactors Society (LAMBS), and all other Development staff with whom he worked at L+M.
