Peter W. May, left, and Kenneth L. Davis, MD, discussed Mr. May’s 30 years of service to Mount Sinai at the Noble Deeds Society Dinner.
At the Noble Deeds Society Dinner last fall, leaders at the Mount Sinai Health System expressed their heartfelt appreciation to Peter W. May for his remarkable 17-year tenure as Chairman of the Boards of Trustees, during which he transformed a nearly bankrupt hospital and medical school into one of the world’s premier academic medical centers. Mr. May officially stepped down as Chairman in spring 2019 and now serves as Chairman Emeritus, Boards of Trustees. The Noble Deeds Society of the Mount Sinai Health System honors those who have been significant supporters and preserve the tradition of philanthropy.
“There could not be a more appropriate place to recognize Peter than at this dinner for noble deeds, because no one has done a more noble deed for Mount Sinai than Peter during his tenure,” said Kenneth L. Davis, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System, in a video that was presented at the event held at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center.
Approximately 200 generous supporters—including the Mount Sinai Health System’s current Co-Chairmen, Boards of Trustees, Richard A. Friedman and James S. Tisch—attended the dinner. Mr. Friedman and Mr. Tisch credited Mr. May for his deep knowledge, confidence, commitment, and inspirational leadership. They said trustees urged Mr. May to serve additional terms while he was Chairman and that he successfully convinced other philanthropists to join him in supporting Mount Sinai’s mission. Mr. May joined the Mount Sinai Boards of Trustees in 1989. Evan L. Flatow, MD, President of Mount Sinai West and Bernard J. Lasker Professor of Orthopedics, said in the video, “Peter understood what was in the DNA of Mount Sinai. He was deeply committed to our mission. The history books will say that Peter saved our institution.”
Indeed, a short time after assuming Mount Sinai’s Chairmanship in 2002, Mr. May tapped Dr. Davis to serve as Dean and then as Chief Executive Officer. Within three years, Mount Sinai was operating profitably. Reflecting upon their combined leadership, Dr. Davis said, “We had a shared vision and shared common values. We believed in what this institution had stood for during its 150-year history.”
Peter W. May and wife Leni May, center, with, from left, son Jon May, daughter-in-law Juliana May, daughter Leslie May Blauner, and son-in-law Andrew Blauner.
Under Mr. May’s tenure as Chairman, Mount Sinai raised $3 billion. In 2013, he presided over the formation of the Mount Sinai Health System, when The Mount Sinai Medical Center combined with Continuum Health Partners to become one of New York City’s largest health systems. “To take us from the brink of bankruptcy to the system we are today, with eight hospitals and over 400 ambulatory centers, to 42,000 employees—who would have thought it?” said Dr. Davis. “And it happened under Peter’s direction, guidance, and leadership.”
Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and President for Academic Affairs, Mount Sinai Health System, said that Mr. May’s support was vital in helping the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai achieve its world-class status. “When I came to him and said, ‘this is what we need to do to make our medical school great’ and to ensure that we recruited the best and brightest students and faculty who were innovative and whose goal was to improve the lives of our patients, Peter provided the necessary resources and trusted me in working to accomplish that.”
Mr. May said that Mount Sinai will always occupy a very special place for him, his wife, Leni, their two children, and grandchildren. “I am not giving up my care, my love, my interest, and my years of dedication to Mount Sinai,” he said. “It will be part of my life as long as I live.”