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UAMS celebrated the 2023 inductees to the Society of the Double Helix. Image by Evan Lewis

UAMS Honors Newest Members of the Society of the Double Helix

May 11, 2023 | The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) celebrated the 2023 inductees to the Society of the Double Helix during an April 21 ceremony held at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum. In total, 72 new members were welcomed into the distinguished group.

The Society of the Double Helix was established by the UAMS Foundation Fund Board, now known as the UAMS Board of Advisors, in 1998 as a way for the university to recognize the philanthropy of individuals, foundations, corporations and organizations that have contributed $100,000 or more to the institution since its founding in 1879.

Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health, was on hand to thank new society members for their support of UAMS.

“Philanthropy is a choice. Each of you has made a choice to invest in the health of your community — not just in Little Rock, but in Northwest Arkansas, at our Regional Campuses and in every small town linked to our health system,” said Patterson. “You’ve made a choice to help your family members, your friends and those you’ve never even met. Your generosity has helped countless Arkansans live better lives, thanks to the care that UAMS provides. When you go home tonight, I want you to be excited about the difference that you’ve made.”

Members of the Society of the Double Helix have revolutionized the environment at UAMS through achievements realized with their support. They have helped to fund student scholarships, faculty and research endowments, state-of-the-art equipment purchases and construction of modern facilities and centers of excellence.

“The Society of the Double Helix was established to acknowledge the outstanding philanthropic leadership of individuals, foundations,

corporations and organizations who have made an impact at UAMS through their generosity,” said Cindy Pugh, chair of the UAMS Board of Advisors. “Membership in this organization represents the pinnacle of commitment that moves UAMS forward as a premier education, research and health care institution.”

The double helix, adopted by the worldwide scientific community as a symbol of the quest for knowledge through scientific research, is a symbol distinguished group whose individual contributions have combined to advance the central mission of UAMS: to teach, to search, to serve and to heal. During the ceremony, Patterson presented new members with a double helix statue to mark their entry into the society.

The 2023 Society of the Double Helix inductees include:

• Alice L. Walton Foundation
• Margaret Bartelt, Ph.D.
• Lillian Ruth Blackmon, M.D.
• Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation
• Center for Science in the Public Interest
• Truman Channell
• The Charles E. Thomas Trust
• Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation Inc.
• Sridhar Chatrathi, M.D., and Prema Chatrathi, Pharm.D.
• Jeannie Clement
• Larry and the late Janett Crain
• William Culp, M.D., and Tracy Culp
• CytoAstra LLC
• Frances C. Dalme, Ph.D.
• Peggy and Haskell Dickinson
• Ray and Deborah Dillon
• George H. Dunklin Jr. and Livia Dunklin
• Eugene Thomas Ellison Jr., M.D.
• Estate of William P. Weinberg
• Ladera Foundation
• Ethel Brickey Hicks Charitable Corporation
• James and Joyce Faulkner
• Kim and Chris Fowler
• Denise and Hershey Garner
• Reed Greenwood and Mary Ann Greenwood
• Jack A. Griebel, M.D., and May L. Griebel, M.D.
• Sue T. Griffin, Ph.D.
• Julianne Grundfest
• Urmil Gupta
• Mark S. Harriman, M.D., and Patricia Harriman
• Fred O. Henker III, M.D., Virginia Henker
• Laurence J. Howe, DDS
• The Jane Howard Foundation
• Joan Zumwalt Family Foundation
• Kinco Constructors
• Don and Carolyn Kirkpatrick
• Tad and Judy Krug
• John W. Leahy and Martha W. Murphy
• The Massey Family Charitable Foundation
• Paulette Mehta, M.D., MPH, and Jay Mehta, M.D., Ph.D.
• Don Mills
• Charles R. Moon, M.D., and Marjorie Moon
• Murphy USA Charitable Foundation
• Marvin L. Murphy
• Cindy and Chip Murphy
• National Community Pharmacists Association Foundation
• Lee Nauss, M.D., Vivian Maxwell
• Robert C. Nolan
• Northwest Arkansas Council
• Estate of Colette M. Nozicka
• Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation
• Elizabeth Phillips
• Linda Richardson
• Wayne and Robbye Ridout
• Joseph R. Robbins, M.D., and Nancy Robbins
• Robert L. and Sara Lou Cargill Charitable Trust
• Carolyn and Doyle “Rog” Rogers
• Estate of Frances Yvonne Russell
• Walter Sedelow, Ph.D. and Sally Sedelow, Ph.D.
• SHARE Foundation
• Estate of Carol Silverstrom
• Douglas Smart, M.D., and Dianne Smart
• Lee Spindler, M.D.
• Sunderland Foundation
• Tyson Foods Inc.
• William Ventres, M.D., and Esthela Ventres
• James W. and Patricia E. Wallis
• John B. Weiss, M.D., and Mary Kathleen Weiss
• Martha McCarty Wells
• William H. Bowen Family Foundation
• William Thomas and May Pitman Hennessy Foundation
• Richard A. Williams and Ann F. Williams

To date, members of the Society of the Double Helix have collectively invested nearly $680 million in the work at UAMS.

“Many of you have shared with me your motivation for supporting the UAMS mission. While the themes are common — rooted in an experience as a patient, a student, an employee, a community partner — I have found that no two people share the same story,” said John Erck, vice chancellor for the Division of Institutional Advancement. “These unique motivations are exemplified by where each member of this group directs his or her philanthropic support, thus your generosity has touched every aspect of our institution.”