Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 30, 2011

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5

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 30, 2011 

DAN F. AUSMAN NAMED METHODIST HOSPITAL 

PRESIDENT AND CEO

BOARD AWARDS $486 MILLION CONTRACT FOR 
11.5 MILE GOLD LINE FOOTHILL EXTENSION FROM 
PASADENA TO AZUSA LIGHT RAIL PROJECT


Methodist Hospital 
announced today the 
appointment of Arizona health 
care executive Dan F. Ausman 
as president and chief executive 
officer. Ausman is scheduled to 
begin August 29. 

“Dan’s appointment as 
president and CEO of Methodist 
Hospital assures that the mission 
and values of Methodist Hospital 
will continue. He is an extremely 
talented leader with exceptional 
credentials and experience,” said Michael Hoover, 
chairman of the hospital’s board of directors. 
“Under Dan’s leadership, we can be certain that 
Methodist Hospital will continue to focus on 
exceptional patient experiences and meeting 
the needs of our community. I am excited to 
welcome Dan and to have his leadership for The 
Next Generation of Care.” 

Current CEO Dennis Lee announced his 
retirement plans earlier this year.

“Methodist Hospital is indeed fortunate to 
have attracted someone as experienced and 
accomplished as Dan Ausman to be its president 
and CEO,” Lee said. “Many of the significant 
strategic challenges Methodist Hospital will face 
in the next several years are areas where Dan 
has had experience. His leadership values align 
closely with those of Methodist Hospital and his 
advanced business acumen will help the hospital 
continue to thrive in the future.”

Ausman was previously with Abrazo Health 
Care in Phoenix, Ariz., where he was president 
from 2006 until 2011. The second largest health 
care system in Arizona, Abrazo has net revenues 
of $1.5 billion, with 5,000 employees, 3,000 
affiliated physicians, six acute-care hospitals 
totaling 1,060 beds and two health plans.

“I am excited to be joining Methodist Hospital 
as its new president and CEO and look forward 
to building upon the great history and culture of 
this excellent organization,” Ausman said.

According to a 2008 Phoenix Business Journal 
article, Ausman defines success as “patient 
safety and clinical outcomes.” He believes an 
effective business leader shows passion, honesty 
and vision. And he says his most effective 
communication skill is “the ability to articulate 
vision and inspire.” 

That certainly seems to have worked for him in 
his last position. In the last four fiscal years with 
Ausman at the helm, Abrazo negotiated strategic 
alliances with three large medical groups, 
improved employee, physician and patient 
satisfaction, and significantly reduced the nurse 
turnover rate. 

Under Ausman’s administration, Abrazo’s 
hospitals achieved satisfaction 
scores, as measured by Press 
Ganey, above 80 percent 
for inpatient, 90 percent for 
outpatient and 80 percent for 
emergency room. 

Before assuming the top post 
at Abrazo, Ausman served as 
vice president of operations 
and president of California 
operations for Vanguard 
Health System, Abrazo’s parent 
company. In that role, Ausman 
managed three acute care hospitals, with 491 
beds in Irvine, Calif.

He served as president and CEO for Irvine 
Regional Hospital and Medical Center, a 176-
bed facility owned by Tenet Healthcare. He 
also has held positions as CEO for Monterey 
Park Hospital in Monterey Park; executive vice 
president for Good Samaritan Hospital in Los 
Angeles; and CEO for Women’s Medical Center 
in Seminole, Fla. 

Ausman received his bachelor’s degree from 
the University of California, Irvine, and master’s 
in public administration from the University 
of Southern California’s Health Services 
Administration graduate program. He has more 
than 30 years of healthcare administration 
experience focusing on strategic development, 
financial success, cultural awareness and change, 
and quality of care. In 1998 and again in 2002, 
Ausman was awarded the Tenet Circle of 
Excellence Award by Tenet Healthcare and was 
recognized for performing at high levels in the 
areas of quality, service and operations.

He has served on the board of directors for 
the Phoenix chapter of the American Heart 
Association, along with the Arizona Hospital and 
Healthcare Association. He also was an honorary 
board member for The Wellness Community. 
Ausman has two adult sons who live in San 
Diego. He and his wife, Carolyn, will relocate 
from Arizona to Southern California.

About Methodist Hospital

Founded in 1903, Methodist Hospital is a 
460-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving Arcadia 
and surrounding communities. Services include 
comprehensive acute care such as medical, 
surgical, perinatal, pediatrics, oncology, 
intensive care (neonatal and adult) and complete 
cardiovascular services, including open-heart 
surgery. Methodist Hospital is accredited by The 
Joint Commission. An independent, not-for-
profit organization, The Joint Commission is the 
nation’s main standards-setting and accrediting 
body in health care. For more information, visit 
www.methodisthospital.org.

On Wednesday, the Metro Gold Line Foothill 
Extension Construction Authority Board of 
Directors awarded a $485.9 million contract 
to “Foothill Transit Constructors – A Kiewit 
Parsons Joint Venture” to design and construct 
the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension from 
Pasadena to Azusa. The project includes final 
design and construction of 11.5 miles of track, 
six stations, dozens of crossings, utilities, systems 
and much, much more. The project will take 
approximately four years to complete and is 
estimated to create nearly 7,000 jobs and $1 
billion of economic output during construction 
(according to Christine Cooper, Director of 
LAEDC’s Economic and Policy Analysis Group). 
“This team presented the best of both worlds; the 
top ranked technical proposal and the lowest bid” 
said Construction Authority Board Chairman 
and Glendora Mayor Doug Tessitor. “I am 
happy with the outcome and the selected team, 
and applaud the significant effort staff at the 
Authority put into conducting this procurement. 
Ultimately, we had three excellent teams vying 
for this important project, and the best team 
won.” Kiewit and Parsons have teamed up nearly 
20 times in the last decade to complete design-
build projects and have designed and built more 
than 60 major infrastructure projects in the last 
forty years. Both are award-winning companies, 
providing world-renowned experience in 
successful completion of light rail transit projects. 
Kiewit was the lead team member on Phase 1 of 
the Gold Line from Los Angeles to Pasadena 
(with Parsons as the lead design subcontractor), 
which was completed in 2003 on time and under 
budget. Kiewit also recently oversaw demolition 
of the Mulholland Bridge (part of the I-405 
Sepulveda Pass Improvement Project). Coined 
by the media as “Carmageddon” for its potential 
impacts to Los Angeles’ heavily congested traffic 
corridor, the demolition was completed by Kiewit 
Pacific 17 hours ahead of schedule. “Kiewit and 
Parsons both enjoy a long-time relationship with 
the Construction Authority, having both worked 
with the agency since 1999 when we began 
design on Phase 1. It is an honor to be chosen 
to continue that work 12 more miles east and 
to have a chance to work again with the hard 
working and dedicated team at the Construction 
Authority” said Bill Westland, Vice President & 
Area Manager, Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. 
This contract award keeps the first Measure R 
rail project to go to construction on schedule for 
a 2015 delivery.

LOCAL TEENS CREATE WEB SERIES TO 

FIGHT UNDER-AGE DRINKING

Pasadena, CA - July 29, 2011 - When most 
teens are spending their days relaxing at the 
beach or park, members of the CHP (Campus 
Health Promoters) have been in pre-production 
for “Pretty Little Drunk,” a web-series being 
produced by OnWeb Television in conjunction 
with NATHA (Neighbors Acting Together to 
Help All). The series follows NORA, a 15 year 
old high-school girl who begins to use alcohol 
to hide from her problems and the friend who 
gains the courage to finally confront her. The 
teens are from local high schools in the Pasadena 
area and have been involved in all aspects of the 
production, including deciding upon the web 
series title. “Pretty Little Drunk” starts production 
on August 3rd at the offices of NATHA in 
Pasadena and will shoot for three days around 
NATHA. The web-series uses a combination of 
local teens and professional actors cast in lead 
and supporting roles and is being produced to 
help teens realize the negative effects of under-
age drinking. NATHA is a true grassroots non-
profit organization serving low income families 
in the largely minority Lincoln Corridor of 
Northwest Pasadena. The organization was 
recently funded through the federal Drug Free 
Communities(DFC) Program, which provides 
grants of up to $125,000 to community coalitions 
that mobilize their community to prevent youth 
alcohol, tobacco, illicit drug and inhalant abuse. 
The Drug Free Communities Support Program 
will enable NATHA to strengthen their prevention 
efforts and encourage the community to join 
forces in their substance abuse reduction efforts. 

According to the Center for Disease Control 
and Prevention, On average, underage drinkers 
consume more drinks per occasion than adult 
drinkers. A 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey 
from the organization found that within a 30 day 
period, 42% of high school students drank some 
amount of alcohol, 10% drove after drinking 
alcohol and 28% rode with a driver who had 
been drinking alcohol. OnWeb Television, a web-
series production company based in Pasadena 
The company was so impressed by the work 
of the organization and its dedication to the 
community, it has volunteered it’s services for the 
entire production. “It’s been a great experience 
working with the students, they are very talented 
and we just wanted to give them this opportunity 
to get their message out.” said Director James 
Tucker. OnWeb staff have been working with 
the students for several weeks in preparation for 
the production. The goal is to create three initial 
episodes of approximately 3-4 minutes each and 
the students will use various forms of new and 
social media to spread their message of reducing 
under-age drinking. 

“What’s Going On?” 

News and Views from Joan M. Clayton

SHAME ON ARCADIA


About two months ago, 
my WORST nightmare 
happened. I was driving 
west on Camino Real in 
the City of Arcadia and saw 
the UNBELIEVABLE! My 
favorite house-a darling 
green Victorian bungalow-
probably the ONLY one left 
in Arcadia- had THE SIGN 
in front of it, “MURSOL 
CONSTRUCTION” ! I 
went home and cried! “Mursol Construction” is 
synonymous with “MONSTROSITY” as far as I 
am concerned. I have NO PROBLEM with a big 
house. I grew up in Westfield, New Jersey, and 
most of the houses are large. But the houses in 
Westfield and in most East Coast towns are pretty 
and no one is identical to another! Styles include 
“Colonial”, “English Tutor”, “Victorian”, or “Greek 
Revival” to name a few. There are also smaller 
Cape Cod, bungalow and Ranch Style homes!

I live in Monrovia-a few blocks east of Arcadia. 
Driving west, I saw a corner lot with a chain link 
fence around it. In front of the chain link was a 
green covering to block the view of the house. So 
I just thought that house was being remodeled. 
But “NO” that house also was a victim of the 
Arcadia trend: “Raze a beautiful home that has 
charm and put up a big monstrosity”! If a person 
travels west on Camino Real in Monrovia, passes 
Myrtle Avenue to Arcadia, they will see that two 
attractive homes about a block apart are gone! 
Construction has begun on yet another two 
monstrosities. Where the green bungalow was, 
a very large house is going up! I believe there 
are barely 3 feet from each side of the house 
being built to the property line. However, that is 
nothing in comparison to the other house going 
up.(I haven’t had a chance to attempt to measure 
it. Suffice it to say, that house equals THREE in 
width to the houses on my street! 

Saturday, driving home from the store, I 
couldn’t stand it. So I stopped my car, and asked 
a walking gentleman, “Do you live around here”? 
”Yes”, he answered. I continued, “What do YOU 
think of all of this (Building these monstrosities)? 
His reply, “Disgusting. It takes away my view of 
the mountains”.

Can you imagine? A person buys a lovely home 
in a nice, quiet neighborhood. He and his wife 
raise their children there, but stay in the home. It 
is not too large to maintain and it is near stores, 
doctor, Church-all important parts of his life. 
Why would he want to move? I would be LIVID if 
I lost my view of the mountains!

Today, I drove west on Camino Real to 
photograph the two houses going up. I had 
a conversation with a woman who had lived 
across the street from the house for 40 years! I 
was so surprised that MANY people were upset 
the house was going to be razed. The neighbor 
said a gentleman from the Monrovia Historic 
Preservation Society had even come. (The 
Monrovia Historic Preservation Group is a non-
profit devoted to the restoration and preservation 
of pre-1930’s houses.) But nothing could be done. 
The house had been moved to the Arcadia site 40 
years ago from Hollywood. If the house originally 
was built on that site, it may have been a different 
story.

I’m just grateful I live in a county area where 
houses are not razed.


PET OF THE WEEK


Meet Tony (A4306717), a gentle 
and handsome year-old, black and 
white male Australian Shepherd 
mix puppy urgently looking for a 
new home. Tony was surrendered 
at the Baldwin Park shelter on July 
5th because his former owners 
could no longer afford to care 
for a dog. Weighing 48 lbs. this 
medium-energy boy is a United 
Hope for Animals volunteer favorite 
because of his “cool as a cucumber” 
disposition. Tony walks well on leash, takes treats 
gently, is friendly towards people and other dogs, and 
appears to be housetrained. He is an ideal indoor 
family pet, and is vaccinated, microchipped, neutered, 
and ready to go home today. To watch a video of Tony 
interacting with a volunteer, go to www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Jx 1e2gbRDbA.

To meet Tony, please visit him at the Baldwin Park 
Shelter, located at 4275 N. Elton, 
Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (Phone: 
626-430-2378). Reference his 
animal ID number: A4306717. 
His adoption fee is $80. The 
shelter is open seven days a week, 
12 pm-7 pm Monday-Thursday 
and 10 am-5 pm Friday-Sunday. 
This is a high-intake shelter 
with a great need for adoptions. 
For more information about 
Tony or the adoption process, 
contact United Hope for Animals Volunteer Adoption 
Coordinator Meena at meena@hope4animals.org or 
626-841-9030. To learn more about United Hope for 
Animals’ partnership with the Baldwin Park Shelter 
through its Shelter Support Program, as well as the many 
dogs of all breeds, ages, and sizes available for adoption 
in local shelters, visit http://www.unitedhope4animals.
org/about-us/shelter-support-program/.