News — The Harris Health System Board of Trustees unanimously approved the naming of Harris Health’s administration building in honor of Elvin Franklin Jr., the board’s longest tenured member.
With more than 31 years of service, Franklin was appointed to the seven-member board at the time by Harris County Commissioners Court in 1986. Today, the board has nine members. The headquarters location for the system will now be known as the Elvin Franklin Jr. Administration Building. Harris Health is the public healthcare system in Harris County providing services through its network of 48 clinic, health center, specialty facility and hospital locations.
“Mr. Franklin’s dedication to Harris Health through his long years of service on the Board of Trustees should be commended and lauded by the community,” says Anne Clutterbuck, chair, Harris Health System Board of Trustees. “Trustees wanted to recognize his years of service and invaluable insight into making Harris Health among the best safety-net healthcare providers in the country. Mr. Franklin is a true visionary and naming Harris Health’s administration building in his honor is appropriate and fitting.”
The administration building houses a variety of support functions for the system and hosts the monthly meetings for the board of trustees. Harris Health has occupied its 110,000-square-foot building since 1992.
“I’m honored and humbled by this recognition,” Franklin says. “You commit to volunteer service to help Harris Health System, not because of the accolades you might receive, but for the services and care you are able to provide to the residents of Harris County.”
While on the board, Franklin has been instrumental in the system’s growth of outpatient services through health centers, clinics and specialty facilities, and the expansion of acute and emergency care at Ben Taub and Lyndon B. Johnson hospitals.
“Mr. Franklin has been a dedicated stalwart supporter of our organization, always emphasizing Harris Health’s relationship with our patients and the staff that care for them,” says George V. Masi, president and CEO, Harris Health System. “His contributions can be seen in every aspect of the services offered to our patients throughout our health system.”
Franklin also was a co-founder of the Harris County Hospital District Foundation, the 501(c) charitable organization that supports the patient care of Harris Health. He is the recipient of the David Allen Award for service to the Houston area YMCA and is the award namesake of the Northeast YMCA’s annual Elvin Franklin Community Award to recognize community leaders.
Franklin is retired from his insurance agency and is a graduate of Grambling State University and graduate studies at Mississippi State University. He is an active member of St. Gregory the Great Parish and is married to Ann, his wife of 52 years, has two grown children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Other trustees on the board are vice chair, Dr. Kimberly Monday; secretary, Daisy Stiner; and members Brandon Capetillo, Carol Graebner, Lawrence D. Finder, Dr. Ewan Johnson, PhD and Carolyn Truesdell.
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