Monday, Jun. 29, 2009

Rantin: Tenenbaum to lead hospital foundation

Retired businessman and philanthropist Samuel Tenenbaum has been named president of the Palmetto Health Foundation.

Tenenbaum replaces Cary Smith, who has led the foundation since 2005.

Palmetto Health Foundation promotes awareness of the hospital system’s programs and services.

“Sam will be a unique and extremely valuable asset as we endeavor to secure financial support for the critical work done by Palmetto Health,” said Chuck Garnett, chairman of the Palmetto Health Foundation board, in a news release.

Tenenbaum’s interest in health care and medicine began when he was a pre-med student at Emory University. He said working for the foundation will present both a challenge and an opportunity.

“Leading Palmetto Health Foundation will give me a great opportunity to move the organization forward through tough economic times and a changing health care industry,” he said.

According to the news release, Tenenbaum, a Savannah native, has lived in Columbia since 1969. He served many years as vice president of Chatham Steel Corp., a Columbia company founded by his grandfather in 1915.

Since his retirement he has been involved in numerous charitable and philanthropic efforts.

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he assisted students from White Knoll Middle School in raising nearly $540,000 to buy a firetruck for Brooklyn Company 101 in New York.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Tenenbaum coordinated the Midlands’ relief operations for evacuees from New Orleans.

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Lower Richland High School twins Michael and Matthew Brown have proven again that two brains are better than one.

The two were among 30 minority students in South Carolina and North Carolina chosen to participate in the Wachovia Business Camp at the University of South Carolina last week.

According to a news release, more than 170 students applied for the scholarship program, which is funded by the Wachovia Foundation.

The Moore School of Business program teaches rising high school seniors about business development and how to create a business plan for a new startup enterprise. The students stay on campus and attend college-level courses in accounting, management, finance, marketing and related subjects. The classes are taught by Moore School faculty members.

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