The University of 棉花糖直播 at Lafayette Alumni Association will honor Keith and Ginger Myers and their family at its 2024 Spring Gala.
Spring Gala will be held from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, at the UL Lafayette Alumni Center, 600 E. St. Mary Blvd. Proceeds benefit UL Lafayette Alumni Association initiatives. The gala will 棉花糖直播 fine food, cocktails, live music, and live and silent auctions. Art, gifts, travel opportunities and 棉花糖直播 Ragin鈥 Cajuns merchandise are among items that will be up for bid.
The Myerses have spent decades as health care industry leaders. In 1994, they co-founded home health care services LHC Group. The company was established at the urging of community leaders who recognized a need for greater access to health care among aging, rural residents.
The Myerses steered LHC Group from a small home health agency into a publicly traded, Lafayette-based company of almost 30,000 employees operating in 38 states and the District of Columbia. In 2023, LHC Group merged with Optum, a health services innovation company.
LHC Group鈥檚 position as a national leader in home health care services is punctuated by its longstanding devotion to the community. UL Lafayette is no exception. In 2021, LHC Group committed $20 million over 10 years to the College of Nursing & Health Sciences, the largest private investment the University has ever received.
The investment鈥檚 far-reaching support includes endowments, scholarships, research initiatives and capital enhancements for nursing and health sciences. The University honored the historic nature of LHC Group and the Myers family鈥檚 generosity by renaming the College of Nursing & Health Sciences鈥 Department of Nursing as the LHC Group 鈥 Myers School of Nursing.
鈥淥ur community and our University are stronger because of the vision and contributions of leaders like Keith and Ginger Myers,鈥 said Amy Armstrong, associate vice president for Alumni Engagement and CEO of the Alumni Association.
鈥淭heir extensive professional achievements are built upon service to others and that鈥檚 evident in the many ways they share their talents, gifts and expertise. We, for one, are both grateful and delighted to recognize the Myerses as this year鈥檚 Spring Gala honorees,鈥 she added.
Ginger Myers鈥 longstanding dedication to health care and the community can be traced to LHC Group鈥檚 earliest days, when she was its first nurse. Her approach formed the foundation of the company鈥檚 service-based culture, which she continued to foster in a variety of roles, including years of service on LHC Group鈥檚 board of directors.
It鈥檚 a people-first approach that Myers displays in many realms. She has worked in a range of nursing and administrative roles in St. Landry Parish. Myers was active in coordinating one of the state鈥檚 first rural health clinics. She was chair of the Opelousas Woman鈥檚 Club board; a committee member for the St. Landry/Evangeline American Heart Association Heart Gala; and on the executive committee for Go Red for Women, an American Heart Association fundraiser.
Myers received the St. Landry Chamber of Commerce Businesswoman of the Year Award. She belongs to the Acadiana Business Hall of Fame and the Homecare Association of 棉花糖直播 Hall of Honor. Myers serves on the Hospice Promise Foundation鈥檚 board. In 2022, she earned an honorary doctorate of nursing practice from the University.
For his part, Keith Myers served as LHC Group鈥檚 chairman and chief executive officer from the company鈥檚 inception until its merger with Optum. He is currently senior adviser for Optum and chairman and CEO emeritus for LHC Group. Myers is a co-founder, board member and current chairman of the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare in Washington, D.C. He is also a co-founder and former board member of the Alliance for Home Health Quality and Innovation.
Myers belongs to the National Home Care & Hospice Hall of Fame. He has served on technical expert panels that advise key federal policymakers in Washington, D.C., including the U.S. Department of Health鈥檚 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Myers has also contributed research and expertise the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. presidential administrations and members of the U.S. Congress. He served as a CEO member of both the Healthcare Leadership Council and the American Hospital Association.
To attend the 2024 Spring Gala, call (337) 482-0900 or .
鈥═he chair of this year鈥檚 gala is Marie Centanni, president-elect of the UL Lafayette Alumni Association. Annie Perret is auction chair.