The Oregon Health & Science University board of directors has given a permanent name to the OHSU Hospital expansion project. The new patient care building on Marquam Hill will be known as the "Peter O. Kohler Pavilion."

"This honor is meant to acknowledge the tremendous contributions of Dr. Kohler to OHSU, and his instrumental role in charting our future," said Keith Thomson, OHSU board chairman.

OHSU policy requires that the board of directors must find unusually meritorious reasons to name one of the university's buildings after a living person.

"The innovations and spirit of service and excellence embodied in this new building are a reflection of Dr. Kohler's leadership, and it seems only fitting that it be named in his honor," Thomson said.

Thomson introduced the resolution, which was neither on the business agenda nor among prepared briefing materials, at a regularly scheduled board meeting.

"I had no idea. I was just hoping for a parking space," the clearly surprised Kohler joked.

Steve Stadum, OHSU chief administrative officer and secretary to the board, said, "I wasn't able to hear everyone's vote through the applause, so I am noting in the minutes that the resolution was adopted by acclamation."
 
Kohler became OHSU president July 1, 1988, and is one of the nation's longest-serving academic health center presidents.

Under his leadership, OHSU's workforce has doubled to become Portland's largest and the state's fourth largest with 11,500 employees. Patient care visits have increased from 245,000 annually in 1988, to 737,600 in 2004. Annual research award dollars have grown from $40.5 million in 1988 to $274 million in fiscal year 2005.

Kohler also has led a reinvigoration of OHSU's campuses. Facilities have been upgraded and 12 new buildings, including the Biomedical Research Building that recently opened on Marquam Hill, have been completed since 1988. A new west campus was added, including the Oregon National Primate Research Center and the Oregon Graduate Institute of Science & Technology, now home to the OGI School of Science & Engineering.

By fall 2006, three additional major expansion projects will be complete, including the Kohler Pavilion on Marquam Hill, the Center for Health & Healing at the South Waterfront and the Portland Aerial Tram connecting these two campuses.

Kohler plans to retire from his position as OHSU president by the end of 2006.

The first patients will occupy the Peter O. Kohler Pavilion on June 27 of this year. The 335,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art building will ultimately mean a net gain of 120 hospital beds, 12 new operating rooms, outpatient care space for the Center for Women's Health and the OHSU Cancer Institute's Center for Hematologic Malignancies, as well as a new Radiation Medicine suite. The building features terraced gardens, landscaped courtyards and easy access to walking trails and bike paths on Marquam Hill.

Visit http://www.ohsu.edu/kohlerpavilion for more information on the Peter O. Kohler Pavilion.