LMHS Announces 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Licking Memorial Health Systems (LMHS) is pleased to announce that Lou Reese is the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. She and her late husband, J. Gilbert (Gib) Reese, worked tirelessly to enhance the quality of life in Licking County, which includes supporting LMHS and its mission to improve the health of the community.
Together, Lou and Gib supported the construction of nearly every building and structure on the Newark campus, sponsored large-scale community events, such as the annual Independence Day Concert and Firework Display, and even called the community to action with a $10 million match to support the growth of scholarships for students attending COTC and OSU Newark. While Gib has received much of the recognition for the incredible growth and development of The Ohio State University at Newark (OSU Newark), campus leadership recognized that Gib was able to be a front-line leader, advocate, and supporter for the campus because of Lou’s loyalty, devotion, and support.
Lou continues to support the campus through the Newark Campus Development Fund and has spearheaded the development of COTC’s Italian Immersion Program, which to date has given nearly 100 COTC students and nearly 100 Italian students the life-changing opportunity to experience the culture, language, cuisine, and customs of a country halfway around the globe.
For Lou, commitment to education and support of youth in the community reaches beyond the Newark campus. She was instrumental in securing the building for the Boys & Girls Club of Newark, serving as the lead donor for both the renovation of the building, and contributing to an endowment to support the ongoing operations in perpetuity. Lou has also been an unparalleled patron of the arts in Licking County for more than 50 years. From supporting the performing arts to commissioning and placing millions of dollars of art around the county.
In the early 1990s, Lou and Gib were instrumental in the revitalization and reopening of Newark’s landmark Midland Theatre and created an endowment through the Gilbert Reese Family Foundation. Additionally, working with the Thomas J. Evans Foundation, Lou and Gib helped in the creation of over 40 miles of bicycle trails linking Licking County communities. They also donated funding for the operation of the Lou and Gib Reese Ice Arena in Newark.
In July 2007, Lou and Gib donated funds to build the Gib and Lou Reese Pavilion Fountain, located in front of Licking Memorial Hospital’s (LMH) surgical pavilion. The couple was honored as Founder Level donors – which denotes a Licking Memorial Health Foundation (LMHF) donation of $100,000 or more.
In memory of Gib and in appreciation for his care at LMH, Lou made another Founder Level gift in 2019 to support the physical therapy and wellness center facility at 1717 West Main Street, The Gib Reese Center for Physical Rehabilitation. Additionally, Lou is a multi-year Condor Sponsor for the Golf Gala, LMH’s largest annual fundraiser, and she has served as a member of TWIGS (Togetherness, Willingness, Imagination, Giving, Sharing), an LMH fundraising organization.
Lou demonstrated her commitment to arts beautification many years ago when she began purchasing life-size bronze sculptures as a gift to the community. Nearly 30 sculptures by prominent artists including Seward Johnson, Gary Lee Price, Carrie Gantt Quade, Glenna Goodacre, and Scott Rogers can be found around Newark and Licking County. At the shared campus of COTC and OSU Newark, Mrs. Reese’s collection of resplendent bronze benches that are part of Gary Lee Price’s “Great Contributors Series” inspires greatness and makes for a memorable campus experience for faculty, staff, students, and visitors alike.
“Through her incredible support, passion, and commitment to the arts in Licking County, Lou has elevated our sense of community to new heights,” LMHS President & CEO Rob Montagnese said. “Her investment in the arts has empowered others to find ways to celebrate her incredible legacy and instill a sense of pride in our residents.”
Most recently, Lou donated a sculpture to LMH in recognition of LMH’s dedication to improve the quality of life in Licking County. The newest addition to the striking assembly of sculptures throughout the county features four individuals who have each made a significant impact on the medical field.
Designed by Gary Lee Price, the sculpture features Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing; Louis Pasteur, French chemist, pharmacist, and microbiologist who discovered pasteurization; Virginia Apgar, best known for inventing the Apgar score, a method to quickly assess the health of a newborn immediately after birth; and Jonas Salk, American virologist and medical researcher who developed the first vaccine for polio. The medical icons are gathered around a board table. The empty chairs encourage visitors to sit with these great minds to learn more about and reflect upon their exceptional influence on the field of healthcare. The sculpture has been placed in the Main Lobby of the Hospital adjacent to the Donor Wall.
Through her leadership on both the Thomas J. Evans Foundation and The Gilbert Reese Family Foundation, Lou has played a critical role in countless community projects, often offering community challenges to encourage a broad range of public support. Other examples of projects include:
- Renovation of the historic Arcade in Downtown Newark
- Addition of turf fields at the Newark City Schools for baseball, softball, and the marching band
- Renovation of the Northridge Football Stadium
- Renovation of the Granville High School Football Stadium
- Funding and staff support for FRAMEWORK, a planning initiative created to align Licking County communities on a desired future
- Renovations to Mound City Little League fields
- Everett Park Renovations including a skatepark, community garden, dog park, picnic pavilion, and playground
- Renovation of the historic Louis Sullivan Building
- Restoration of the exterior of the historical Licking County Jail