News Release

American Heart Association honors two volunteers with top award

Grant and Award Announcement

American Heart Association

Dallas, June 26--Two individuals with many years of service and accomplishment with the American Heart Association were honored Saturday with Gold Heart Awards during the organization's annual Delegate Assembly.

The American Heart Association annually confers the Gold Heart Award " its highest honor " upon select individuals who have rendered "the most distinguished service" in advancing the objectives of the organization. Recipients are chosen primarily for their "continued and significant contributions" over time to the association and its programs.

Recipients of a 1999 Gold Heart Award were Edmond M. Hoffman, chairman of the board of Coca-Cola Bottling Group of the Southwest, Dallas, and Harold C. Strauss, M.D., professor and chairman of the department of physiology and biophysics at the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo.

An American Heart Association volunteer for more than 40 years, Hoffman was honored for his "profound influence" on the organization at the local, state and national levels.

In his early years with the Texas Affiliate, Hoffman challenged the association's chapter structure, which was eventually eliminated nationwide. He was a leader in the 1970s for relocating the American Heart Association's National Center from New York City to Dallas. In 1995 he increased the visibility of the association's Champions of Heart fund-raising program, now called Heart and Stroke Champions.

Strauss is internationally known for his work in arrhythmias, electrophysiology, pharmacology and molecular biology. As chairperson of the Council on Basic Research and in other influential research-related positions, he has "provided pivotal wisdom and insight at a time when the future of research support has been a major national concern." He co-chaired a task force to promote increased federal funding of biomedical research. In that role, he was active in Washington, D.C., in support of research.

Strauss began his involvement with the American Heart Association in the 1970s. The organization has honored him with the Scientific Councils' Distinguished Achievement Award and the Award for Meritorious Achievement. He has been a member of the American Heart Association Board of Directors and currently serves on the Committee on Scientific Councils.

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The American Heart Association spent about $312 million during fiscal year 1997-98 on research support, public and professional education, and community programs. With more than 4 million volunteers, it is the largest voluntary health organization fighting heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, which annually kill more than 959,000 Americans.



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