[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8370]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. THOMAS FRIST

  Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I would like to congratulate Dr. Thomas 
F. Frist, Jr., a cofounder of HCA and its former chairman and CEO, on 
his induction into the Healthcare Hall of Fame. The Healthcare Hall of 
Fame honors individuals who bring a legacy of enthusiasm, vision, and 
perseverance to the healthcare industry. I cannot think of a more 
deserving recipient of this honor.
  Dr. Frist began his hospital administrative career shortly after his 
service as a military flight surgeon. In 1968, he founded HCA in 
Nashville, with his father, the late Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr., and the 
late Jack C. Massey. In 1977, Dr. Frist became president of HCA and 
subsequently became chairman, president and chief executive officer in 
1987. When HCA merged with Columbia in February 1994, Dr. Frist served 
as chairman of the board and later as Vice Chairman, following the 
company's April 1995 merger with HealthTrust Inc. Dr. Frist returned as 
chairman and CEO of the company in 1997. He was chairman and CEO until 
January 2001 and chairman until January 2002.
  Not only is Dr. Frist a great physician and hospital administrator, 
he is also a great benefactor to his hometown of Nashville. He served 
as vice president of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust from 
1995-1997. He was chairman of the board of Governors of the United Way 
of America in 1995, and founded the United Way's Alexis de Tocqueville 
Society. He was the 1999-2000 chair of the Nashville Area Chamber of 
Commerce. Currently, Dr. Frist is chairman of the board of The Frist 
Foundation and chairman of the board of the Frist Center for the Visual 
Arts. Dr. Frist also serves on the board of Montgomery Bell Academy in 
Nashville and is chairman of the Nashville Healthcare Council's 2002-
2003 board of directors.
  Dr. Frist is also the brother of our own majority leader, Dr. Bill 
Frist, a leader on healthcare issues in the Senate. Dr. Frist's father, 
the late Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr., was also a member of the Healthcare 
Hall of Fame. Dr. Frist's induction makes them the first Hall of Fame 
father-son pair. All of us in Tennessee appreciate Dr. Frist's 
dedication and great work in the healthcare industry, and I would like 
to congratulate him today on this great honor.

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