It was with great sadness today that we learned of the passing of John Gavras, the DFW Hospital Council’s (DFWHC) former President/CEO. He was 84 years old.

John joined DFWHC in 1976. At the time, the organization was known as the Dallas Hospital Council, an institution dating back to 1948. In 1978 at a press conference at the Fort Worth Press Club, John and a panel of hospital CEOs announced that Tarrant County hospitals would now become members, officially changing the name to the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council. DFWHC would begin operating as a regional trade association representing hospitals across North Texas.

He would serve as Texas Speaker Gib Lewis’ representative on the State Commission for Emergency Communications, resulting in the 1989 legislation mandating statewide 9-1-1 emergency communications.

John was instrumental in building DFWHC’s Annual Awards Luncheon into a popular event, hiring internationally known keynote speakers to include Margaret Thatcher, General Norman Schwarzkopf, Buzz Aldrin, Newt Gingrich, General Colin Powell and Henry Kissinger. He also insisted the Chairs of the hospitals’ Boards of Trustees be introduced and honored during the luncheon for their service to healthcare.

During his DFWHC tenure, John would create GroupOne Background Screening Services in 1995 at the behest of hospital CEOs. He was also instrumental in the creation of the DFWHC Foundation and its Data Initiative in 1999.

John was born Jan. 14, 1941, to Chris and Erma Gavras in Henryetta, Oklahoma. Both of John’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Greece, thus the name of his column in DFWHC’s Interlocutor magazine, “The Greek’s Column.” He would marry his Henryetta High School sweetheart DiAnna Sherment in 1961. They were married for 64 years until DiAnna’s passing last year. John and DiAnna had two sons, Chris and Craig, and three grandchildren Peyton, Camryn and Kendyll.

John graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1962 and would serve in the U.S. Army Air Defense Command for two years. He would begin his hospital association career in 1970, serving three years as the Director of Finance at the Oklahoma Hospital Association, and three years as the Director of Memberships at the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) in Chicago.

An Oklahoma Sooners fan since childhood, John regularly attended the football games and was especially excited about traveling each year to the Dallas Cotton Bowl during the Texas State Fair to see the Sooners take on the UT Longhorns.

After 31 years at the helm, John would retire as DFWHC’s President/CEO in 2007, his last day on the job November 2 at the Annual Awards Luncheon. On that final afternoon after the luncheon ended, John grabbed DiAnna’s hand and they quietly left the Arlington Convention Center, much to the sadness of his long-time coworkers.

He was beloved, decent and was the light of any social gathering. He had a huge laugh and was loyal to his employees to a fault. Following retirement, John would send Christmas cards each year to long-time DFWHC workers to include a family portrait with his children and grandchildren. He would write, “Allow me to express my appreciation for all of your excellent work and efforts at DFWHC. Please know you are appreciated.”

He was an inspiration and he will be missed.