Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC) officials and staff met May 29 with community members for the organization's 2014 annual meeting in the new location of their flagship Brown Elephant store at 3020 N. Lincoln Ave.
HBHC President/CEO David Munar discussed plans for the organization's 40th anniversary, which it celebrates this year, as well as an expansion of their main facility on Sheridan Road that they hope will allow HBHC to increase its patient capacity by 50 percent.
HBHC is beginning construction on an additional four examination rooms, which were funded primarily through state funds. Munar said that Illinois state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz was particularly instrumental in helping to secure the funding.
The construction is scheduled for completion in October, and Munar said that HBHC still needs to secure an additional $20,000 in order to fully furnish and equip the examination rooms. HBHC projects it will be able to provide about 8,000 new patient visits a year once the additional facilities were complete.
The organization currently sees about 13,000 patients and provides about 20,000 patient visits each year.
HBHC Board Chair Duke Alden also announced seven new board members for the upcoming year—all of whom, he noted, are patients. Those new members include Roger Fierro, Becky Rowland, Emily Sater-Murray, W. Robert Schultz III, Miguel Torres, Mario Treto and Oscar Zambrano.
Alden additionally discussed plans for the organization's 2014 celebration dance party, "Garden of Eve," which will be held Nov. 7.
Munar began his tenure following several tumultuous years for HBHC, as the organization contended with funding issues and leadership crises, as well as difficulties in managing its ARIS Health Services and Broadway Youth Center programs. In his remarks introducing Munar, Alden said, "We've endured our share of challenges and our organization is still standing—and standing strong." He added that Munar would be "a transforming leader and a true agent of change."
Munar noted that it was at HBHC that he was first diagnosed with HIV at age 24. "I was just as afraid and alone as many of our young clients," he said. "Joining the team at Howard Brown has made my life and my career come full-circle."
He broadly outlined a number of goals for the years ahead, adding that, at the heart of true equality for the LGBT community will be its members' ability to remain strong "in our physical health, mental health, vitality, longetivity and [securing] competent care."
At the end of program, Alden read a letter from Gov. Pat Quinn welcoming Munar to his new position.
Among those also speaking were Medical Director Magda Houlberg and Associate Director of Behavioral Health Services Kuanwu Lin, who discussed HBHC's history, and BYC Director Imani Rupert and Director of HIV/STI Prevention Daniel Pohl, who explained its departments and programs.
Group photo:
Back row from left to right:
Mario Treto (black suit)
Duke Alden (black suit, orange tie)
Emily Sater-Murray (purple hair)
Miguel Torres (Checkered Shirt)
Jeff Todd (Striped Shirt)
W. Robert Schultz (Gray brown suit)
Ryan Siemers (blue shirt, glasses)
Austin Duus (blue shirt, no glasses)
Middle Row from left to right:
David Ernesto Munar (gray suit)
Oscar Zambrano (black blazer)
Robert Fortney (Green Shirt)
Matt Nielson (Blue suit)
Marian Carrington (Black dress)
Frank Buttitta (Black Blazer)
Becky Rowland (Beige Dress)
Kneeling:
R. Bernard Mims (Black Suit)
Roger Fierro (Brownish Suit)
