Newton Resident Carlos Garcia, Chief of Staff, Sovereign Bank, Attended Ceremony to Announce $1m Partnership with MGH

 Carlos Garcia of Newton, Chief of Staff, Sovereign Bank,  recently attended the signing ceremony between Sovereign Bank and Mass. General Hospital.  On April 3, Sovereign Bank, N.A., a division of Santander Holdings USA, formalized its first relationship with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a leading teaching hospital, committing over $1,000,000 over the next five years supporting cancer research and care. The agreement was signed by Jorge Moran, Santander US Country Head and Sovereign Bank President and CEO, and Dr. Peter Slavin, President of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).

 “Sovereign Bank will contribute to the MGH Cancer Center through a variety of initiatives including the MGH Cancer Center Fellowship. This program provides opportunities for fellows to conduct research in laboratories at MGH, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University. The gift agreement establishes the Sovereign/Santander Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program Fund for the MGH Cancer Center. This fund supports the expenses associated with fellows conducting research in the laboratories at MGH, MIT and Harvard during the research component of their programs, ultimately extending the length and breadth of their research.

 Funding for both the MGH Cancer Center fellowships and Friends of the MGH Cancer Center is provided through the US arm of Santander Universities program. The Santander Universities was established in 1996 and is the primary corporate giving focus of Santander.  Through local affiliates such as Sovereign Bank, Santander Universities has forged long-term partnerships with more than 1,040 universities in 20 countries. Last year, the program supported more than 4,500 new projects, and 37,712 scholarships. Santander Universities US was introduced in the United States in 2009 through Sovereign Bank and now includes agreements with 26 universities and colleges. In 2012, the US program funded over 950 scholarships totaling over $8.5 million.

 Photo taken at MGH ceremony, with credit to Mass. General Hospital.

 From left to right:

 David Ryan, MD, Chief of Hematology/Oncology

Eduardo Garrido, US Director of Santander Universities

Peter Slavin, MD, Pres. Of Mas. General Hospital

Kathy Klingler, Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Corporate Communications, Sovereign Bank

Carlos Garcia, Chief of Staff, Sovereign Bank

Tyler Jacks, PhD Director, Koch Institute for Integrative Research, MIT

Cathy Minehan, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Mass. General Hospital

Nancy Tarbell, MD, Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs, Harvard Medical School

Jorge Moran, Santander US Country Head and Sovereign Bank President and CEO

Daniel Haber, MD, PhD, Director of Mass General Cancer Center