TRIBUTE TO DR. JOHN RAYMOND

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Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 82 (Thursday, May 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 82 (Thursday, May 14, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S2302-S2303] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO DR. JOHN RAYMOND Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. John Raymond, one of Wisconsin's most distinguished physicians, educators, researchers, and institutional leaders. Serving as president of the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) since 2010, Dr. Raymond will be stepping down as President and transitioning to a faculty role in June of 2026. The career of Dr. Raymond is marked by his exceptional commitment to public service and the well-being of not only Milwaukee, but the entire State of Wisconsin. For 16 years he has worked extensively with my office to ensure we create the best possible health legislation for our constituents, while deftly navigating numerous challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. A native of Akron, OH, Dr. Raymond graduated from Ohio State University in 1978 and earned his medical degree there in 1982. He began his career as a faculty member at the world-renowned Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Raymond later became the associate chief of staff of the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC, before moving into academic administration as vice president for academic affairs and provost of the Medical University of South Carolina. Eventually, Dr. Raymond came to Wisconsin, assuming his tenure as president of MCW in 2010. Dr. Raymond arrived at MCW with a mandate and a vision he articulated clearly in his installation address: ``Strength Through Collaboration.'' That phrase, far more than mere rhetoric, proved to be the guiding principle of 16 transformational years. Under his stewardship, MCW, Wisconsin's only private medical school, grew from a $798.4 million institution into a $1.61 billion enterprise, more than doubling its top-line revenue and reflecting the profound expansion of MCW's reach, capacity, and national stature. Today, in partnership with Froedtert Health, Children's Wisconsin, and the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, MCW contributes $5.82 billion annually in direct operational impact to [[Page S2303]] our Nation's economy. During his tenure, philanthropic support to MCW increased by 400 percent, research expenditures doubled, and patient visits tripled. These are metrics that speak not merely to institutional scale, but to the depth of public trust Dr. Raymond has cultivated. Among the most consequential contributions of Dr. Raymond's presidency has been his recognition that a great medical institution must serve all corners of the State it calls home. Wisconsin has long faced a serious and growing physician shortage, particularly in its rural communities. Dr. Raymond addressed this challenge head-on. Under his leadership, MCW established regional medical school campuses in Green Bay and central Wisconsin, extending access to world-class medical education beyond Milwaukee and into communities that had long been underserved. Additionally, in August 2017, MCW launched its School of Pharmacy, broadening the institution's scope and training the pharmacists who will serve Wisconsin patients for generations to come. Dr. Raymond's contributions to the Milwaukee community include the ThriveOn King collaboration, a partnership with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the Royal Capital Group. MCW built the ThriveOn King building to address social determinants of health and bring economic and social benefits to one of Milwaukee's most historic neighborhoods. The full weight of Dr. Raymond's character and leadership was perhaps most vividly demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Wisconsin, along with every other State, faced an unprecedented public health crisis. Dr. Raymond emerged as one of the State's most trusted and authoritative voices, providing regular briefings to area business executives and the public alike, communicating with clarity, calm, and scientific integrity at a time when both were desperately needed. His service during the pandemic earned him the Milwaukee Business Journal's recognition as Executive of the Year in 2020 and Health Care Leader of the Year in 2021. These awards reflect not only professional achievement but the public's genuine gratitude for steady, principled leadership in a time of crisis. Taken together, Dr. Raymond's accomplishments reflect a commitment to Wisconsin that has never been confined to the lecture hall or the laboratory. Rather, he has been a tireless champion of community engagement and health equity. As Dr. Raymond now transitions from the presidency of the Medical College of Wisconsin to a faculty position, we are reminded that the truest measure of an institution-builder is not the scale of what they construct, but the permanence of what they leave behind. Dr. Raymond leaves behind a stronger, more expansive, more equitable, and more deeply woven institution than the one he inherited. For all his contributions to the health of Wisconsin's communities, to the vitality of its medical workforce, and to the strength of its institutions, I wish to express my deepest gratitude and most sincere admiration for Dr. John R. Raymond. As a direct result of his service, the great State of Wisconsin has been made immeasurably better. ____________________

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