Dennis A. Hunt
Class of 1968
Died: California, April, 2007
THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT MOURNS PASSING OF VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS DENNIS A. HUNT
LOS ANGELES (April 25, 2007) – It is with great sadness that The California Endowment announces the passing of its Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs Dennis A. Hunt. He was killed Sunday, April 22, in an auto accident in which no other vehicles were involved. He was 60 years old. A memorial service for family, friends and past associates will be held at noon on Saturday, April 28, at St. Jude’s Catholic Church, 32032 West Lindero Canyon Road in Westlake Village, CA. A reception, hosted by his family at the Hyatt Westlake Plaza Hotel, 880 South Westlake Blvd., will immediately follow the service.
“Our hearts go out to Dennis’ family and friends during this difficult time. Dennis was not only a trusted colleague and great asset to the organization, but he was also our friend. Words cannot adequately express how much we shall miss his wit, humor, compassion and generosity of spirit. His invaluable contributions as a champion for the underserved communities throughout the state have touched many lives and we are all the better for having known him,” said Robert K. Ross, M.D., president and CEO of The California Endowment.
In lieu of flowers, his family has requested that donations be made to The Dennis A. Hunt Memorial Fund for Health Journalism in care of The California Community Foundation, 445 S. Figueroa St., Suite 3400, Los Angeles, CA 90071-1638 or The Arthritis Foundation*, Southern California Chapter, 4311 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 530, Los Angeles, CA 90010.
Among Dennis’ numerous legacies at The Endowment are the USC Annenberg/California Endowment Health Journalism Fellowship Program which he created to help journalists develop a greater understanding of the complex health and health-related issues impacting California, and the Communicating for Change curriculum for The Endowment’s Center for Healthy Communities Health ExChange Academy, which was designed to teach community-based organizations how to engage in media advocacy to more effectively address the systemic barriers to health for the state’s underserved communities. He also played an instrumental role in developing the foundation’s strategic efforts to expand health coverage for the uninsured, as well as the organization’s work to combat childhood obesity.
Throughout the span of his career, Dennis helped manage the communications and public affairs activities for an array of diverse organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control, California Business Roundtable, California HealthCare Foundation, California Center for Health Improvement, National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, and the California Foundation for Independent Living, among others.
He also has been a partner or held high-level positions with various international, national and statewide public relations/public affairs firms, including Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, Stoorza Ziegaus Metzger & Hunt, Hunt/Marmillion/Associates, and Deaver & Hannaford Inc.
The California Endowment, a private, statewide health foundation, was established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. The Endowment makes grants to organizations and institutions that directly benefit the health and well-being of the people of California. To date, The Endowment has awarded more than 8,900 grants across California totaling nearly $1.7 billion. For more information, visit The Endowment’s Web site at www.calendow.org.
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*For donations to The Arthritis Foundation, please write the name Dennis A. Hunt in the memo line of your check, and include a note with his name with your donation. All funds received by The Arthritis Foundation in the memory of Dennis will be credited to Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis research and programs.