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The Whitney-Harkness Society

Harkness and Whitney

Payne Whitney and Edward Harkness were pre-eminent philanthropists with a common dual mission: to build purposeful bridges between complementary institutions and to provide for the lasting growth and vitality of the alliances they ably forged. Through the present day and into the future, the Whitney-Harkness vision impels NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's success as a world leader in the field of medicine. The values of these two great men are perpetual within the institution, as evidenced by our commitment to the support of our clinical and research professionals, and of the facilities in which their life-giving endeavors are realized.

As these visionaries provided for the future of medicine, so do our supporters by way of their generosity in establishing a bequest or other planned gift to help build the Hospital's endowment or provide support for their area of interest or the work of a specific physician. In this way, they help fund the operating expenses of the Hospital or provide for future support for leading edge research and patient care in the area of their greatest concern.

The Whitney-Harkness Society was created to honor those who share in the humanistic values and philanthropic goals of these two prominent benefactors. Our donors serve as the present-day bearers of their timeless message. We take pride in the recognition we have earned from you. Your confidence inspires us to reach for ever-higher standards of excellence.

Membership

The Whitney-Harkness Society brings together an eminent group of medical staff and friends whose collective vision has found expression in a Charitable Gift Plan to help ensure the future of the Hospital. These gift plans, which include bequests, life income gifts, charitable lead trusts, retirement plans, remainder interests in a residence, and insurance policies, play a critical role in ensuring the Hospital's continued role as a world leader in the field of medicine.

There is no minimum donation required for membership in the Whitney-Harkness Society. You may choose to have your membership be anonymous.

Benefits of Membership

As a valued member of the Whitney-Harkness Society, you will receive:

• The personal gratification afforded by the knowledge that your generous gift plan contributes to the stability and progress of a world-class medical institution
• The possibility of lowered estate, income, and capital gains taxes
• The ability to provide increased income for yourself, a family member, and/or another person of your choosing, either immediately or at a designated point in the future
• Invitations to the Whitney-Harkness Society's annual recognition event as well as gift and estate planning seminars and health education seminars
• Publication (subject to your approval) of your name in The Whitney-Harkness Society listing in the Hospital's Annual Report and in other Hospital publications
• A customized certificate recognizing your benevolence and your membership in the Whitney-Harkness Society

Payne Whitney

Mr. Whitney, noted financier, philanthropist, and sportsman of the early twentieth century, descended from a long line of leaders in American government and industry. In 1924 he agreed to provide The Society of the New York Hospital with the land upon which the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center is located. This commitment cleared the way for the affiliation in 1927 between the Hospital and Cornell Medical College. Mr. Whitney did not live to see the final affiliation agreement, which he enabled by way of judicious Charitable Estate Planning. It was only after his death that the Medical Center's board of governors proclaimed, "Notable success seems now beginning to crown all his efforts." Thus, Payne Whitney's careful planning transformed his vision into a lasting legacy touching millions of lives.

Edward Harkness

The son of prominent philanthropists and himself the benefactor of multiple social welfare, cultural, and educational institutions, Edward S. Harkness together with his family donated the land comprising the current site of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center in 1922. They also provided the funds needed to erect the original Hospital building. Like Mr. Whitney, Mr. Harkness recognized the importance of affiliation with a top-tier medical school, and was a driving force in forging the relationship between Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Presbyterian Hospital. "Except for his persistence and continued generosity," said Robert deForest in 1921, "this vision would still have been only a vision. Except for him this Medical Center in New York would not have been."