Houston Methodist

Jerold B. Katz has three small signs that sit prominently on his vast desk, all serving as beacons into the soul of the Jerold B. Katz has three small signs that sit prominently on his vast desk, all serving as beacons into the soul of the Houston businessman and philanthropist. One sign gives a clue into what drives and inspires the man. It reads... "Do It Now." Another speaks of a thoughtful individual who is guided by his ambition. The sign says, "Ask for It. And the third sign is proof of his focus on action and progress. It reads: "We Do the Impossible on a Regular Basis. "My father is a force of nature, says his son, Evan H. Katz. He is passionate and driven. He is like the sun behind a magnifying glass. His creativity leads and inspires us with the belief that we can do seemingly unimaginable things. It is this overwhelming belief that produces miracles. This inspiration led Mr. Katz and his family to make their most recent gift to Houston Methodist - a gift primed to advance the pursuit of life-changing discoveries in the laboratory that will lead to innovative treatments for some of our most critical health issues. The Jerold B. Katz family's $21 million commitment to Houston Methodist is the largest non-estate gift awarded in the institution's nearly 100-year history. It will provide the sustained resources needed to accelerate effective medical discoveries from the laboratory to the patients who need them. Jerold B. Katz had humble beginnings, growing up in the America of the 1930s and 1940s. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, he was a child of the Great Depression and his family struggled to make ends meet. Mr. Katz's youth was one of hardship and toil. He took on multiple jobs, first as a youth and into his early adulthood, to scrape together funds for his family. "I sold newspapers when I was 10 years old, says Mr. Katz, now 85. "I was so cold and so hungry. That feeling, that hunger, never left me. It drives me to this day." He saved enough to put himself through college and law school at ...Read More