Mega Doctor News
The RGV Hispanic Chamber is featuring a “Coffee with the CEO” webinar monthly series so you can meet different CEO’s and learn about their industry. Also learn how they’re coping with the COVID situation and how they plan to proceed once the pandemic is over with. The first webinar will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 13th from 3pm to 4pm with Cynthia M. Sakulenzki, RGVHCC Pres/CEO being the Host. The Zoom webinar is free to the public and with time allowing, they may be able to answer the general public’s questions.
Speaking at the 1st Coffee with the CEO will be Dr. Carlos J. Cardenas, Chairman of the Board and Chief Administrative Officer for Doctors Hospital at Renaissance. Raised in McAllen, Texas, Dr. Carlos J. Cárdenas earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Austin College in Sherman, Texas. Dr. Cárdenas graduated from medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas, and completed his post-graduate training at Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas, in 1991. Dr. Cárdenas eventually made his way back to the Rio Grande Valley and co-founded what is today Renaissance Gastroenterology in 1992 where he currently practices.
Dr. Cárdenas was one of the original physicians who formed Day Surgery at Renaissance, LLC in 1997. He served as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Doctors Hospital at Renaissance from January 1through December 31, 2013. Under his tenure, Day Surgery at Renaissance grew from an outpatient facility into a 530-bed general acute care hospital with 17 facilities, now named Doctors Hospital at Renaissance (DHR) Health System. In its current state, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance provides an excess of $1 billion in economic benefit and employs over 4,700, and serves as the major teaching hospital for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine.
As CEO, Dr. Cárdenas built on the strengths of the existing leadership and those who have helped establish Doctors Hospital at Renaissance as the local healthcare provider of choice. He ensured the hospital’s medical and fiscal excellence by directing the company’s affairs while adhering to the organization’s mission to always put the healthcare needs of patients first.
Dr. Cárdenas plays lead guitar with The Renaissance Rockers, a local rock and roll band fronted by physicians, who always rock for a “cure or cause” in the community. The Renaissance Rockers have helped raised in excess of $2 million dollars for local charities.
In addition to his expansive role at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Dr. Cárdenas served as President of the Hidalgo–Starr Medical Society in 2001 and was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Texas Medical Association in 2005. In 2013, he was elected Chairman of the Board for the Texas Medical Association. He was awarded “Man of the Year” by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce in 2013. In 2016, he received The Distinguished Business Leader of the Year Award given by the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship of the University of the Texas Rio Grande Valley. The City of McAllen recognized Dr. Cárdenas for his commitment and involvement in the community with a proclamation in January 2017. During the same year, in May, he received his installation as Texas Medical Associations (TMA’s) 152nd President. In August of 2017, The State of Texas House of Representatives honored Dr. Cárdenas with a Resolution for his service as President of TMA. Dr. Cárdenas received the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award by the Boys Scouts of America in November 2017. He also received the Easter Seals Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2018. On May 31, 2019, Dr. Cardenas was honored and presented with the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) presented with the Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumnus Award at a ceremony in Galveston. The Ashbel Smith Award is the highest honor bestowed by the university’s School of Medicine Alumni Association.
Webinar information on Zoom is meeting ID -998-3263-6711 with the password 74 6274. For information on how to link into the Zoom webinar call the RGV Hispanic Chamber office at 928-0060.
