Leaving a Lasting Legacy

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Alan T. Dickson was a co-founder of Ruddick Corporation, the former parent company of Harris
Teeter Supermarkets and other subsidiaries. When he passed away in 2012, he left a lasting impact on the state of North Carolina. He invested in the region he loved through his support of healthcare, the arts and education. That was especially true of his work as a founding member of the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation board, on which he served for more than 20 years. Now Dickson’s impact will be felt for generations to come, thanks to the creation of the Alan T. Dickson Conference and Education Center, which will support training, education and outreach for Novant Health’s doctors, nurses, residents and other clinical care team members — and serve as a place for patients, families and community members to meet with medical experts. The Alan T. Dickson Conference and Education Center is located in the Claudia W. and John M. Belk Heart & Vascular Institute and Agnes B. and Edward I. Weisiger Cancer Institute in uptown Charlotte and was made possible by a generous $2 million gift from The Dickson Foundation to the Novant Health Foundation.

This gift honors Alan Dickson’s legacy as the conference center becomes a catalyst for healthcare education in our community — and beyond

Stuart Dickson,
Alan’s brother and Chairman of The Dickson Foundation.

Within this new conference and education hub,
Novant Health will:
• Host quarterly community lecture series, engaging
national and international medical experts to share
medical innovations, research and trends with Novant
Health clinical teams and the community.
• Sponsor an annual seminar for leading cardiologists,
oncologists, primary care providers and nationally
renowned researchers on cardio-oncology issues.
• Convene prominent clinical leaders and policy
specialists at an annual health equity series for our
medical residency program clinical education.
• Provide collaborative space for tumor boards
to discuss treatment options for individual
cancer patients.
• Launch an Oncology Certification Scholarship &
Lecture Series to allow Novant Health team members
to refine skills and stay current with the latest
developments in their specialty. The series also will
promote clinical research and aid team members’
professional growth.