Greg Maczko, Ken Marlow
Most every family in America has been affected by heart disease.
The American Heart Association, celebrating 100 years of service, raises funds to help in areas of research as well as educational programs that teach heart health. This year the Middle Tennessee Heart Association is celebrating their 50th Annual Heart Gala at The Country Music Hall of Fame. The Chairs for this this year’s Heart Gala, Ken Marlow and Greg Maczko, both of whom are attorneys in healthcare-related industries, shared their thoughts on the upcoming gala set for February 17. (heart.org)
Nashville Lifestyles: What made you want to chair the Heart Gala this year?
Greg Maczko: Ken, unfortunately, like many families, has had a number of family members who have suffered with heart disease, including his father. He also recently lost a relative that was Ken’s same age due to heart issues. This, coupled with Ken’s role on the Executive Leadership Team working alongside some of the strongest leaders in the community, made it natural to want to do more for the members of our community. We both have been inspired to become more involved with the mission of the Heart Gala given these connections. As icing on the cake, it always has been one of our favorite events of the year to attend.
NL: How are the funds raised utilized and how much has been raised over the years?
Ken Marlow: Funds raised are spent on the life-saving mission. One of the primary allocations of dollars is to research.The American Heart Association funds more heart disease research than any other organization except the federal government. We also fund our quality improvement guidelines, policy and advocacy work, and local community impact, including sustainable change policies, programs, and education.
NL: Why do you think supporting the Middle Tennessee American Heart Association is important and why do you think it is vital to our community?
GM: The Middle Tennessee American Heart Association has been serving Middle Tennessee for five decades and has saved the lives of thousands and thousands of Middle Tennesseans. Despite the amazing work the Heart Association has accomplished, we still have a long way to go when it comes to improving heart health in Nashville, especially as it related to issues of health equity, which are central to our vision and purpose this year.
NL: What in your background most prepared to chair an event like this?
KM: In both of our jobs, we work on complex transactions that require great partners and individuals with different talents to come together to make the deal come together. In doing so, we really strive to bring people together to accomplish a common goal. It’s a daunting task chairing an event of this magnitude, but we have seen the incredible partners, from the volunteers to the management to the board. We could not imagine chairing the event if it weren’t for all the support of the organization.