Jay Weiss

The Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity is a fitting tribute to a man who was known in the Miami community and beyond as a champion of the poor and those in need and as having a generosity that knew no bounds.

Often called the best friend of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital, Jay Weiss spent over two decades championing the cause of public health. He served in a variety of roles during that time including the University of Miami Board of Trustees, and Chairman of the Miami-Dade Public Health Trust, which oversees Jackson Memorial Hospital. Mr. Weiss also served eight years as the Chair of the board of governors of the University of Miami/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. He was a founding member of the Jackson Memorial Foundation and started the Mary Beth Weiss Research Center in memory of his wife, who died of lymphoma in 1977.

Mr. Weiss worked untiringly to ensure that the county’s poorest residents had access to quality medical care. In 1991, working closely with Jose Cancela and Mike Abrams, he spearheaded the campaign to pass a half-penny sales tax to support Jackson Memorial Hospital. The passage of the half-cent sales tax referendum on September 3, 1991 has provided a steady income for Miami-Dade’s only public hospital where access to world class health care is available to the citizens of Miami-Dade County, whether they be rich or poor – supporting Mr. Weiss’ belief in one standard of care for all.

Mr. Weiss raised more than $150 million for University of Miami, including millions in his own contributions. He was responsible for the fundraising effort to build the Ryder Trauma Center. The need behind this initiative was the radically increased demand for trauma services at Jackson. Leading the effort to raise the needed funds, he secured the key $2.5 million donation from then Ryder System Chairman, M. Anthony Burns. Mr. Weiss was then able to help raise other contributions that made the $28 million Ryder Trauma Center a reality. Today, Ryder is one of the busiest trauma centers in the nation.

Shunning the spotlight, Mr. Weiss refused honors and accolades preferring to help quietly and without fanfare. He was posthumously awarded the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Health Care Hero Lifetime Achievement Award. Both the Jackson Memorial Foundation and the Miller School of Medicine Medical Faculty Association have established Jay Weiss Humanitarian Awards in his honor for those who have shown dedication to ending inequalities in health care. The Jackson Memorial Ambulatory Care Center is named in his memory, and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine erected a beautiful bronze fourteen foot statue in his memory. Perhaps the words carved on this statue capture best the spirit of Jay Weiss.

Humanitarian
Philanthropist
Champion of those in need
Untiringly committed
Generous to a fault

Mr. Weiss died on Saturday, January 31, 2004 after a short bout with lung cancer. He was 76. He is greatly missed by legions of people from all walks of life and his spirit lives on in the work of the Center named in his honor and memory.