Texas Border Business
During the 84th Legislative report luncheon put together by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, Steve Ahlenius president and CEO had a lot of good things to say about one of the members of a local and very successful hospital and an example of community work. Steve said, “I want to take a moment to recognize Dr. Carlos Cardenas.” He continued, “At the chamber, we work with business startups probably between two and three dozen every year.”
He pointed out that if you work with a startup, basically, what they are wanting to do is to take an idea from their mind and bring it to the market place. Steve said, “Dr. Cardenas is one of those examples who took an idea, and brought it to the market place. If you look at the growth and success that Doctors Hospital at Renaissance has had over the last 15 years, it has been phenomenal.”
Dr. Cardenas attended the legislative report gathering at the Double Tree by Hilton hotel where Steve continued his comments. “Carlos, I remember when you first started you said, I have this idea. I have this vision. For every startup, there are twists, turns, ups and downs, roadblocks, and I can promise you Renaissance has experienced all of them, but it is a great example of the success story that we need to keep telling and making it a part of the fabric of our community.”
In addition, he said, “Because when they see a local professional like Dr. Carlos Cardenas who was educated here, grew up here, went off to school, and came back and what he’s done, that inspires other folks to take the risk and to go out there, and try new things. We are fortunate Carlos. Thank you for all that you do. We probably don’t applaud your risk taking as much as we should. He’s a great example of an entrepreneur.”
Dr. Cardenas was one of seven physicians who helped found Day Surgery at Renaissance, LLC, which is now Doctors Hospital at Renaissance.
Under his tenure as Chairman of the Board, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance has grown from an outpatient facility into a 506-bed general acute care hospital with 17 facilities. Doctors Hospital at Renaissance has provided in excess of $1 Billion dollars in community economic benefit over the past three years and employs an excess of 3,000 people.
As chairman, Cardenas’s role is to ensure the hospital’s medical and fiscal excellence by collectively directing the company’s affairs while adhering to the organization’s mission to always put the health needs of patients first.
He provides overall leadership in helping address key challenges and set policy relating to corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, and corporate ethics. Presently, DHR is one of the largest physician-owned facilities in the United States and offers some of the most comprehensive medical care on the U.S. Southern Border. TBB
