Paul M. Bass Symposium: Meeting the Challenges of Neurosurgical Innovation

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Location

UT Southwestern Medical Center–North Campus
T. Boone Pickens Biomedical Building
6001 Forest Park Road
Dallas, Texas 75390

Paul M. Bass, Jr.

When Paul M. Bass, Jr. died in March 2010, he left behind a wide circle of friends. Among those were legendary philanthropists Annette and Harold Simmons. To honor his life, they donated $2 million to establish and endow the Paul M. Bass Center for Neurosurgical Innovation, which will be a component of the Harold and Annette Simmons Comprehensive Center for Research and Treatment in Brain and Neurological Disorders at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

As good friends, the Simmonses knew how much Mr. Bass valued the world-class neurosurgical care at UT Southwestern. He was a beneficiary of that expertise in 1983 when he suffered a stroke and became a patient at Parkland Memorial Hospital. A young neurosurgeon there performed a bypass, restoring Mr. Bass’ speech and mobility. Mr. Bass credited Dr. Duke Samson, now chairman of neurological surgery at UT Southwestern, with saving his life.

Mr. Bass served for 13 years as chairman of the board of Southwestern Medical Foundation and spent three decades as a civic volunteer dedicated to improving health care for all Dallas residents. He was a former chairman of Zale Lipshy University Hospital, St. Paul University Hospital, and Parkland Memorial Hospital. He also served on the board of Children’s Medical Center Dallas. He received the prestigious Linz Award for volunteer service to Dallas in 2003. Apart from his numerous civic responsibilities, he was vice chairman of First Southwest Co., an investment-banking firm based in Dallas and served on the board of directors of First Southwest Asset Management Inc. He also served as director and member of the Audit Committee of Comp X International. In 2007 he was inducted into the Dallas Chapter of the Texas Business Hall of Fame.