Mary and Ross Whipple of Arkadelphia have given $1.5 million to Arkansas Children’s Hospital to endow a chair devoted to pediatric research. The gift will be matched by the hospital’s foundation.
Whipple was chair of Summit Bancorp when it was sold last year to Bank of the Ozarks in a $216 million deal. Whipple has since sold millions of dollars worth of Bank of the Ozarks stock. He is also chair of the Ross Foundation.
When the gift was first mentioned by the hospital a month ago, it was described as the first research chair at the hospital. The gift was made in honor of Dr. Richard F. Jacobs, who ended 10 years as president of the Children’s Research Institute in June.
The new chair’s focuses will include hematology/oncology, endocrinology, immunology, neurology, and infectious diseases.