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SANFORD INTERNATIONAL BOARD

MEET THE BOARD

Members of the Sanford International Board are intrinsically involved in the guidance, direction, oversight and promotion of Sanford Health’s global efforts to improve the human condition. This group of influencers will determine the winner of the Sanford Lorraine Cross Award as a catalyst to medical innovation around the world.

MANNY OHOME

Chair

GARY HALL, JR.

Vice Chair

CINDY RARICK

Past Chair

MILES BEACOM

MICAH ABERSON

BERNARD LANGER

KIRK PENNEY

DAVID SHULKIN

ERIN FUJIMOTO

ERIN FUJIMOTO

MANNY OHONME

CHAIR

Emmanuel “Manny” Ohonme has achieved national and international recognition as a philanthropist, social entrepreneur, businessman, speaker and author. He is the founder and president of Samaritan’s Feet International, a global humanitarian organization working in more than 75 countries and 325 U.S. cities to provide shoes and help save underprivileged barefoot children from foot-borne illnesses and soil-transmitted parasites.

Ohonme is also president and CEO of Barefoot Legacies Group, a social entrepreneurial venture that combines for-profit and nonprofit interests through manufacturing of apparel and shoes, consulting services and development of leadership strategies.

He has delivered keynote speeches and motivational messages around the world for more than 10 years and recently published his first book, “Sole Purpose.”

GARY HALL, JR.

VICE CHAIR

In addition to being a three-time Olympic swimmer and winner of 10 medals, Gary Hall, Jr. has twice testified before Senate subcommittees on health care-related issues. He has proven himself as an entrepreneur, board member, patient advocate and consultant focused on board support, strategic alliance, marketing, clinical distribution, medical research and patient engagement. He also has experience in conceptualizing initiatives, mobilizing patient advocacy support and creating organizational partnerships.

As a type 1 diabetic, Hall has translated his athletic accomplishments into a platform to advance diabetes advocacy and has amassed an influential network of policymakers and nonprofit and health care industry leaders focused on diabetes, medical research, philanthropy, nutrition, sport, physical activity, sports medicine and sports science.

CINDY RARICK

PAST CHAIR

Cindy Rarick became a pro golfer in 1981, and just four years later qualified for the LPGA tour. Rarick went on to win five tournaments on the Tour, her first in 1987—the same year she won the Gatorade Most Improved Player Award. Her highest finish on the money list was 10th in 1990.

Rarick now plays on the LPGA Legends Tour. She has six credited holes-in-one and one Legends Tour victory. In addition to golfing around the country, Rarick is co-owner of Silvara Vineyards in Leavenworth, WA. The successful winery is located on a five-acre estate on a gentle hillside surrounded by the Cascade Mountains.

MILES BEACOM

Miles Beacom has served as president and CEO of PREMIER Bankcard since 1992. Under his leadership, PREMIER Bankcard has grown to serve more than 2.8 million customers nationwide, making the company the 12th largest issuer of MasterCard credit cards in the country.

With more than 30 years of credit card industry experience, Beacom has served in a variety of management positions with other financial institutions. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for PREMIER Bankcard, LLC, First PREMIER Bank, United National Corporation, the South Dakota Hall of Fame, ReliaMax, the Catholic Diocese for Eastern South Dakota, Lam Radio, the Eastbank Board of Directors (Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation), the Dakota State University Foundation, and the USD Beacom School of Business Advisory Board.

Beacom is recognized as a visionary in the business world and a strong role model for his dedication to community service and generous philanthropy.
Micah Aberson

MICAH ABERSON

Sanford Health Executive Vice President Micah Aberson, executive vice president, is a senior member of Sanford Health’s executive leadership team. He oversees the system’s planning and operations in health insurance, marketing, philanthropy, scientific research, global clinics, government affairs, sports and wellness, business development and strategic initiatives. Aberson works closely with the Sanford International Board as the organization’s global footprint continues to expand through new partnerships in different countries and bold initiatives like the Sanford Lorraine Cross Award. He also serves as the chair of the Sanford Frontiers Board and Sanford International PGA Tournament Champions Board. The Sioux Falls native joined Sanford Health in 2015 as executive vice president of the Sanford Health Foundation, where he directed fundraising, endowment management and special programs such as the Children’s Miracle Network. Aberson is a graduate of Augustana University and earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Sioux Falls. He and his wife, Jaclyn, have two daughters.

BERNHARD LANGER

Bernhard Langer is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and has 113 worldwide victories during his five-decade career, including two major championships. The Anhausen, Germany, native won the Masters in 1985 and 1993. He represented Europe on the Ryder Cup team 10 times and captained the team to victory in 2004.

Langer now plays on the PGA TOUR Champions, where he holds the record for most major victories with 11. He is second all-time in wins on the TOUR Champions circuit with 40. In 2018, he was honored as the recipient of the Payne Stewart Award. Langer and his wife, Vikki, have four children: Jackie, Stefan, Christina and Jason.

KIRK PENNEY

Kirk Penney was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and has been playing basketball and growing a fan base in a variety of international basketball leagues and communities ever since.

Penney started his career with the National Basketball League in New Zealand where he was named Rookie of the Year. He then accepted a scholarship to attend the University of Wisconsin, where he was twice named first-time All-Big Ten and won two Big Ten championships. He also earned honorable mention All-American and played in the 2000 Final Four.

Over his career Penney, has represented New Zealand at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games and the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Championships. He also played with the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA.

Today, he is back in New Zealand and recently signed a three-year contract with the New Zealand Breakers team in the Australian National Basketball League, returning to where his career began.

DAVID SHULKIN

DAVID SHULKIN

Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin, MD, serves as Sanford Health’s top administrator in innovation. As chief innovation officer, he is responsible for helping shape the organization’s clinical development and leading several initiatives to advance precision medicine, including genetics, stem cell therapies, immunotherapy and many others. Dr. Shulkin also serves as an ambassador for Sanford Health’s many domestic and international projects.

Prior to serving as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Dr. Shulkin was the leader of the largest integrated health system in the United States as the VA’s Under Secretary of Health. He also served in chief executive roles for the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Temple University Hospital and the Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital.

He earned his degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania and is a board-certified internist. He completed an internship at Yale University School of Medicine and a residency and fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Presbyterian Medical Center.
ERIN FUJIMOTO

ERIN FUJIMOTO

Erin Fujimoto is Co-Founder of the comfort-focused clothing brand, Tommy John. Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Erin studied finance at Arizona State University and began her career as a financial adviser at JP Morgan. While at J.P Morgan she built an e-commerce website selling natural wellness products, and was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. It was her enterprising spirit that inspired the founding of Tommy John with her now-husband Tom Patterson, in 2008. Together they've reimagined the fabric, fit, and function of men’s underwear and loungewear. In 2018, Fujimoto led the team in successfully introducing the brands first ever women’s collection. Today, Erin leads Tommy John’s women division, the brands fast growing division of business; as well as co-leads the overall company strategy, brand, and product vision. Under Erin’s leadership, Tommy John won ‘Brand of the Year’ at the Underfashion Club's 2020 Femmy Awards, the industry’s highest honorary event. Some of Erin’s additional passions include health and wellness, empowering female leaders and giving back to communities in need.