Nearly 400 industry executives and supporters of City of Hope’s Hardware/Homebuilding Industry recently gathered at a gala dinner in Las Vegas to honor Bruce Merino of The Home Depot with The Spirit of Life® Award. The gala, associated golf tournament and gifts raised $530,000 for City of Hope.
 Bruce Merino (Photo by Jamey Kirklin, Christies Photographic Studios) |
The Jan. 19 event at the Venetian Resort and Casino was particularly meaningful and personal for Merino because he has been treated for type 2 diabetes at City of Hope for the past decade. At the dinner, he discussed how his experiences as a patient have changed his life in new, positive ways. His doctor, Fouad R. Kandeel, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism, has compassionately supported him, he noted.
Merino praised City of Hope’s clinical staff. “The doctors and nurses at City of Hope are incredible,” he said “They created an environment for the patients and the patient’s family that’s second-to-none and unbelievable.”
Before his retirement, Bruce Merino was senior vice president of merchandising and president of the Expo Design Center stores. He also previously served as president of The Home Depot West Coast Division and oversaw 440 stores in 13 states before moving to a corporate role in Atlanta.
He also chaired The Home Depot Foundation board. He was instrumental in helping City of Hope increase grants from the foundation totaling more than $2.3 million over eight years. In 2000, he joined City of Hope’s Hardware/Homebuilding Industry’s executive council and established an annual golf tournament in Southern California that has raised more than $2 million for medical research. He has also been active in philanthropic efforts with Habitat for Humanity and KaBOOM! playground builds.
“We are grateful for unique individuals like Bruce whose experience as a patient provides lifesaving treatments to other patients,” said Al Olsen, senior director of development for City of Hope’s Hardware/Homebuilding Industry. “His business colleagues, friends and family honored Bruce for his unselfish nature and heartfelt thoughtfulness in supporting important lifesaving work being done at City of Hope.”
Senior executives from The Home Depot, executives from other retailers and manufacturers, Merino’s wife, Marie, and his three daughters and their husbands attended the Spirit of Life gala.
