Martin Ploy has been a changemaker all his life. Early in his career in the home furnishings industry, he devoted himself to improving life for others. And with every effort, he has focused on one organization: City of Hope.
“I learned early that giving back was essential, so getting involved with City of Hope was something that was easy for me to do,” he says. “It’s something I believe in. And because I believe in it, I’ve been more successful in convincing other people to give of themselves to City of Hope, too.”
An Early Introduction
The past president of home furnishings company AICO, Ploy got his initial introduction to City of Hope through his first furniture company job with RB Furniture. Being ambitious and enthusiastic, he soon worked his way up through the ranks. The company president — an early recipient of The Spirit of Life® Award— noticed.
“The president of the company asked if I could accompany him on a tour of City of Hope. Both of my parents died rather young from cancer, so cancer has always been a part of my life,” Ploy says. “By the end of the tour, I had learned so much about City of Hope and its dedication to compassionate care and life-extending research. City of Hope quickly became a part of my life, and my involvement with the hospital has not waned.”
From that point, Ploy was on a lifelong journey with City of Hope. After his first tour, he spearheaded The Spirit of Life campaign for his company’s president. In 1980, he joined City of Hope’s International Home Furnishing Industry Chapter and served as chapter president from 1984-85. He even briefly held a position on the City of Hope board of directors. In 1989, he was honored as the Humanitarian of the Year by the Home Furnishings Chapter and received The Spirit of Life Award.
A Dedication to Giving
Over time, Ploy’s commitment to furthering City of Hope’s trailblazing work grew. His dedication turned personal in 2005, however, when he became a patient. Because of his faith in City of Hope, he viewed his illness as a temporary inconvenience and an opportunity to witness the hospital’s expertise firsthand.
“I became a patient when I least expected it. At that point, you have a lot of things go through your mind,” he says. “It became clear as I was going through a stem cell transplant that City of Hope isn’t just a hospital. It’s a research facility that looks for new treatments and protocols. It can manufacture its own drugs and medicines, leading to greater clinical trials. City of Hope is a unique place.”
Ploy’s wife, Mary Ann, is also a supportive advocate of City of Hope and has worked as a volunteer for many years. Later she became a patient, too. Their shared experiences made them even more committed to helping City of Hope.
His patient experience prompted Ploy to extend his involvement with City of Hope through AICO. Thanks to Ploy’s leadership, and support from AICO Founder and CEO Michael Amini who helped to establish the Michael Amini Transfusion Medicine Center at City of Hope, AICO’s contributions and volunteer efforts have ballooned through the years.
Today, AICO’s partnership with City of Hope is far-reaching, from organizing employee blood drives, to participating in the West Coast Golf & Tennis Tournament, to supporting the annual home furnishings industry The Spirit of Life Award gala in High Point, North Carolina.
Inspiring Others to Walk
A particular point of pride for Ploy and AICO employees is their annual effort to come together as a team to participate in City of Hope's Walk for Hope. Known as the AICO All-Stars, the team is captained by Ploy, and has grown in size from 12 people in their first Walk 13 years ago to 77 walkers at the last in-person Walk. The cumulative funds raised by the All-Stars of $430,000 make them one of the top contributing Walk teams. Ploy says the team is looking forward to being together again this year and is working toward even greater turnout.
“Being part of City of Hope has become our thing,” Ploy says. “City of Hope has a lot of ambitious goals and efforts. These are important to us in the home furnishings industry.”
More than four decades of leadership and support by Ploy were recognized in 2023 with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Home Furnishings Industry group. Addressing the audience at the group’s annual Spirit of Life event, City of Hope CEO Robert Stone thanked Ploy for his “unparalleled leadership and commitment.”
A Vision for the Future
City of Hope is a beacon of possibilities for countless patients and their families, Ploy says. The hospital is tireless in its efforts to unearth groundbreaking, innovative therapies that can change the course of so many lives.
“With City of Hope, I know the research will never stop. The cures will come,” he says. “The work may take time, but the brilliant minds working at City of Hope have already been able to do so much. It’s gratifying to watch the progress.”
But for City of Hope to achieve this goal continuously, it needs consistent support, he adds. That’s why Ploy is committed to making every individual or team experience with City of Hope a positive, uplifting one. Doing so is critical to securing the donations that enable the hospital to purchase advanced equipment or invest in leading-edge research protocols. It’s also vital to tell the stories when the hospital’s work leads to breakthroughs or unexpected improvements.
Ultimately, Ploy views himself as just one part of a vast effort to support City of Hope’s unyielding work to improve patient care and outcomes for cancer and diabetes.
“My efforts are like a little drop of rain that falls in the ocean. The ocean depends on all those drops,” he says. “I don’t have any expectations that what I do is going to make a difference to everyone. But I know what I do helps an awful lot of people. That’s one of my great joys. It’s the best reward there is.”