Jim Leonard to Receive AHA Justin Ford Kimball Innovators Award

WASHINGTON (April 30, 2025) — The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced that the 2025 Justin Ford Kimball Innovators Award will be awarded to Jim Leonard, MD, president and CEO of Carle Health in Urbana, Ill. The award recognizes Leonard for his innovative approach to health care delivery that improves access and coordination of care. Leonard will receive the award during a ceremony on May 5 at the AHA Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C.

During his 25 years as president and CEO of Carle Health, Leonard has grown Carle into an integrated health care system that includes eight award-winning hospitals, numerous outpatient clinics and other sites of care, a multispecialty physician group, a research institute and the first engineering-based medical school — the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. He also led the advancement of diagnostic and treatment options with the opening of the Mills Breast Cancer Institute and the Digestive Health Institute at Carle Foundation Hospital, and the establishment of the Carle Illinois Advanced Imaging Center with its 7 Tesla MRI scanner for both clinical and research use.  

“Known as a grounded and visionary leader with a deep commitment to innovation, community service and patient-centered care, Jim brings his background as a family physician to his leadership at Carle Health,” said Rick Pollack, AHA president and CEO. “Under Jim’s leadership, Carle created the world’s first engineering-based medical school, weaving innovation and entrepreneurship into its medical training curriculum and helping graduates build the unique skillsets needed to address the health care challenges of the future.”  

In addition to his service on the AHA Board and as chair of an AHA Regional Policy Board, Leonard has been an instrumental member of AHA’s Committee on Health Care Strategy & Innovation. He also served on the AHA’s Committee on Nominations, Strategic Leadership Group on Provider-Led Health Plans, Advisory Group on Hospitals Against Violence, chaired the Dick Davidson Quality Milestone Award Committee and served on multiple other AHA task forces, advisory groups and committees. 

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About the AHA

The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 43,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at www.aha.org.