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Student Spotlight: Timothy Boynton, MBA Student, Named to the 40 Under 40 List of International Philanthropy Organization

By Keith Morelli

Timothy Boynton

TAMPA (August 23, 2019) -- Tim Boynton saves lives, though he’s not a doctor or a physician’s assistant or a registered nurse.

The ±«Óătv MBA student who is set to graduate in the spring is the vice president of development and chief public relations and communications officer at Lakeland Regional Health. Since his arrival there in 2013, the hospital’s foundation has raised more than $57 million to support various needs of the hospital. And by doing that, he has had a profound impact on the quality of the medical services offered at the hospital and affiliated health care centers and clinics.

He recently was named on the 40 Under 40 list of the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy, an international organization that specializes in fundraising for health care organizations, and he’s headed to Washington in October to receive the award. The organization’s 4,300 members represent more than 2,200 health care facilities around the world. They collectively raise more than $11 billion each year for community health services.

“These honorees are part of a select group of health care philanthropists who have demonstrated impressive career achievements, deep community involvement and the potential to be leaders in our profession for years to come,” said Association for Healthcare Philanthropy President and CEO Alice Ayers, in a news release announcing the award winners.

Raising millions and overseeing the strategic communication goals of Lakeland Regional Health takes up only part of Boynton’s life. Education plays an important part as well.

“I love the MBA program at ±«Óătv,” he said. “In fact, I am kind of sad that I am almost approaching my last semester. I wanted to get my MBA because it has always been a goal of mine to continue my education.

“I truly believe that the position I am currently in is because I have always set goals and have worked hard to achieve them,” he said. “This, to me, is no different. When I began looking at schools to obtain my MBA, ±«Óătv was the first one I visited. And the last.

“The campus had me sold, along with the incredible staff and integrity of the professors,” he said. “The business program here was like none of the others I looked at and I knew from the moment I stepped onto campus that it was here I would one day graduate.”

As chief public relations and communications officer, Boynton provides strategic direction for the organization’s media relations, advertising and marketing campaigns, internal and patient communications, brand management and marketing events. But mostly, his focus is on fundraising.

His fundraising capabilities in Lakeland benefits the health care services delivered at Lakeland Regional Health, an 850-bed hospital in which more than 220 primary and specialty physicians work.

“Since I’ve been here,” he said, “the foundation received its single largest gift, initiated a successful annual giving program and conducted a robust campaign that culminated in the opening of the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women & Children and the Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine, the region’s only inpatient physical rehabilitation center.”

His fundraising efforts also have resulted in the renovation of the Lakeland Regional Health’s Hollis Cancer Center.

Boynton said he was born to do this kind of work.

“I grew up with my family very involved with human services and the not-for-profit world,” he said. “My dad was CEO of a large non-profit organization and ever since I can remember, I would always be in awe of the development office. They were always doing the ‘cool’ things like telethons and walking events.

“In 2007, my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer and she lost her battle in 2009,” Boynton said. “It was then that I knew I needed to start the journey of health care philanthropy. I needed a career that allowed me to reflect back on being able to make a difference in the lives of people.”

Prior to joining Lakeland Regional Health, Boynton was the manager of development for the Maine Medical Center, where his fundraising efforts focused on the Maine Children’s Cancer Program at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland.

Before he began his career in philanthropy, Boynton hit the stage, working with composer Mark Schoenfeld on “Brooklyn: The Musical,” which ran for 284 performances on Broadway.

In the near future, Boynton plans to continue his work at Lakeland Regional Health.

“I love my job and I can’t imagine life without it,” he said. “Long term goals?  Hmm 
 although a nice break will be nice after graduation, I wouldn’t be opposed to a doctorate degree. I would love to one day teach students the culture of non-for-profit philanthropy.”

Away from class and work, Boynton and his partner, Alvin, do a lot of traveling and spending time with close friends and family.

“We both aspire to continue facilitating our own philanthropy to special organizations with which we are involved,” he said. “Even at home, after a long day of working in fund development, philanthropy and giving back is always so important to the both of us.”