TCC Foundation Honors Jake Henry Jr.

The Tulsa Community College Foundation awarded Jake Henry Jr. as the 2014 Vision in Education Leadership Award recipient on Sept. 30 at the Renaissance Hotel.

Henry is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Saint Francis Health System, and he has served in this capacity since 2002. He has shown exemplary commitment to his community and profession throughout his life no matter what his current job title, which has ranged from roughneck—to U.S. Army helicopter medic—to healthcare administrator.

However, it is Henry’s contributions and commitment to education that set him apart to receive this prestigious award from the Tulsa Community College Foundation. Henry’s deep interest in education began early, even before his life’s work led him to Tulsa. In fact, his post graduate work was in higher education administration. As he noted in his Tulsa Regional Chamber inaugural address, he feels “leadership begins in the classroom, not in the boardroom.”

As has been Henry’s custom throughout his career, he dedicates part of his time and service to various community and philanthropic boards. He is the immediate past chair of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. He headed the 2006 Tulsa Area United Way Campaign and chaired the organization the following year. He was selected as “Man of the Year” for the American Diabetes Association and has assured Saint Francis’ significant financial support for the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer’s Association, Tulsa Community College, Oklahoma State University’s Center for Health Sciences, and the University of Oklahoma’s schools of medicine, nursing and medical professional assistants. He serves on the boards of Montereau Continuing Care Retirement Community, the Laureate Institute for Brain Research and The Children’s Hospital Foundation at Saint Francis. He has been named in the “Best of the Best” CEO category for the last several years by Oklahoma Magazine.

In addition to his community service, Henry chairs the Xavier Insurance Company, the system’s captive insurance company domiciled in Vermont. He is the chair of CommunityCare Managed Healthcare Plans of Oklahoma and is a member of the board of American Bank and Trust Company.

Professionally, Henry is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and received the Oklahoma Regent’s Award from that organization in 2011. He has served as a member of the American Hospital Association’s House of Delegates.

Henry has a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Tech University and a Master of Science in Health Care Administration from Trinity University. He and his wife, Kathy, have been married for 46 years. They have been blessed with two loving daughters, the late Christie Majors and Ami Carpenter and her husband Ray; and two granddaughters, Abigail and Caroline Carpenter.

The Vision in Education Leadership Dinner is the largest fundraiser of the year for the TCC Foundation. Proceeds benefit student scholarships, faculty and staff recognition awards, campus programs and community events.