In honor of former CEO Craig Leach’s 40 years of service to Torrance Memorial, Melanie and Richard Lundquist announced they will be making the lead gift to support the campaign to expand the emergency department. The Lundquists’ generous gift encompasses their request to rename the Melanie and Richard Lundquist Emergency Department to the Lundquist Leach Emergency Department. The decision for this renaming is to acknowledge Craig Leach and his legacy and provide meaningful, visible recognition for his outstanding leadership and his long-standing dedication to Torrance Memorial.

Once completed, the new two-story Lundquist Leach Emergency Department will offer more than 80 treatment spaces, a pandemic-ready waiting room with two separate patient areas and new consultation spaces. The facility will also have enhanced technology to increase efficiency and safety.

“Under Craig’s leadership, Torrance Memorial gained national recognition and has become a highly regarded regional medical center. The community will benefit from Craig’s excellent stewardship for generations,” says Richard Lundquist, who, along with his wife Melanie, are longtime supporters of Torrance Memorial. “It is only fitting such an important facility be renamed to celebrate his legacy.”

Leach joined Torrance Memorial in 1984 as director of finance and served as the hospital’s senior vice president of finance, later assuming the role of executive vice president and chief operating officer. Leach became president and CEO of the hospital in 2005.

“I am overwhelmed by this honor and its future promise of delivering exceptional emergency care to all of our patients,” he says. “I’m proud of the accomplishments we’ve achieved together, and I am confident what we’ve started will continue to build in our community for many years to come.”

Melanie and Richard Lundquist have developed a friendship of trust and respect with Leach over the years. All their gifts to Torrance Memorial have been unsolicited. “Because of Craig and his team, we have been able to realize the philanthropist’s dream of making a tremendous improvement in human lives,” says Melanie.

“Torrance Memorial has always been an important part of our community, and Melanie and Richard Lundquist are longtime supporters of health and education for the South Bay community and beyond,” says Leach.

On behalf of the Leach family and the Torrance Memorial family, we thank the Lundquists for their continued support and generosity.