Noting his "20/20 vision for giving,"
the WCCF honored E. Ronald Salvitti, M.D. as the 2001 Philanthropist of the
Year, during the Foundation's annual banquet in November. As a lasting
tribute to, and in appreciation of Dr. Salvitti's tremendous philanthropy, the
Salvitti Family Fund has been created at the Foundation by the Board of
Trustees. Annually, Dr. Salvitti and his family will consider charitable
causes to support from the fund.
Dr. Salvitti, the founder and medical director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Eye Center, has a distinguished career in medicine that has spanned some 35 years. A 1959 graduate of Washington & Jefferson College, Dr. Salvitti completed his medical degree in 1963 at Temple University School of Medicine and his internship at The Washington Hospital in 1964.
In 1970, Dr. Salvitti made the decision to change his focus from family practice to ophthalmology. He completed his residency program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, serving as Chief Resident at the Eye & Ear Hospital from 1972 through 1973. Dr. Salvitti's contributions in the field ophthalmology have been recognized by his peers and by professional organizations.
An active leader in our community, Dr. Salvitti is a member of several organizations' boards of directors, including The Washington Hospital Foundation and the Temple University Medical Alumni Association. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Washington & Jefferson College and is founding member of the Malcolm Parcell Foundation Board of Directors.
In 1993 he was elected to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame for basketball. He was honored by Washington & Jefferson College as a 1998 recipient of the Maurice C. Waltersdorf Award for Innovative Leadership. In 1999 he was honored by the Italian Heritage Society of America for his contributions to medicine. Again in 1999 he was selected as Washington & Jefferson's Entrepreneur of the Year.
In 1994 he established the Salvitti Family Foundation for the purpose of supporting education and science projects along with local community charities. Among the many local charities that have benefited are the Bentleyville Library, Brownson House, Citizens Library, LeMoyne Center, Washington County Food Bank, Washington City Mission, Washington Women's Shelter, and The Watchful Shepherd.
He also established the E. Ronald Salvitti, M.D. Endowed Medical Scholarship Fund at Temple University. The mission of this scholarship fund is to assist needy medical students whose homes originate in Washington County, and to give back to the school that helped him realize his own dreams.
Click here for a list of the grants awarded from this fund.