Ernest and Evelyn Rady committed $75 million to hospital tower
SAN DIEGO – Doctors, donors and community leaders gathered Nov. 11 for the unveiling of building-top signage that identifies the Rady Tower as the newest hospital building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla campus.
Earlier this year, Scripps announced that philanthropists Ernest and Evelyn Rady committed $75 million toward Scripps La Jolla’s North Tower, which has been renamed the Rady Tower in their honor. The eight-floor facility opened for patient care in June 2025.
“Supporting the delivery of healthcare in the San Diego community has always been a priority for our family,” Ernest Rady said. “The physicians, nurses and employees at Scripps have a long history of providing medical services that are recognized among the best in the nation. We are proud to help extend that legacy of cutting-edge care for decades to come.”
The Radys have long been among the region’s significant philanthropists and business leaders, and their ties to medicine go back to Ernest Rady’s physician father, who was a noted obstetrician/gynecologist. As a visionary entrepreneur, Ernest Rady found business success in insurance, financial services and real estate. Through the Rady Foundation, the couple has supported a wide range of organizations and endeavors around San Diego County that have greatly benefited the community.
“We are immensely grateful to Ernest and Evelyn Rady for their tremendous generosity and commitment to our community,” said Scripps Health President and CEO Chris Van Gorder. “Their gift carries forward the spirit of philanthropy established by Ellen Browning Scrippsmore than a century ago when she founded Scripps Memorial Hospital and Scripps Metabolic Clinic.”
The Rady Tower features comprehensive mother-baby services, advanced technology operating rooms and spacious private patient rooms designed for premier care, in an environment specifically designed to provide a healing and personalized patient experience while fostering greater efficiency among staff members and employees. The design was driven by evidence-based principles and shaped with input from physicians, nurses, leadership, architects and support staff who provided guidance on best practices for patient care.
Today’s special event also gave guests their first look at a new donor recognition wall near the Rady Tower’s entrance to honor the hundreds of additional donors who helped make the facility possible. The donor wall acknowledges contributions from individuals, hospital staff and corporate partners that collectively total nearly $110 million. These gifts have supported various areas of the Rady Tower, including the cafeteria, operating suites, nurses’ stations, family waiting areas, private patient rooms and more.
“Philanthropic gifts from the entire community enable Scripps to deliver world-class care to our patients,” said John Engle, Scripps corporate vice president and chief development officer. “It is critical that our hospitals grow to meet the needs of our communities, and the many generous donations we’ve received will ensure that continues well into the future.”
As the latest addition to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, the Rady Tower is part of a visionary 25-year master plan, unveiled in 2010, that has transformed the campus into the region’s premier medical center. Future plans for the campus include building a new medical office building and a third new hospital tower, which will create an expanded regional medical center campus. Earlier additions included the neighboring Prebys Cardiovascular Institute tower, the Scripps Clinic John R. Anderson V Medical Pavilion, a centralized energy plant and a five-floor parking structure.
Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a nonprofit integrated healthcare delivery system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats more than 600,000 patients annually through the dedication of more than 3,500 affiliated physicians and nearly 18,000 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, more than 70 outpatient and specialty locations, and hundreds of affiliated physician offices throughout the region.
Recognized as a leader in disease and injury prevention, diagnosis and treatment, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research and is the only health system in the region with two level 1 trauma centers. With highly respected graduate medical education programs at all five hospital campuses, Scripps is a longstanding member of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Scripps has been ranked seven times as one of the nation’s best health care systems by Premier. Its hospitals are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s best, and Scripps is recognized by the Advisory Board, Fortune and Working Mother magazine as one of the best places in the nation to work. More information can be found at www.scripps.org.
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