PHOENIX (Sept. 18, 2026) – When the Phoenix Business Journal named its honorees across the healthcare community this week, something remarkable emerged in the Banner Health nominations: four finalists selected from a pool of more than 120 nominees, representing four entirely different arenas of care. Together, they tell the story of what a fully integrated nonprofit health system looks like in practice — not as a concept on paper, but as a living, breathing commitment to the communities Banner serves.
Banner Health is one of the nation's few health systems that brings together insurance, care delivery, academic research, and medical education under a single nonprofit mission. To have four individuals rise to the finalist level spanning clinical medicine, scientific discovery, community outreach, and volunteer service reflects every dimension of Banner's integration, and underscores why the model matters.
"These finalists are a powerful reminder of what healthcare heroism looks like in practice, right here in our community. Each of these individuals embodies the very heart of why we do this work,” said Lisa Mukavitz, vice president of service lines at Banner Health. “We are deeply honored to have heroes like these in our midst, and we are grateful to the Phoenix Business Journal for celebrating their exceptional contributions to the health and well-being of our community."
Banner Health received multiple finalist recognitions across different categories, reflecting the broad and deeply human dimensions of its healthcare excellence:
Lifetime Achievement: Eric M. Reiman, MD — Founding CEO at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Reiman, whose pioneering contributions to brain imaging, blood-based biomarker research, and neuroscience have fundamentally reshaped how the world understands Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Reiman launched an era of prevention research focused on detecting and stopping the disease before symptoms begin and is bringing the world closer to the first effective prevention therapies as soon as next year.
Physician: Rajeev Kathuria, MD — Chief of Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery, Banner Boswell Medical Center
With more than 32 years in cardiovascular surgery and over 14,000 surgical operations to his name, Dr. Rajeev Kathuria is one of the most experienced cardiac surgeons in the nation. Dr. Kathuria has built an enduring legacy of surgical excellence and clinical innovation in Arizona and beyond — earning the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' prestigious 3-STAR rating for seven consecutive years and recognition by Newsweek as one of the Top 15 Cardiac Surgeons in the nation in 2025.
Community Outreach: Myeisha Andrews — Clinical Administrative Director, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix
Myeisha Andrews oversees a broad portfolio, spanning medical oncology, infusion services, radiation oncology, medical imaging, surgical oncology, and The BIG Pink Bus mobile mammography program — with an unwavering focus on delivering high-quality, compassionate care and expanding access to breast cancer screening and treatment throughout the community.
Volunteer: Allan Jones — Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center & Banner Gateway Medical Center
Allan Jones, a cancer survivor himself, turned his own journey into a lifeline for others — showing up every Tuesday and Thursday at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center and Banner Gateway Medical Center with candy, snacks, puzzles, and notepads in hand, sitting with patients and families navigating their cancer journeys, sharing his story of hope, and reminding everyone in those halls that they are never alone.
The stories of Banner Health’s honorees reflect something greater than individual achievement. They reflect the soul of Banner Health and the communities it proudly serves: a daily commitment to showing up, going further, and putting people first. Banner Health congratulates each of this year's honorees. To learn more about Banner’s impact in the community, please visit bannerhealth.com/about.
About Banner Health
Banner Health's mission is to make health care easier, so life can be better. As one of the nation's largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, we are pioneering a sustainable care model that prioritizes prevention, manages chronic disease, and reduces health spending – succeeding when patients stay healthy, not when they get sick. We operate 33 hospitals and more than 400 sites across six states, delivering seamless care from primary to quaternary medicine, including health insurance, physician networks, world-renowned specialty services, and behavioral health. Accountable to the communities we serve, we reinvest every dollar into advancing care, research, and facilities, providing more than $1 billion each year in community benefit. Through our partnership with the University of Arizona, we drive clinical discoveries across more than 800 trials and train more than 1,300 residents and fellows annually. Headquartered in Arizona, we serve Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. Our hospitals are consistently ranked among Arizona's top-performing by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/about.
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