The Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Health Foundation is proud to welcome Chace Unruh, DC, as a new member to its 2011 Board of Directors.

Dr. Unruh, who accepted Foundation Board membership on the advice of a colleague, is getting the word out to the community about the great strides the hospital has made and continues to make in our growing community. He wants to help expand the hospital’s positive reputation in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“I had wanted to get involved in the community and Henry Mayo is a community hospital,” Dr. Unruh said. “I will live here the rest of my life and I feel a responsibility to be involved to help educate the community as to how great this hospital is. It’s obvious that hospital leadership has made the right decisions and attracted the right kind of people here.”

A native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Dr. Unruh, lives in Santa Clarita with his wife Cassidy and their children, Jackson, 6, Truman, 4, and Monroe, 10 months. He is director of the Unruh Spine Center in Newhall, a six-member practice, which he founded 12 years ago.

Henry Mayo’s new NICU will keep many families closer to home. Dr. Unruh praised the Board for its philanthropic efforts in helping to make the NICU, which is scheduled for completion later this year, a reality.

“Having a NICU here will help the community dramatically,” he said. “I hear all the time from patients that they are delivering their babies over the hill. Soon they won’t have to. I believe that once our NICU is up and running, we’ll see a 20 to 30 percent increase in deliveries. Right now, I’m trying to focus on helping as much as I can, raising funds for the NICU and other hospital expansion projects.”

“I’m excited to be a part this effort and I really look forward to getting to know the other board members and their roles,” he said.

When he isn’t with his patients, Dr. Unruh spends his time with his children who are his number one priority. He also enjoys participating in all types of sports including basketball, running, hiking, snowboarding and skiing.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Unruh on our Board of Directors” said Diana Vose, president of the Foundation. “His personal commitment to the community and to the hospital is of great value to our Board, our patients and our community.

“Board members serve as ambassadors for Henry Mayo. Their leadership provides immense value in opening new doors and sharing the good news about Henry Mayo’s plans for state-of-the-art healthcare services that benefit the Santa Clarita Valley community and beyond.”