BARB AND TOM HEBEL

The late actress Audrey Hepburn once said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” By all measures Barb and Tom Hebel are true believers, having dedicated their professional and personal lives to improving the health and beauty of the Doylestown community. In their respective roles as Vice President for Human Resources at Doylestown Health and President of Bucks Country Gardens, Barb and Tom share a remarkable commitment to the people and community around them.

“From a young age,” shared Barb, “we were brought up to give back. Our parents were tremendous examples for us. My father and mother worked incredibly hard and were generous in giving to others, even when they struggled to make ends meet.” Tom says one of the most valuable lessons he learned from his father, a pastor, was “just how important it is to support and be involved in your community. It’s my pleasure and privilege to connect with people through volunteering for Bucks Beautiful, the Chamber of Commerce, and at our church.”

It is a shared passion for business, gardening, and people that Tom says creates “opportunities to connect with so many folks in our community—our customers at Bucks Country Gardens, landscape design clients, and organizations that make a difference, like Doylestown Health.”

Of the Hebel family’s many connections to Doylestown Health, Tom recalls that one of the earliest partnerships was with Bucks Country Gardens as a sponsor and landscape designer of the Bucks County Designer House and Gardens. Held each year by the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown (VIA), proceeds benefit Doylestown Hospital and the VIA’s other community initiatives.

Barb joined the staff of Doylestown Health in 2000 as a recruiter in Human Resources. Now as Vice President, Barb oversees the daily operations of Human Resources, as well as several other departments, including Education, Volunteer Services, and Pastoral Care, to name a few. Barb and Tom “share admiration for the mission of the VIA and what the women of the VIA started,” says Barb.

“The Hebels are part of Doylestown Health’s immediate and extended family,” says Jim Brexler, President and CEO of Doylestown Health. “Barb and Tom are committed to the health of Doylestown, and they help us raise the bar in cultivating a healthy community. There’s not an event here or in the community that they are not involved in through Bucks Country Gardens or through the gifts of their time and leadership.”

As part of their commitment to the future of Doylestown Health, Barb and Tom continue to build on their philanthropic support. “They go above and beyond to support us,” says Laura Wortman, Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “Over the years, Barb and Tom have witnessed the tremendous progress we’ve made. Now they are demonstrating their faith in our future with their recent outright gift and their legacy commitment to support the priorities of ONE VISION: The Campaign for Doylestown Health.”

When the Hebels look to the future, they are even more committed to remaining a part of the Doylestown community. “We want to stay in the place we love,” says Barb. “You don’t have to leave—you can get exceptional healthcare right here. What makes Doylestown Health so unique is that the spirit of the VIA continues to guide us. We are progressive and innovative yet we have the most caring physicians and associates,” she continues. “I encountered that in my own patient experience; my children did as well and so has my mother at Pine Run Retirement Community. We provide a tremendous continuum of care.”

“We have been blessed in our lives,” adds Tom. “Investing in the future of Doylestown Health means that it will be here tomorrow, and even stronger for the next generation of our family and families in our community.”

About Doylestown Health Foundation

As the philanthropic arm of Doylestown Health, the Doylestown Health Foundation raises funds to safeguard the future of excellence in patient care and improves the quality of life for all members of our Central Bucks County community and beyond.

Join us and make a gift today. For more information about Doylestown Health Foundation and giving opportunities at Doylestown Health, please call 215.345.2009 or email gifts@dh.org. Thank you.

Article appears in the 2019 Philanthropy Report