Just outside, patients and loved ones will sit in the beautifully appointed Lois Aschenbach Waiting Area. The naming acknowledges the transformational gift of $1 million that Conrad V. Aschenbach gave to Shady Grove Medical Center earlier this year in memory of his wife, Lois.
Conrad and his family have a long-standing relationship with Adventist HealthCare. They have frequently turned to Shady Grove Medical Center for care, including the birth of Conrad’s numerous great-grandchildren. The family also has generously supported the hospital with substantial gifts over the years.
The Aschenbachs have been well-respected leaders in the Montgomery County business community for decades. Today, Conrad continues as president of King Automotive Group. He and Lois also led the way in turning personal tragedy into a gift of healing for the community. In 1983, their son Robert died at age 29. In 1993, Conrad and Lois gave Shady Grove Medical Center a significant gift to help expand its Emergency department.
At the dedication ceremony for the expansion, Lois said she wanted her son’s love and God’s protection to be with everyone who came to the Emergency department. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a letter to the hospital marking the occasion, wrote: “It is wonderful to know that this expansion was made possible largely through the generosity and philanthropic gifts of community individuals.”
Giving is in the Aschenbach family’s DNA. In 2018, Conrad and Lois provided funding to the Robert V. Aschenbach Emergency Department for LifePak defibrillators. This critical equipment enables caregivers to provide lifesaving interventions to cardiac patients and monitor their progress.
Now, as Shady Grove’s Emergency department undergoes its latest expansion, Conrad is again stepping up. The construction of a six-story patient tower under way at the hospital will create more privacy for emergency patients and more efficiency for care teams. The tower also realigns critical care functions for faster times to diagnosis and treatment.
“Shady Grove Medical Center is beyond grateful for the extraordinary generosity of the Aschenbach family,” said Daniel Cochran, president of Shady Grove Medical Center. “This gift will ensure that Montgomery County residents have access to exceptional care in an environment designed to accelerate the healing process and promote health and well-being.”
“The Aschenbach family has enjoyed considerable success over the years,” a family spokesperson said. “It’s a privilege to give back to the community that has given us so much and to help ensure the Gaithersburg area continues to have the highest quality healthcare through the services provided by Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center.”
Learn how your gifts make a difference to Adventist HealthCare. Visit our website.
