Edward A. Eckenhoff
Edward A. Eckenhoff | |
|---|---|
Eckenhoff in 2007 | |
| Born | March 4, 1943 |
| Died | January 10, 2018 (aged 74) |
| Education | Transylvania University University of Kentucky Washington University School of Medicine |
| Known for | Founder of the National Rehabilitation Hospital |
Edward A. Eckenhoff was the founder and president of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, DC. He had previously been vice president and administrator of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Early life and education
Eckenhoff grew up in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.[1] After high school, he spent a year at the University of Munich before returning to the United States where he received a bachelor of science degree from Transylvania University in Kentucky in 1966.[2] He earned his master's degree in Education and Psychology from the University of Kentucky in 1968 before going on to earn another master's degree in Health Care Administration from the Washington University School of Medicine in 1972.[2]
Career
Eckenhoff became vice president of administration at the Rehabilitation of Chicago, where he worked from 1974 to 1982. In 1984, he left for Washington, D.C., to open a medical rehabilitation hospital in the area. He founded the National Rehabilitation Hospital, which opened in 1986.[3] Eckenhoff served as president and CEO of the hospital until his retirement in 2009.[1]
Eckenhoff worked with President George W. Bush on the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, officially signed into law in July 1990.[4] He was appointed to the Commission on the Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors in 2007.
He was one of the founding members of the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association.[5] In 2018, the Edward A. Eckenhoff Memorial Award was established.[5]
Awards and recognition
In 1988, Eckenhoff was awarded the Citation of a Layman for Distinguished Service, the highest honor bestowed on a non-physician by the American Medical Association. In 1989, Washingtonian magazine named Eckenhoff "Washingtonian of the Year."
Personal life
He married Judi in 1977. Eckenhoff passed away in Naples, Florida, on January 10, 2018, at the age of 74.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Changing Lives - Washingtonian". 2009-12-01. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ a b c "MEDSTAR NRH FOUNDER ED ECKENHOFF PASSES AWAY AT AGE 74 | MedStar Health". www.medstarhealth.org. Retrieved 2025-03-29.
- ^ HealthLeaders. "WASHINGTON, DC: NRH founder Eckenhoff to step down Oct. 1". www.healthleadersmedia.com. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
- ^ "Community deaths". The Washington Post. 2018-03-11. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ a b "Casa Colina CEO and President Honored for Exemplary Career in the Field of Medical Rehabilitation". Casa Colina Hospital & Centers for Healthcare. Retrieved 2025-05-05.
External links
- National Rehabilitation Hospital
- Transylvania University press release Author Stephen King tells Eckenhoff's story in "Tribute to Courage."