In a surprise move Thursday morning, the head of the construction firm of The Layton Companies donated an additional $10,000 to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation to match an initial gift.
David Layton and his wife Julie were being honored at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital with a radiation oncology room in their name when David Layton decided to donate a total of $20,000 to the foundation, increasing their contribution over the past eight years to more than $500,000.
The Layton Companies received an award through CMiC, a financial management software company, for their work using software to manage a business. The first-place award included a $10,000 gift to be donated to The Layton Companies’ recipient of choice.
“The three worst words you can hear in your life is that you’ve got cancer,” David Layton said. “We believe strongly in Mr. Huntsman’s vision of building research up, all of which takes cash.”
At Thursday’s ribbon cutting, David Layton challenged CMiC to make additional donations on an annual basis to the foundation, on the promise that he would match the amount every time.
Bassem Hamdy, vice president of solutions and marketing for CMiC, said the challenge came as a surprise, but the company loves the idea.
“We have several charities we give to, and we’re definitely considering making Huntsman (Cancer Foundation) one of them,” Hamdy said.
Hamdy said the company has to go over fiscal reports for 2008 and make a decision before the Huntsmans’ annual golf tournament, which he said would be a good time to make an announcement.
In the meantime, David Layton said his company plans to continue supporting the foundation.
When the company first heard about the award, its chief of financial operations, Dallis Christensen, was in surgery for melanoma in California.
“Having (Christensen) in surgery certainly sealed the deal,” David Layton said. “With the institute being one of our favorite charities, we would have found our way to donating there, though.”
In tribute to the donation, the foundation decided to honor the Laytons by naming the waiting room after them. U President Michael Young, Executive Director of the Huntsman Cancer Hospital Mary Beckerle and others cut the ribbon to the waiting room where a plaque listing the couple’s names was displayed.
“(The Laytons) are really unique in the amount of support they’ve provided us,” said Susan Sheehan, executive director of development for the hospital. “Every year, they’ve found all sorts of creative ways to help. Getting this award and deciding to donate it is just another way.”
For information about donating to the foundation, visit www.huntsmancancerfoundation.
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Erik DaenitzDavid S. Layton, head of the Layton Companies construction, waits to speak at a ceremony to name the radiation oncology waiting room after Layton and his wife. Layton matched a $10,000 donation by CMiC to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.