Giving back to the community means everything

As the new Macomb Hospital bed tower rises on the horizon, it will soon bear the name of Janet and James Riehl, two lifelong Macomb County residents and pillars of the community.

As Janet explains, “We’re excited about the new inpatient tower and how it will improve the hospital stay for patients here in the county, who deserve world-class healthcare. We are so grateful that we’re at a point in our lives when we can do this. It’s very gratifying to be able to give back to a community that means so much to both of us.”

From its beginning as Macomb County’s first hospital in 1899, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital has been a leader and trusted partner in the community, devoted to improving health and wellness. Once again, Henry Ford Macomb is demonstrating its commitment to the needs of the community as it advances the transformation of the Henry Ford Macomb Hospital campus by adding a new bed tower that provides private rooms to every patient, the first of its kind in the county.

“The new North Tower, plus our plans for converting our existing semi-private patient rooms into fully private adaptable care rooms, will transform the landscape of our campus. This is the largest single healthcare investment in Macomb County history and represents a long-term commitment to providing our patients and their families with comfort, privacy and safety within a healing environment responsive to their needs,” says Barbara Rossmann, President and CEO of Henry Ford Macomb Hospital.

Growing up Jim and Janet’s parents both instilled the importance of giving back, beginning with offerings during mass. The couple has continued to live out that value ever since, feeling a deep sense of duty to a community that has done so much for them and their family. “We’ve been blessed,” says Janet. “And we want to give back. I wish everyone would feel the way we do. No matter how big or small a gift, everyone can and should give back. It all makes a difference.”

The Riehls have spent their lives in Macomb County, growing up here, raising a family and running the successful Friendly Automotive dealerships. From the beginning, the couple welcomed community fundraisers into their showrooms, hosted pet adoptions or provided free cars to people like the woman who drove her son to medical appointments and had her car stolen. The dealership once hosted a DaVinci robot, giving visitors an opportunity to try out firsthand what it was like to pick up and use instruments just like a surgeon. Over the years, Jim and Janet came to know and love Henry Ford through friends who were physicians, by participating in galas, and as their parents aged and required more care from the hospital.

The couple acknowledges how important philanthropy is in healthcare today. Jim explains, “With four hospitals or healthcare systems in our area all competing for the same patients, Janet and I decided to give back to Henry Ford to help it become one of the premier healthcare systems in Michigan and make Macomb Hospital one of the best.” Says Janet, “It’s all about upgrading the healthcare in our area.”

“This incredible gift will elevate the patient experience and bolster Henry Ford Macomb’s ability to meet the healthcare needs of the community,” says Mary Jane Vogt, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Henry Ford Health. “We are profoundly grateful to Jim and Janet Riehl for their philanthropic support that will drive progress for Henry Ford Macomb Hospital. The new North Tower is a symbol of sustained commitment to patient well-being and quality care that will continue to flourish in years to come.”

Jim hopes his children and grandchildren will carry on their giving legacy, and he would be pleased if others in the community followed their lead and supported Henry Ford as well so that Macomb County residents can have access to the first-class healthcare they deserve. Says Janet, “This is a community effort to help improve healthcare for all.”