Family in Condiment Business Adds Spice to Student Scholarships
The Mullins family of Chicago's western suburbs has two strengths binding it together: a family business inspired by barbecue sauce and a respect for Loyola University Chicago (LUC), Stritch School of Medicine (Stritch) and Loyola University Health System (Loyola).
To show its support for an institution at which some family members have received their college educations and many receive their medical treatments, the family provides scholarships to Stritch students every year through the Jack and Joan Mullins Scholarship Fund.
The scholarship fund is named after the late Jack Mullins and his wife Joan, the former owners of Mullins Food Products in Broadview, Ill. Mrs. Mullins said the inspiration for the fund was the knowledgeable and compassionate care Mr. Mullins received at Loyola throughout his lifetime including two triple bypass surgeries and prostate cancer treatment.
“Jack became friends with every Loyola doctor who treated him,” said Mrs. Mullins, adding that her husband believed it was the physicians who make a difference in health care at Loyola. “He credited Loyola physicians for saving his life.”
Funding Future Physicians
Jeannie Gannon, one of the Mullins’ six daughters and president of Mullins Food Products, said her father wanted to ensure other people would receive the exceptional health care he enjoyed. Realizing the high tuition costs facing Stritch students, not to mention future costs of building a practice and paying medical malpractice insurance, Mr. Mullins decided to start the scholarship fund. “He felt that if people don’t take it upon themselves to help medical students, there will be a huge shortage of physicians in the future,” Mrs. Gannon explained.
The Jack and Joan Mullins Scholarship Fund is an endowment, and Stritch uses the interest from the principal balance for scholarships. From original gifts of approximately $770,000, the fund has grown to more than $1.4 million while providing scholarships totaling $489,904 to more than 116 Stritch students.
Jill Veselik, MD, a first-year resident in pediatrics at Loyola who received a scholarship from the Mullins fund for the 2005-06 school year, said the money has been a help in lessening her debt. “When you’re on a tight budget, a scholarship donor’s generosity is highly appreciated,” she said.
A Family Tradition in Gift Giving
With such a large family, holidays and gift giving can be a hassle. Mr. Mullins had an easy remedy to this dilemma. Whether it was Father’s Day, Christmas or his birthday he always requested the same gift: donations to the Stritch scholarship fund. “Donations are the only gifts he ever wanted,” said Mrs. Mullins, adding that when her husband died in 2004 his family requested donations to the fund in lieu of flowers.
This tradition has spread to Mullins Food Products’ 350 employees, who make donations every year at Christmas. “We wanted to show our gratitude to Jack and Joan,” said Mike Mazur, plant manager. Jack Mullins was a very honest and ethical man so I put my trust in anything he was involved in.”
Mr. Mazur, who has worked at the Mullins Food Products for 24 years, was also a patient at Loyola. He was treated for tongue cancer in 1993 and 2000. “Loyola is definitely a cutting-edge hospital. The physicians work as a team to get the best results for patients,” he said. “I feel I’m making a good investment whenever I donate to Loyola.”
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