Greensboro developer Steve Bell, his wife, Jackie and their family foundation are donating $7.5 million to Cone Health to boost public health in the Triad.
The money will be a cornerstone of Cone Health’s Campaign for Healthy Communities, an effort to improve health ranging from advanced heart and cancer care to expanding access throughout the region.
Bell founded Bell Partners in 1976, creating one of the largest U.S. apartment operators, both as a developer and manager. Bell’s son, Jon, is executive chairman. It owns 23,299 apartment units valued at $7 billion, according to a 2024 survey by Multi-Housing News.
“Jackie and I believe that good schools, a strong regional health system and a robust airport are critical for any community,” Steve Bell said in a release. “The Piedmont Triad is poised for growth like we haven’t seen in the last two decades. As the region grows, Cone Health is expanding to meet the needs of our community with a focus on keeping people well and a commitment to provide the right care in the right setting at the right time.”
In response, Cone Health is establishing the Steven D. Bell Family Heart & Vascular Center, which will assemble leading doctors and the latest heart care technology. The gift will also lead to the Dr. Thomas D. Stuckey Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Research. It is part of the LeBauer-Brodie Center for Cardiovascular Research.
Cone Health is also forming a Heart & Vascular Prevention Program.
“Our heartfelt thanks go to Jackie and Steve Bell and The Bell Foundation for their extraordinary generosity and vision,” said Cone Health CEO Dr. Mary Jo Cagle. “This historic gift allows us to continue delivering exceptional care, pioneering advancements in heart and vascular health, and addressing health equity across our community.”
Risant Health, a subsidiary of Kaiser Permanente, acquired Cone Health last year and has pledged to invest $1.7 billion over five years in the Triad area. Risant says it is emphasizing a “value-based care” model that attempts to treat patients in a more holistic fashion than the dominant “fee-for-service” approach.
In 2020, Bell announced he was donating $25 million to UNC Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School as part of an effort to expand undergraduate enrollment by 50%.