Dec. 11, 2015
Chuck Nason, a Stevens Point businessman and community leader, was honored Dec. 3 with the Marshfield Clinic Heritage Award in Marshfield.
Marshfield Clinic’s Heritage Foundation was established in 1997 to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the community in government, civic leadership, education, medicine, law or business. This Foundation annually presents an award to an individual who has made a difference.
Nason has a long history with Marshfield Clinic, serving as a member of Marshfield Clinic's National Advisory Council from 1992 until joining the first Marshfield Clinic Health System (MCHS) Board of Directors.
“We are honoring an esteemed person of distinction within the Marshfield Clinic family; someone who is THE role model for community service and volunteerism, especially when it comes to diligently advocating for the poor, the sick and those in need; and who has been willing time and time again to step up and demonstrate leadership,” said retired Clinic President Richard Leer, M.D., who was emcee for the Heritage Award presentation event.
Sue Wilcox, executive director, United Way of Portage County, got to know Nason very well with his charitable work in Stevens Point, including United Way. She said his greatest accomplishment isn’t the time or money he has donated over the years, but how he has passed on his desire to help people in need to others in the community.
“Chuck Nason has touched the community and his faith in the greater good has very much touched our hearts,” Wilcox said.
Nason said he was humbled by the award. He thanked the many people who have guided and worked with him on dozens of projects over the years. He also shared that his parents helped instill the importance of community spirit.
“Part of our collective heritage is to share our time and talents so we might leave the world a better place than we found it,” Nason said.
He earned a bachelor's degree from the School of Speech, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Following his U.S. Navy discharge in 1972, he was communications and development director at Appleton Memorial Hospital until 1976. He then joined the Stevens Point public relations firm Idea Associates and provided services to clients including Marshfield Clinic. At that time he also was president of the Wisconsin Hospital Public Relations Council.
Nason became CEO of Worzalla Publishing in 1981, a position he held until retiring in 2011. He now is chair, Board of Directors, for Worzalla, Delta Dental of Wisconsin and Illinois Senior Housing. He also is a director for WoodTrust Bank, Wisconsin Rapids; Wisconsin Statewide Health Information Network; Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service; Ministry Saint Michael's Hospital Foundation; and an emeritus director of the UWSP Foundation.
Previous winners include former Congressman and Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird; Former Secretary of the Army Robert Froehlke; former governors Tommy Thompson and Lee Sherman Dreyfus; former Congressman Dave Obey; and Clinic physicians and researchers George Magnin, M.D., Russell Lewis, M.D., Dean Emanuel, M.D., and James Weber, Ph.D.
Marshfield Clinic provides patient care, research and education with more than 50 locations in northern, central and western Wisconsin, making it one of the largest comprehensive medical systems in the United States.
