By profession he was a pharmaceutical plant manager, but G. Henry "Harry" Leslie jokes about his affinity for picking pockets.

Actually, he never took anything that wasn't freely given. This former board chairman had a true calling for collecting. His efforts met with generous giving, a combination that helped ensure the hospital and medical school had the equipment, space and resources they needed during critical growth years.

A pharmacist, former Canadian Royal Air Force pilot and plant manager for Burroughs-Wellcome (later Catalytica Pharmaceuticals DSM), Leslie used gentle persuasion and a gracious manner to convince donors to part with thousands of dollars.

"There was so much work to be done," he said of the time he joined the PCMH board of trustees, in 1976. ECU was on the cusp of opening a four-year medical school, and a new hospital was nearly completed. He was chairman of a new gifts committee, already charged with raising money for a new hospital wing. "Starting in 1975 we were a regional hospital, whether we liked it or not," he said.

Trustees named Leslie board vice chairman in his second year and soon he became chairman, holding this post until his 1984 retirement from the board.. During that time he oversaw a drive to raise $500,000, then a major campaign to raise more than $2 million for the hospital.

Calling on an old friend who was also a pilot, Leslie asked if he'd contribute, suggesting a figure. "He said, 'Harry, you overshot the runway,'" Leslie remembers. Still, he received a liberal pledge.

Leslie also recalls one of his fondest days at Burroughs-Wellcome. His boss called him outside for a press conference. The company had just approved a $30,000 donation to the School of Medicine, and Chancellor Leo Jenkins wanted Leslie to help announce it.

His legacy as a fierce ally, fund-raiser and leader are commemorated by a hospital building that bears his name. He enjoys reflecting on the people and businesses whose donations helped ensure the medical center's future, and the hard-working staff and administrators who helped carry out the vision.

"There are many things that make you feel good about it all," he said. "With the help of a lot of philanthropists, we raised a lot of money."

G. Henry "Harry" Leslie