Dr. Lawrence Reynolds, a local pediatrician who has dedicated his life to children and families in Genesee County, is the recipient of the Dr. Clement A. Alfred Humanitarian Award of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. The annual award was established in 1991 through a charitable Fund at the Community Foundation by the family of Dr. Clement A. Alfred, a local dentist who practiced in Flint for more than 60 years.
Nominated by the Alfred Award Selection Committee, Dr. Reynolds was honored for his humanitarian and advocacy efforts on behalf of children during a special reception. He was lauded by colleagues from the medical community and the Mott Children’s Health Center where he has served as President and CEO since 2007.
“Dr. Reynolds is one of the people who make this community click,” said Peter Levine, Executive Director of the Genesee County Medical Society. “He is a child advocate from the examination room to the board room. Larry has been true to his mission and is a beacon for others.”
Dr. Reynolds came to Flint in 1990 to work as a pediatrician at Mott Children Health Center (MCHC) after spending four years in a group practice. MCHC’s commitment to caring for children in underserved areas with comprehensive services matched his own personal mission.
“Mott Children’s Health Center is a pediatrician’s paradise,” said Dr. Reynolds. “There’s no place like it in the nation where a team of child health professionals – pediatricians, nurses, therapists, dentists and audiologists – are dedicated to community child health. It’s amazing that C.S. Mott would have that vision and foresight more than 70 years ago. It’s one of the great stories about Flint that others seldom hear.”
Beyond the examination room, Dr. Reynolds has served in a number of leadership roles on the local and state level. He is a former President of the Genesee County Medical Society and is currently a board member. He was a founding board member of the Genesee Health Plan. In 2010, he began a two-year term as President of the Michigan Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“My dad would have been proud to see Larry receive this award,” said Dr. Stan Alfred, son of Clement A. Alfred for whom the award is named. “Our family is very proud to have this award to recognize a medical professional in this community.”
Past recipients include Dr. Arthur L. Tuuri, Dr. Evelyn V. Golden, Dr. Fleming A. Barbour, Dr. R. Roderic Abbott, Dr. Marigowda Nagaraju, Dr. Saul S. Gorne, Dr. Vivian M. Lewis, Peter A. Levine, Dr. Samuel Dismond, Jr., Dr. Milton Panzer, Dr. Charles Thompson, Dr. Robert Soderstrom, Dr. Allen Turcke, Dr. AppaRao Mukkamala, Dr. Archibald Piper, Dr. Edwin Gullekson and Dr. Paul Lafia.
The 2012 Alfred Award will be announced in May 2012.