October 1, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
Age at death: 80
Major philanthropy job: Served as chief executive of the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, the fund-raising arm of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, from 1992 to 2005.
How he made his mark: The actor Danny Thomas, who founded St. Jude, asked Mr. Shadyac, a successful lawyer, to join the board in 1963. In 1992 Mr. Thomas died and Mr. Shadyac was appointed to head ALSAC. He focused on making the stories of children treated by St. Jude — and their families — the faces of the charity, a role Mr. Thomas had previously taken.
Key accomplishments: Donations rose from $100-million to $400-million during Mr. Shadyac’s tenure.
How he will be remembered: David L. McKee, chief operating officer at ALSAC, says, “People knew where his heart was and they followed him.”
