Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) has named Dr. Donald C. Harrison the 2026 recipient of its Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Leadership Award, recognizing his extraordinary leadership, service and generosity to Greater Cincinnati.
The Jacob E. Davis Volunteer Leadership Award honors community champions who exemplify leadership, vision, creativity and generosity. Named for GCF’s first Governing Board chair and volunteer director, the award celebrates Davis’s enduring legacy of service, philanthropy and community impact.
Dr. Harrison is a renowned cardiologist, academic leader, entrepreneur and philanthropist whose career spanned more than five decades. Raised in the Appalachian region of Alabama, he became one of the world’s most respected cardiologists. During his leadership at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, he oversaw more than 1,000 faculty members and more than $240 million in funded research. He also helped pioneer treatments for heart disease, founded or co-founded six medical technology companies and served on 12 corporate boards.
Yet his impact extends well beyond medicine and business.
Nearly 20 years ago, Dr. Harrison and his late wife, Laura Harrison, came to GCF with a question: How could they make philanthropy a family activity? Their partnership with GCF grew into an intentional approach to giving that brought multiple generations together around a shared commitment to generosity, service and purpose.
In 2006, the Harrisons established the Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation. Guided by a belief in the power of education to change lives, the foundation focuses on innovative educational programs for children and adults, particularly programs expanding opportunities for underserved people. Since its inception, the family Foundation has awarded more than $2.6 million to nonprofit organizations.
“Don’s accomplishments in medicine, higher education and business are remarkable, but what makes him so deserving of the Jacob E. Davis Award is what he chose to do with that success,” said Matthew Randazzo, president and CEO of Greater Cincinnati Foundation. “He has invested his time, wisdom and generosity in helping others thrive, while bringing his family along on that journey. His example reminds us that philanthropy is not simply about giving. It’s about becoming deeply invested in the future of your community.”
Dr. Harrison’s recognition continues a GCF tradition of celebrating people whose leadership demonstrates what is possible when individuals choose to invest their time, talent and resources in something larger than themselves.
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