Tampa General Hospital’s Burn Center Is Now TGH Burn Center: A TECO Partnership
Published: Jan 31, 2025To honor decades of partnership and following a gift to the TGH Foundation, Tampa General’s renowned burn center is now TGH Burn Center: A TECO Partnership.
Tampa, FL (Jan. 31, 2025) – Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has renamed its prestigious burn center in recognition of years of partnership with Tampa Electric and following a gift to the TGH Foundation. A donor ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Jan. 31, celebrating this newest chapter in Tampa General’s partnership with Tampa Electric as the burn center officially became the TGH Burn Center: A TECO Partnership.
“Tampa General Hospital is at the forefront of innovative care for burn patients and this gift to name the TGH Burn Center: A TECO Partnership demonstrates Tampa Electric’s significant investment in the community and their health and wellbeing,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. “The new name of the Center is a signal of their faith in the impressive work of our teams and will inspire patients for years to come.”
“TGH's Burn Center offers life-saving treatments and innovative therapies that make a profound difference in the lives of those affected by severe burns,” said Archie Collins, president and CEO of Tampa Electric. “TECO is honored to help give hope and a brighter future to patients.”
Tampa Electric has supported Tampa General for more than 30 years, from initiatives that energize the hospital and all of the Tampa Medical & Research District to generous contributions to the TGH Foundation from Tampa Electric employees in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
“We are so grateful for our continued partnership with Tampa Electric,” said Frann Leppla, executive vice president and chief philanthropy officer of the TGH Foundation. “Their thoughtful generosity is a shining example of what it means to go above and beyond as a community leader in philanthropy.”
Tampa General’s Burn Center is one of just six burn centers in Florida to have earned verification by the American Burn Association (ABA)/American College of Surgeons (ACS) and one of only two ABA-verified adult and pediatric burn centers in Florida. This distinction means the TGH Burn Center has met stringent guidelines for patient care procedures, facilities and staffing. The TGH Burn Center treats critically burned patients from emergency admission through rehabilitation, treating more than 500 adult burn patients and about 300 pediatric burn patients each year.
"TECO’s partnership with the burn center will make significant contributions to advancing Tampa General Hospital’s position as leaders in the rapidly evolving field of burn care, helping patients achieve better outcomes and making new strides in treatment,” said Nicholas J. Panetta, M.D., FACS, chief of Tampa General Hospital Plastic Surgery and chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.
Tampa Electric is a founding member of the TGH Foundation’s Corporate Philanthropy Partners program. Tampa Electric's gift comes from its shareholders' funds and will not affect its customers' bills.