Alison Flynn Gaffney is the chief executive officer of Banner – University Medical Center Tucson with responsibility for all operations in southern Arizona, including three large campuses, 28 clinic locations and 8,200 Banner University Medicine team members.
With over 30 years of executive-level business experience in the field of healthcare, Alison has unique insight as to how healthcare organizations can balance innovation with efficiency, while adhering to strict compliance regulations to improve the patient and care team experience. Alison is a seasoned leader and strategist who drives innovation, excellence, and growth. She is board-certified in healthcare management, and highly skilled in system integration, strategy and execution, supply chain, and corporate reputation management. A strong believer the power of organizational culture and its ability to catalyze success, and since arriving at Banner – University Medicine, Ms. Flynn Gaffney has begun transforming the organization’s leadership practices to increase visibility, communication, and trust, resulting in a double-digit increase in employee sentiment about leaders’ level of care for staff.
Alison joined Banner Health from the Chicago office of JLL, a global real estate and investment management company, where she served as national president of the health care division and was responsible for leading and evolving products and services to meet the needs of health systems while developing and delivering scalable real estate solutions to improve patient and care team experiences. Alison led a significant restructure resulting in significant growth bottom and top line growth, a 7% increase in client satisfaction, and a 48% increase in brand awareness from media placements.
Prior to that, she was the chief operating officer for hospitals and clinics at the University of Utah Health System, a $4 billion health system which at the time included six hospitals, nine urgent care locations, 11 community clinics and more than 14,000 people. Alison led campus expansion from 5 million to over 7 million square feet, investing in access expansion and service line growth while achieving 97% employee engagement and increasing patient satisfaction from 82.4% to 85.2%.
Alison has authored or co-authored over 40 publications and is a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including being named the Senior Healthcare Executive Regents Awardee in New York (2024) and Utah (2020), a 2024 Patient Safety Expert to Know by Becker’s Healthcare, and one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Medicine (2025, 2024) by Women We Admire. Alison has also been recognized among the 2020 Women of the Year by Utah Business, and received the 2018 Brother Arthur A. Loftus Award for outstanding achievement in healthcare management.
Our December 10th “Events Around Town” gatherings delivered another great time of good food, easy conversation, and Rotary camaraderie across Tucson. Members filled tables at three local favorites—Bashful Bandit, Kingfisher, and Vivace—each offering its own flavor and fun thanks to our generous hosts.
At Bashful Bandit, Glenn Ewing and Bobby Larson welcomed a lively group who enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and plenty of laughs. Over at Kingfisher, Marcia Krumwiede hosted the women’s lunch, giving attendees a warm space to connect and share stories. Meanwhile, the crowd at Vivace, hosted by Bruce Jacobs and Kurtis Dawson, enjoyed a lunch of great Italian dishes and lively conversation.
Thank you to all who joined and to our hosts for making these events possible. If you missed this round, be sure to watch the website for the next EATS outings—there’s always a seat waiting for you!
Member George Larsen’s Car Cave was filled with holiday cheer during a fun and festive holiday mixer that brought everyone together to celebrate the season. The evening was highlighted by an ugly sweater contest, where creativity and holiday spirit were on full display. Diana Cannon took home the top honor with her unforgettable elf suit, though every sweater truly deserved to be called a winner. Rotarians and Guests enjoyed great food & drink, plenty of laughs, and meaningful fellowship throughout the night. The welcoming atmosphere and shared holiday spirit made the event a wonderful celebration and a memorable experience for everyone who attended.
A huge shout-out goes to George for generously allowing the event to take place in his nostalgic Car Cave, complete with popcorn and games, and surrounded by an incredible collection of classic cars, campers, and boats. And let’s not forget the safari room, which added even more character to the space. The unique setting truly enhanced the magic of the evening and made it an unforgettable experience for everyone who attended. Enjoy some of the photos below.
At our Wednesday, December 17th Rotary Club meeting, the membership will elect three new directors to two year terms beginning on 7/1/26. Ballots will be available for you to place your vote. If you will not be in attendance, an email with instructions was sent for you to be able to participate in the voting electronically. The RCOT Candidates are as follows:
John Duval
Cami Evans
Eric Lamb
Tom McKinney
Tom Moulton
Bill Tong
Best of Luck to all the Board of Director Candidates.
The tradition continues; Martha and I were joined for this year's Holiday Stroll up Tumamoc Hill by fellow Rotarians Michael Guymon, Rob Same, Chuck Sawyer, Roger LaFaye and wife Cassi as well as our family members, Amy Nelson and Jim Bachman. It was a refreshing December morning quickly warmed by the wonderful camaraderie in conjunction with the uphill grades of the trail. The conversations continued over a tasty Cochata and breakfast burrito at Seis Kitchen.
Saturday, January 10th 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Join Us for a Morning of Giving & Fun! 🗓 3003 S. Country Club
Calling all Rotarians – it’s time to roll up those sleeves and make a difference! We need 50 energetic, fun-loving volunteers to help pack food for those in need. Get ready for some hard work, a ton of laughs, and the satisfaction of giving back to the community. Let’s make it a morning to remember! Contact Bobby Larson for information.
Great news, Rotarians! Our next Tucson Clean and Beautiful Adopt-A-Road event is coming up on Saturday, January 17th. We’ll meet at 8:15 AM at the former Fiesta Lanes (now Pinz), located at 501 W. River Rd.
Be sure to wear a hat, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, and gloves. We’ll provide bags, grabbers, and safety vests. Bring your Rotary spirit and a little morning energy — together we’ll help keep Tucson looking great!
This is the most special time of year, as it is when the Rotary Club of Tucson's February Whisky Event is announced. As per always, this is going to be the most fun one yet.
Details, Details, Details: Date: February 19 Day: Thursday Start time: 6:00 PM End time: Before Monday morning Who's invited: All the cool Rotarians. Who else is invited: Anyone philanthropic, fun, and who YOU believe would be a great new Rotarian; and/or your significant other. Cost of entry: $20 plus an interesting bottle of whisky (extra credit for Rye). Can you bring your bottle back home with you: Absolutely. Food: Ample amounts of your favorite munchies. Where: 750 W. Landoran Lane. Oro Valley. 85737 RSVP: Text Rob at 520-661-5519 Deadline to RSVP: 2:30 PM on February 12th Maximum # of guests: 20 Any questions: Call Rob at 520-661-5519
At the Rotary Club of Tucson, we believe in giving back to our community and supporting causes that make a real difference. And now, it’s easier than ever to contribute to our efforts!
We’re excited to highlight a new way for you to make your donations directly to the Rotary Club of Tucson Foundation – all from the comfort of your own home! Simply head to our website, where you’ll find the gold Donation button at the top right of the menu bar. Whether you're contributing to our Scholarships, making a General Donation, or supporting our Local Charities, your generosity will help fund important initiatives that uplift our community.
But wait, there’s more! If you're joining us for lunch at the next meeting, don’t forget to look for the blue scholarship cups on the tables. These cups now feature a QR code that will take you straight to the Donation Page with just a quick scan. No need for cash or checks – donate right from your phone!
We can’t thank you enough for your ongoing support of our Foundation. Your donations directly benefit our community and empower us to continue making a meaningful impact. If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Rotary office.
Let’s continue to do good in our community – with a click, a scan, and your generous heart!
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Alison Flynn Gaffney, FACHE
Our December 10th “Events Around Town” gatherings delivered another great time of good food, easy conversation, and Rotary camaraderie across Tucson. Members filled tables at three local favorites—Bashful Bandit, Kingfisher, and Vivace—each offering its own flavor and fun thanks to our generous hosts.
The following new Member applications have been submitted for membership in Rotary Club of Tucson:
At our Wednesday, December 17th Rotary Club meeting, the membership will elect three new directors to two year terms beginning on 7/1/26. Ballots will be available for you to place your vote. If you will not be in attendance, an email with instructions was sent for you to be able to participate in the voting electronically. The RCOT Candidates are as follows:
Greetings fellow hiking enthusiasts,
There will be no Rotary lunch meeting on Wednesday, December 24th and Wednesday, December 31st.We are dark these weeks for the holidays.
Great news, Rotarians! Our next Tucson Clean and Beautiful Adopt-A-Road event is coming up on Saturday, January 17th. We’ll meet at 8:15 AM at the former Fiesta Lanes (now Pinz), located at 501 W. River Rd.
At the Rotary Club of Tucson, we believe in giving back to our community and supporting causes that make a real difference. And now, it’s easier than ever to contribute to our efforts!
