Ron and Sandi Simon’s $30 million gift will help ensure Hoag’s caregivers can live closer to the communities they serve.
Building the Future of Care from the Heart
Ron and Sandi Simon are widely recognized in Orange County and beyond for their heartfelt commitment to community well-being, innovative philanthropy, and strategic giving that targets systemic challenges such as education, housing, and healthcare. Their latest gift of $30 million to Hoag to launch a workforce housing initiative continues a decades-long legacy of backing programs that help people thrive where they live and work.
“Our caregivers are the cornerstone of everything we do at Hoag, and supporting them is fundamental to our long-term success,” said Michael Krug, SPHR, chief human resources officer at Hoag Health. “This remarkable gift comes at a defining moment as we expand our workforce and our reach across Orange County. By helping address housing affordability for our valued team members, we are investing in recruitment and retention and ensuring Hoag is well positioned to meet the needs of our growing communities.” Hoag leadership is developing the program details and will communicate updates to employees as components are finalized and rolled out.
From Enterprise to Impact
Ron Simon’s life and career reflect a trajectory marked by entrepreneurial achievement and generous reinvestment in community. Born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents, Simon rebuilt his father’s business and then founded RSI Home Products in 1989, growing it into one of the largest manufacturers of kitchen and bath cabinetry in the world. His business success—including later ventures in construction and development—laid the foundation for a lifetime of philanthropic investment.
The Simons’ philanthropy began in earnest with the establishment of the Simon Scholars Program through the Simon Foundation for Education and Housing. The program supports academically promising but underserved students from high school through college, pairing scholarship funding with mentorship and long-term educational support. This belief in education as a pathway to opportunity closely mirrors Hoag’s own commitment to investing in its team members—many of whom advance their careers through philanthropically funded scholarships, training, and professional development—reinforcing a shared conviction that when people are supported in their growth, entire communities benefit.
In addition to this gift, the Simon family has supported a broad range of initiatives at Hoag, including the Ron & Sandi Simon Research, Innovation, and Education Fund, which has strengthened clinical research infrastructure and accelerated the launch of new clinical trials and the Ron & Sandi Simon Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair, Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, held by Adam S. Kanter, MD, MBA, which advances clinical leadership and innovation in neurological care.
RSI Dream Communities: Innovation in Workforce Housing
In recent years, the Simons expanded their philanthropic focus to include workforce housing—a critical need in regions where high living costs put pressure on essential workers. In 2024, the Simons launched RSI Dream Communities, a separate nonprofit organization dedicated to providing housing solutions for local heroes—nurses, firefighters, teachers, and other essential workers—in Orange County and beyond. RSI Dream Communities operates with a mission to craft financially accessible homes near workplaces, increasing stability and community well-being.
Honoring Leadership That Strengthens Care
Through decades of support for education and opportunity, the Simons have helped open doors for hundreds of students and families, and their leadership now extends that same vision to housing solutions that strengthen healthcare and other essential workforce pipelines.
This commitment resonates deeply with Hoag’s history. When Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian opened in 1952, its first expansion was not for patients, but for staff. Recognizing the urgent need for affordable housing for nurses, Grace E. Hoag personally funded and furnished a dedicated nurses’ residence—affirming a foundational belief that supporting those who provide care is essential to sustaining excellence. The Simons’ generosity carries this legacy forward, reinforcing a shared conviction that when caregivers are supported, care itself endures.
“For decades, Ron and Sandi Simon have been extraordinary partners in advancing excellence, innovation, and care at Hoag,” said Caroline A. Pereira, President, Hoag Hospital Foundation. “This gift builds on that legacy by investing directly in the people who make our mission possible every day.”
