At the Heart of Good Health
Joe C. Wen and his family fuel a healthier future for people across Southern California.
Photo: Steve Zylius, UC Irvine
At the Heart of Good Health
In just a few short years, Joe C. Wen has emerged as a noteworthy champion of healthcare across Orange County and Southern California. His heartfelt generosity has helped build a multi-generational legacy for his Taiwanese American family.
Wen and his family have given a total of $70 million to elevate UCI Health facilities for outpatient care and cardiovascular medicine and to transform UC Irvine’s program in public health into a full-fledged school. In an era of declining federal funding, visionaries like Wen have become the lifeblood of scientific research and compassionate care in our communities.
With this tremendous generosity, Wen honors his parents and grandfather, calling attention to the sacrifices they made when they left behind their lives in Taiwan to move to California when he was a teenager. Life for the immigrant family was not always easy, and Wen worked to pay his way through college and business school. In 2003, he launched his own paper company — growing it through hard work, determination and business savvy. Today, Wen is founder and CEO of Formosa Ltd., an international conglomerate with services spanning venture capital, financial lending, real estate holding and development, property management, and forest products manufacturing and trading.
“I owe so much to my parents, who showed me the importance of hard work, persistence and sacrifice through their own lives. Along with my parents, my grandfather instilled in me the importance of living a life grounded in values, including giving back to the community. Reflecting on their lessons and on what I hope to pass on to my own children has inspired me to make gifts that I believe will create a better, healthier future for us all.”
The Wens’ first gift to UCI Health in 2022, supporting a new outpatient center at the UCI Health — Irvine medical complex on Jamboree Road and Birch Street, helped bring high-quality, research-driven care closer to coastal and south Orange County residents. Opening in the summer of 2024, the center served more than 500 patients on its first day alone and provided over 177,000 patient visits in its first year of operation. Now celebrating two years of excellence in patient care, the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care offers urgent care and multispecialty care in orthopaedics, neuroscience, urology, pain management and more.
Also marking its two-year anniversary is a transformational gift from Wen and his family to UC Irvine’s school of public health. This $50 million gift was the largest gift to UC Irvine by a donor under age 50 and the first naming gift of a University of California school after a Taiwanese American. Of that $50 million, $42.5 million went toward establishing an endowment that supports the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health at UC Irvine. The program in public health has experienced significant growth in the years since, going from one department to four and offering nine degrees. Today, the school is home to one of the nation’s largest undergraduate public health programs and trains 1,700 undergraduate and graduate students preparing to build and support healthier communities. It is also the first school of public health in Orange County.
“Mr. Wen’s gift has had a direct impact on individual health by allowing researchers and scientists to flourish during this challenging time for academia and research. His support has given us hope and made us even more resilient to meet whatever challenges we may face head on,” said Bernadette Boden-Albala, founding dean of the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health. “He is a hero for health and a hero for public health.”
In addition to his landmark support of public health and outpatient care, Wen has championed heart and vascular health. The remainder of Wen’s 2024 gift created an endowment to advance cardiovascular research, education and clinical operations in the School of Medicine and the UCI Health system. In recognition of the gift, the Mary & Steve Wen Cardiovascular Division at the School of Medicine was named for Wen’s parents. The division’s nationally and internationally recognized faculty focus on diagnosing, managing and preventing cardiovascular disease — a leading cause of death in the U.S. Additionally, the Tsai Ya Au Heart & Vascular Pavilion at UCI Health — Orange now bears the name of Wen’s grandfather, who was a profound influence in his life. The pavilion is home to nationally recognized heart specialists equipped with state-of-the-art technology, offering the most advanced cardiovascular disease services in Orange County.
“Joe Wen’s remarkable generosity — from the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care to his investment in cardiovascular research and care — strengthens our ability to deliver exceptional, comprehensive health services to the community,” said Chad T. Lefteris, UCI Health president and CEO. “His vision accelerates innovation, expands access and supports the teams advancing leading-edge care every day. We are grateful for his steadfast partnership in building a healthier future for our region.”
To learn how you can make a transformational impact like the Wen family, contact Brian Hervey, vice chancellor of University Advancement & Alumni Relations at bhervey@uci.edu or Roland Ho, associate vice chancellor of Strategic Philanthropy at roland.ho@uci.edu.
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