Page 20 - In Motion - Spring 2021 Volume 17 | UR Medicine

Tuckers establish orthopaedic research professorship
Neil and Karen Jonasse Tucker
’73, active advocates for
musculoskeletal research, have
made a generous gift to establish
the Neil and Karen Jonasse
Tucker Endowed Professorship
in Orthopaedic Research. The
professorship will support a
research faculty member with
a primary appointment in the
Department of Orthopaedics.
In October 2019, orthopaedics
faculty, donors, and friends
gathered at Rochester’s Genesee
Valley Club to celebrate the gift
and thank the Tuckers for
their generosity.
Longtime philanthropists, the
Tuckers have supported the
University of Rochester Medical
Center for more than 32 years.
In 2013, upon learning about
the Center for Musculoskeletal
Research (CMSR), they began
directing their giving to
orthopaedics, and joined the
Wilson Society—a University
group that celebrates planned
20 In Motion | UR Medicine Orthopaedics & Physical Performance | Spring 2021
global leader in musculoskeletal
“ We support the Center for health, Karen serves as an
Musculoskeletal Research inaugural member on the newly
created Orthopaedics Advisory
because we have personally Council, and has participated in
benefited from their incredible multiple initiatives in support
research. We are determined of orthopaedics.
to help researchers find the
cures that will ease pain and Karen graduated in 1973 from the
University of Rochester. During
restore mobility for others in her 27 years at Bausch & Lomb,
” she held numerous leadership
our community.
Karen and Neil Tucker positions in research and
development; international and
domestic marketing; and sales in
the soft contact lens division.
giving—with a significant gift
for arthritis research. In 2017, Neil worked for Kodak after a
they established the Neil and brief service in the Navy. After
Karen Jonasse Tucker Research leaving Kodak, he founded Tucker
Endowment to support CMSR in Printers which was later sold to
their lifetime. RR Donnelley. He also founded
Concorde Archives, a record
The Tuckers feel strongly that the storage company, which he sold
community needs to be aware to Iron Mountain. He later worked
of the importance of supporting as a real estate developer
research. To help further position before retiring.
the Department as a regional and
Photo taken pre-COVID.
Pictured with Neil and Karen, from left: Edward Schwarz, Ph.D., Richard and Margaret Burton
Distinguished Professor in Orthopaedics and Director, Center for Musculoskeletal Research,
Mark Taubman, M.D., CEO, University of Rochester Medical Center, and Paul Rubery, M.D.,
Marjorie Strong Wehle Professor in Orthopaedics and Chair, Department of Orthopaedics.