Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is pleased to announce that Juan Carlos (JC) Mas, chairman and CEO of Mas Group of Companies, Corp., and his wife Vivian Mas, are the 2021-2022 inductees to the Ambassador David M. Walters International Pediatric Hall of Fame. They will be recognized for their philanthropic support and contributions to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and the South Florida community at the 2021-2022 Diamond Ball taking place on Saturday, April 2 in Miami.
The Mas family has actively supported and made generous donations to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for more than 25 years. In 1997, their son, Sebastian, faced life-threatening complications as an infant and was admitted for 28 days at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Sebastian made a miraculous recovery, and on his first birthday, the family made a generous donation of $1 million to the hospital. Since then, JC has served on the Boards of Directors of both the hospital and the health system.
“Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has a special meaning for us both,” said Vivian and JC. “The work of its doctors and hospital staff in caring for our children is simply extraordinary. We will be forever grateful for the care that our son, and so many other children, have received at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital over its 70-year history. Nicklaus Children’s is a gem in our community.”
The Mas couple has been involved in many programs and philanthropic efforts of the hospital, including acting as co-chairs for the 2009 Diamond Ball benefiting patients and families. Across South Florida, the Mases are known for contributions toward a variety of causes that serve children and families, including the Mas Scholars program to help high school students achieve their dreams and the Empower Farms program to provide workforce opportunities to people of all abilities.
“Vivian and JC Mas are shining examples of leadership and service in our community. They are passionate about helping those in need and we are proud to honor them at this year’s Diamond Ball,” said Matthew A. Love, President and CEO of Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “Vivian and JC’s induction into the Ambassador David M. Walters International Pediatric Hall of Fame is a reflection of our deep appreciation for their decades of commitment to our mission of inspiring hope and providing lifelong health to the children and families we serve.”
Founded in 1986 and named after the first chairman and president of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Ambassador David M. Walters International Pediatric Hall of Fame is the most distinguished honor presented by the foundation. This distinction celebrates individuals who have made essential contributions to the well-being of children everywhere.
This year’s Diamond Ball is presented by Ensemble Health Partners, with support from many generous donors and corporate sponsors. To register, become a sponsor and learn more, visit the Diamond Ball page. For any questions, please contact carmen.hidalgo@nicklaushealth.org.
About Nicklaus Children's Health System Where Your Child Matters Most™ (2026)
For more than 75 years, Nicklaus Children's Health System has stood as a beacon of hope for children and families across the state of Florida and beyond. Nicklaus Children's Hospital is South Florida's #1 nonprofit, freestanding specialty licensed hospital exclusively for children. Nicklaus Children's provides pediatric care across a growing network of hospital and community-based partnerships, including care within NCH North Hospital in Naples, Jupiter Medical Center, select Baptist Health Hospital pediatric emergency units, and Nicklaus Children's Hospital Fort Lauderdale and Nicklaus Children's Hospital Coral Springs each located on the campuses of Broward Health. The hospitals and their network of more than 35 outpatient care locations offer lifesaving care in Miami-Dade, Broward, Martin and Palm Beach counties. outpatient locations include an array of urgent care, pediatric primary care and subspecialty care centers and are either hospital-based or outpatient locations under Nicklaus Children's Pediatric Specialists, LLC (NCPS).Providing a pipeline of future physicians and groundbreaking research, Nicklaus Children's is an academic and clinical affiliate of the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. Nicklaus Children's is home to centers of excellence including the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, the Nicklaus Children's Orthopedic, Sports Medicine and Spine Institute, Nicklaus Children's Neuroscience Institute and Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute. The 474-bed system is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, with many programs routinely ranked among the nation's best by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. Nicklaus Children's also includes a nonprofit physician practice subsidiary with more than 40 pediatric specialties and an ambulatory surgery center. For more information, visit nicklauschildrens.org.