Company Profile
Memorial Blood Centers
Company Overview
Memorial Blood Centers has been saving and sustaining lives for over 65 years. A Minnesota-based, independent nonprofit, we supply life-saving blood, state-of-the-art laboratory services, and biomedical expertise to area hospital and clinic partners, national blood centers, biotechnology companies, research institutions, and international clients from Australia to Switzerland.
On August 1, 2012 Memorial Blood Centers and Nebraska Community Blood Bank (NCBB) of Lincoln, NE announced the formation of a new blood services organization. The two community-based non-profits operate as divisions of the newly formed Innovative Blood Resources organization, and will continue doing business as (dba) Memorial Blood Centers and Nebraska Community Blood Bank.
For our hospital partners and other partners, effective June 1, 2013, all blood products collected by MBC and NCBB will be labeled with the Innovative Blood Resources name. Learn more about Innovative Blood Resources.
Dedicated to the values of integrity, respect, synergy, service, and excellence, we are proud to be Minnesota’s largest community blood center that also draws from the strength of our affiliated state- and national-membership organizations, including America’s Blood Centers, Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA), AABB (formerly American Association of Blood Banks), and Blood Centers of America—one of the largest collection and distribution systems in the U.S. With decades of experience collecting, testing, and distributing more than 3 million units of blood, Memorial Blood Centers has been recognized as an industry leader for the discovery of multiple new blood group antigens, and is a recipient of the prestigious Minnesota Quality Award and the MHA’s Associate Member of the Year Award.
Community involvement, worldwide partnerships, and industry leadership puts our mission-driven organization at the forefront in the field of transfusion medicine and blood banking. As we work to fulfill our commitment to save and sustain lives through blood products and biomedical services, we deliver what matters most to our generous donors, blood drive sponsors, hospital and clinic partners, and others throughout the healthcare industry: a wide variety of blood products, blood components, donor testing and other advanced scientific Laboratory Services, Medical Support and transfusion expertise, education, clinical trials, and research.
Company History
The need for a coordinated system to receive, store, and distribute blood became obvious to many Americans during World War II, when the availability of an adequate blood supply often meant the difference between life and death. To meet that need, several leading organizations came together to found the Minneapolis War Memorial Blood Bank and in 1948 began welcoming labor unions, lodges, and business groups to donate through organized blood clubs. Under a reciprocity agreement, people began banking blood to benefit others—a practice that soon spread to other communities throughout the state.
Milestones of growth and community service
Over the next six decades, we expanded our capabilities and effective outreach to fulfill our vision of becoming a leader in providing the life-saving blood products and biomedical services needed to save and sustain lives.
Early Years
Hubert H. Humphrey, former Vice President of the United States and Mayor of Minneapolis in 1948, is among the first to donate a pint of blood.
At the building dedication of the War Memorial Blood Bank’s new office at 2304 Park Avenue in Minneapolis—November 11, 1956—the Minneapolis Jaycees donate a cornerstone plaque inscribed “That Others Might Live.”
International brand leader General Mills signs on as a corporate sponsor of blood drives that continues today—over 60 years later.
1990s
War Memorial Blood Bank becomes Memorial Blood Centers of Minnesota in 1992 and Duluth’s Arrowhead Regional Blood Center becomes an important partner serving the Northland.
Three new donor centers are added—downtown Minneapolis, Plymouth and Superior, WI.—and we become a member donor center of the National Marrow Donor Program.
2000s
New donor centers open in Hibbing, Coon Rapids, Virginia, Eden Prairie, Bloomington, and Woodbury, bringing to 11 the number of convenient centers throughout Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
All donor centers come under the name Memorial Blood Centers (MBC).
MBC moves to its new St. Paul headquarters with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to provide infectious disease testing and life-saving transfusion consultation, participate in the rare blood donor program, and support families and organizations with parentage and immigration testing services.
Named Associate Member of the Year in 2007 by the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA).
Among the first group of blood centers in the nation to implement ISBT 128, an internationally standardized blood product labeling system for added quality and safety.
Blood donations surpass 125,000 in 2008 (up from just 8,065 units collected in 1948)—and push MBC to a new, 60-year milestone of having saved and sustained over 6 million lives!
Receives the 2008 Minnesota Quality Award.
The only blood center in the country to achieve Vital Supplier status for reagent red cells with Immucor, worldwide supplier of blood bank reagents and instruments.
2010s
One of the first blood centers in the industry to offer an innovative web-based iDonate Interview program, adding convenience and enhanced privacy for blood donors when completing required pre-donation health history questionnaires.
Receives the 2010 Minnesota Quality Award.
2011
Formalized partnership with Nebraska Community Blood Bank
2012
Merger with Nebraska Community Blood Bank announced
2013
Formation of Innovative Blood Resources, a new blood services organization, which will continue doing business as (dba) Memorial Blood Centers (primarily serving Minnesota and Wisconsin) and Nebraska Community Blood Bank (primarily serving Nebraska)
Notable Products / Brands
MBC, IBR, NCBB
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
A leader in saving lives for over 65 years
Established in 1948 to honor those who gave their lives in World War II, our private, nonprofit agency was supplying 12 hospitals with blood by January 1950. Today, Memorial Blood Centers serves over 30 hospital partners throughout Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin with life-saving blood and provides technical expertise and services around the world as a leader in transfusion medicine.
Through 10 Donor Centers and hundreds of blood drives each month, Memorial Blood Centers consistently collects thousands of units of blood to help meet the steady demand from our partner hospitals. With each unit of blood helping up to as many as three people, annual donations provide critical support to nearly a half-million friends, family members, neighbors, and others in the communities we serve.
Memorial Blood Centers’ headquarters, located at 737 Pelham Boulevard in St. Paul, Minnesota includes FDA licensed and European Union (EU) compliant scientific laboratories that process well over 100,000 units of blood and perform more than 3 million tests on blood each year.
Founded by volunteers, with governance provided by a volunteer Board of Directors, the organization’s Chief Executive Officer, Donald C. Berglund, heads a leadership team that includes: Jeffrey D. Allen, MBA, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer; Jed Gorlin, M.D., Vice President and Medical Director; Mark Janzen, Ph.D., Vice President, Laboratory Services; and Judy Petersen, Vice President, Technical Operations.
Benefits
We are pleased to offer a variety of competitive benefits for eligible positions.