And yet, many in its hometown know little of the wholesaler’s origin, as a Texas Street shopfront selling tonics and extracts, nor its evolution to a major player in the distribution industry. The Dicksons, the family that has run the business since 1899, value grit and gumption more than fame.

The event raises money to recruit and retain faculty and to provide up-to-date equipment and training for these future health-care providers. From funds raised in previous years, the hospital’s medical school was able to obtain the area’s only dual-console surgical robot.