Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has a rich history marked by growth, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to saving lives. Since its founding in 1974 by the Harris County Medical Society, the organization has evolved from humble beginnings to become a cornerstone of healthcare in the region. Over the decades, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has continually adapted to meet the challenges of a dynamic healthcare landscape, implementing cutting-edge testing, expanding facilities, and launching groundbreaking programs. This timeline highlights the pivotal milestones, achievements, and moments that have shaped Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's journey as a leader in blood donation and transfusion services.

1970’s

• In 1974, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center was founded by the Harris County Medical Society to improve the region's blood supply after Southwest Blood Banks (BSI) fell short in customer service. Bill T. Teague serves as the first Executive Director of the organization.
• The center officially began operations on January 1, 1975, with 64 employees, serving 80 hospitals and 16 counties from its facility on Caroline Street. Routine testing performed on donated blood included ABO/Rh, Antibody Screening, Syphilis, HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen)
• In 1976, the first donor coach arrived, and the Pasadena Neighborhood Donor Center opened.
• By 1977, new locations were established at Memorial Hospital and St. Joseph Medical Center.
• 116 units of life-saving fluid was sent to the hospital in response to a Texas City refinery explosion.
• In 1979, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new facility on La Concha Lane to accommodate the growing operations, and a downtown location opened that year as well.
• Since its inception in 1974, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has introduced a Rare Blood Donor Service and a Component Therapy Program.

1980’s

• Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center’s Headquarters opens on June 15, 1980. Dedication ceremonies were held on July 29, highlighting the facility's strategic location near the Texas Medical Center with easy access to the 610 loop and major highways, allowing for improved service to patients in outlying communities. Another donor coach arrives, and a new facility opens in Northwest Houston.
• Bill T. Teague, executive director of Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is named 34^th president of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) in 1981
• Under the GRIPS program, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center sends specimen packages to participating technologists, who perform routine lab procedures and compare their results with critiques from designated "referee" labs.
• A third donor coach is added to its fleet in 1982 while Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center receives an outstanding award from Alpha Therapeutic Corporation for 2^nd consecutive year. The award is given for achieving the best performance of all blood banks that provide blood plasma to Alpha for refinement into other patient care products.
• In 1983, public concern is growing over AIDS due to uncertainty about its origins, causes, testing, and treatment, causing frustration across researchers, high-risk groups, healthcare providers, and the public.
• A seventh location opens in Memorial City in 1983.
• Bill T. Teague was appointed as the organizations first President and Chief Executive Director after the Board of Trustees approved major changes in the operational structure of Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in 1984.
• In 1985, all Gulf Coast Region blood collection agencies began testing all donations for the HTLV-III antibody, believed to cause AIDS, as an additional safety measure to earlier donor screening programs. Routine tests performed were ABO/Rh, syphilis, HBsAg, and HIV (HTL-III)
• Bill T. Teague was appointed to service on the Texas Department of Health Commissioners Task Force on AIDS to help solve the complex issues surrounding AIDS and its impact on Texans in 1986.
• In 1986, a facility opens in Montgomery County while more tests are added to test blood such as CMV (cytomegalovirus) and ALT.
• In 1987, Senate Bill 1405 establishes new regulations for blood banks, including testing without donor consent, confidentiality protections for donor records, and mandatory participation in a "look-back" program to trace blood from donors later found positive for HIV.
• Bill T. Teague was appointed to Chair New Houston/Harris County Panel on AIDS and another test, HBc antibody (hepatitis B core), was added to routine testing in 1987.
• In 1988, a mission statement was created, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center joins the Texas Medical Center, a new facility opens in Southeast Houston, and HTLV-1 Antibody (human T-lymphotropic virus) was added.
• The Blood Center was honored by the Computerworld Smithsonian awards in 1989 for its innovative Blood Bank Software System (BBSS), which manages donor records, tracks donated blood, and oversees all aspects of blood center operations.

1990’s

• In 1990, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center began testing all donated blood for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) antibodies, which is expected to prevent 20,000 to 100,000 cases of non-A, non-B hepatitis annually.
• Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has been approved to participate in the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) om 1991. Blood centers around the country, including Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, is called on to assist the Department of Defense to maintain an adequate supply of blood for troops fighting in Desert Storm.
• In 1992, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center creates a new volunteer program. The Reference Lab receives American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) accreditation. Another test is added: HIV 1/11.
• A dedication ceremony was held in 1993 for the 81,000 sq. ft. Jesse H. Jones Pavilion and Main Building renovation, funded by Houston Endowment Inc., providing expanded facilities for blood testing, component preparation, research, and reference laboratories.
• Also in 1993, the Food and Drug Administration licensed a new high-level confirmatory test for hepatitis C virus antibodies on June 22nd. Due to the test's complexity and Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's strong laboratory capabilities, it will be one of the few blood centers in Texas authorized to perform this test on voluntarily donated blood. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center now provides leuko-reduced red blood cells, enhancing the regional blood supply by removing leukocytes to improve transfusion therapy for patients.
• George G. Alexander retired in 1994 as Chairman of Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center’s Board of Trustees after 20 years, having been instrumental in its founding and leadership since 1974. Dr. Frederick R. Lummis, Jr., who has been on the Board since 1989 and held leadership roles in various medical societies, has been elected as the new Chairman.
• The Pasadena NDC opens in 1994, and new equipment for gamma irradiation to reduce the risk of Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in transfusions gets installed at HQ. The irradiated blood components are safe and non-radioactive, and if not used for the intended patient, can be given to another patient.
• In 1995, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center welcomes the first two 100-gallon donors and East Texas Blood Center in Nacogdoches becomes an affiliate of Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in addition to opening a facility in Brenham. The age limit to give blood is now 17 years old and up.
• Chagas is now added to routine blood testing in 1995.
• A facility opens in Galveston in 1996 and another test, HIV p24 Antigen is added.
• Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center hosts President Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan in 1997 to learn about its operations, due to Texaco's negotiations to fund a blood bank in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital and a sister city to Houston. A facility in Cypress Fairbanks opens.
• The mission statement is revised in 1998 to “To partner with the community to help save and sustain lives by providing a safe supply of blood, blood components and related services.”
• In 1999, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has been chosen by America's Blood Centers as one of only 12 independent blood bank labs nationwide to participate in clinical trials for a new blood testing protocol. This Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) protocol, designed to quickly identify hepatitis C virus (HCV) in large quantities of donated blood, has previously been used only in research settings and promises faster detection than current antibody tests. HIV NAT is added to routine testing.

2000’s

• MasterControl is implemented in 2000 to enhance document security, streamline electronic file management, and improve control with an electronic routing and approval system. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center began filtering all Red Blood Cell components to remove white blood cells (leukocytes), aiming to reduce the risk of post-transfusion reactions.
• Following the 9/11 disaster in 2001, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center saw an unprecedented outpouring of donors, with many waiting 2 to 3 hours to give blood. Despite the high volume collected, less than 1% of the blood was expired, marking the highest collection month in the Center's history at that time.
• In 2001, Cy-Fair opens a new state-of-the-art facility and introduces donor e-chairs that allows donors to surf the internet, play DVDs. And check their email while donating. Tropical Storm Allison slams into Houston flooding the Texas Medical Center causing severe damage totaling over $2 billion.
• In 2002, The FDA mandated stricter blood donor eligibility requirements to reduce the risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (vCJD) transmission, resulting in Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center losing 6% of eligible donors after implementing the changes on April 1st. Humble NDC opens.
• Two NDCs open: Sugar Land and Clear Lake while HQ gets a remodel in 2003. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is one of three U.S. blood centers participating in pre-clinical trials focused on West Nile virus (WNV), utilizing testing that detects infectious agents in donated blood earlier in the infection cycle, often before donors show symptoms, enhancing blood safety. Commit for Life. is implemented and WNV NAT (West Nile Virus) gets added to routine testing.
• In 2004, Katy NDC opens, The Learning Management System (LMS) brings training to Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, and the Development Department is established to seek charitable contributions to fund priority needs.
• In 2005, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center introduces RBCP automated donations, a process that collects red blood cells equivalent to one whole blood donation and plasma equivalent to two whole blood donations. Trima platelet collections are introduced where donors can donate using one needle. The Woodlands NDC opens.
• In 2006, Bill T. Teague retied after serving 31 years as President and Chief Executive Officer. Brian Gannon was appointed by the Board of Trustees as the second President and Chief Executive Officer. Lufkin NDC opens and the newly established Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation Processing Laboratory has enhanced the efficiency of Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center’s testing and typing operations. It marks the first phase of a $5 million expansion, adding 6,000 square feet to reduce overcrowding, centralize infectious disease testing, and automate many processes with advanced equipment.
• Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center broke ground in 2007 on an 84,707-square-foot complex, which will house Central Supply, Donor Collections, and serve as a staging center for over 5,000 mobile blood drives annually. 16-year-olds are eligible to donate blood. Two new facilities open: Pearland NDC and Champions NDC.
• In 2008, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's new service, thera-pheresis, offers therapeutic apheresis to hospitals and acute care facilities. This technique removes specific blood components, typically plasma, to eliminate disease substances, with the remaining components and a replacement fluid returned to the patient; the extracted components are not used for transfusion. Two new donor coaches are added to its fleet.
• Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center celebrates the grand opening of Baytown NDC, Mobile Operation Complex, and Brazos Valley in 2009. A new testing making blood safer is implemented. The MPX test enhances NAT technology by enabling early detection of hepatitis B, in addition to HIV, HCV, and WNV, improving the screening of whole blood donations for these viruses.

2010’s

• In 2010, a new donor coach is added to the fleet.
• Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has partnered with Dendreon in 2011 to become the exclusive apheresis collection facility in Houston for the PROVENGE® prostate cancer therapy. The Blood Center's new medical apheresis suite will handle leukapheresis procedures for collecting and treating white blood cells, with potential for future expansion in medical apheresis. A new donor coach is added to the fleet.
• In 2012, a new donor coach arrives. Dr. Susan Rossmann, Chief Medical Officer, was elected Vice President of America's Blood Centers (ABC) for a two-year term on March 25 at ABC's annual meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona. Rossmann, who has served on the ABC Board of Directors and as chair of the Scientific, Medical and Technical Committee, has been actively involved in ABC, an organization that leads in donor advocacy, education, policy, quality, and safety.
• In 2013, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center was able to provide platelets for emergencies following the Boston Marathon bombings and the West, Texas explosion. On April 18, the day after the West explosion, the Center collected 1,697 units from nearly 1,600 donors, despite its primary service area being the 26-county Texas Gulf Coast region. A new donor coach arrives.
• By the end of 2014, local bone marrow donors identified as matches will have a new, convenient location at Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's headquarters to make their lifesaving donations. The center, home to the Gulf Coast Marrow Donor Program, has been approved by the National Marrow Donor Program to become an NMDP Network Apheresis Center.
• In 2015, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center launched an updated Commit for Life program to address changing patient needs and better recognize donors for providing essential blood components. The program, emphasizing a "Type Matters" approach, encourages donors to understand the importance of their blood type, donate the most needed components, and commit to future donations.
• In 2016, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center locations now offer on-the-spot blood typing for individuals, requiring only a simple finger stick and a few minutes. The aim is to educate people about their blood type and its importance in meeting patient needs, with the goal of encouraging them to donate and save lives.
• In 2016, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has been approved to participate in a clinical trial to screen for Zika using an investigational test from Roche Diagnostics, ensuring the ability to serve local patients even if Zika transmission occurs, a success made possible by the organization's long-standing partnership with Roche and the dedication of its employees.
• The Blood Flower gets a new look and Cypress NDC opens a new location in 2017. Hurricane Harvey also significantly impacted Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, forcing a four-day halt in collections in the Houston area and prompting nationwide support, including over 2,000 blood products shipped from Carter BloodCare in Dallas. Once collections resumed on August 31, the community responded with over 1,800 donations in a single day, and the blood banking community showed exceptional support, contributing to an employee fund for those affected.
• Be the Match Program goes digital in 2018. Registration events and community engagement activities will continue as planned, but instead of paper forms and on-site swabbing, we will use a digital registration application with a unique GCRBC online code. Donors will register online and then return their swab samples using a postage-paid envelope, streamlining the process and helping individuals make informed decisions about joining the registry.
• In 2019, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center opens a new donor store.

2020’s

• In 2020, COVID 19 Pandemic hits. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center starts collecting convalescent plasma for COVID 19 patients in hospitals.
• In 2021, Marion Schol becomes the first 200-gallon donor, Winter Storm Uri drops 2-4 inches of sleet and snow on Houston and knocks out power to thousands of people in for days impacting collections. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center starts testing blood for COVID 19 antibodies and implements Orsense, a non-invasive and painless way to check homoglobin levels.
• In 2022, a new eco-friendly donor coach is added to its fleet, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center teams up with Blood Centers of America to help provide blood collection and transfusion supplies to Ukraine, Cellular Life Solutions receives FACT accreditation making the facility a premier collection center for cellular therapy products.
• In 2023, a new facility in Brazos Valley opens, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center starts to screen for sickle cell trait in AA donors, The Woodlands NDC expands its facility, CEO and President Brian Gannon retires. The FDA changes its guidance allowing more members of the LGBTQ to donate blood and changes its guidance Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Chief Medical Officer Dr. Susan Rossmann retires.
• In 2024, the board selects Nikhil Nayak to serve as third CEO and President of Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. A new NDC opens in Fulshear, Hurricane Beryl hits Houston knocking out power for hundreds of thousands of residents for a week.