If you see Toni Gary crisscrossing campus, she likely has a giant check tucked under her arm with lots of zeros.

And it’s very likely that that check is going to benefit some aspect of pediatric care at Upstate Medical University.

In her 25-year career at Upstate, Gary has helped to raise more than $40 million for all things kids at Upstate.

This is why she is being honored for Career Achievement at Central New York Business Journal Nonprofit award celebration March 26.  The award honors individuals for “their lifetime commitment to advocating for nonprofit organizations and dedicating their time and resources for the common good of the community.”

From her start in 2000 as a development director to her promotion in 2015 to assistant vice president for community relations and development, Gary’s work has been instrumental in securing critical funding for both the hospital and the Upstate Foundation.

The list of events and activities that bear Gary’s influence include a range of fundraising events, annual campaigns, capital and endowment drives, such as the Children’s Hospital and Upstate Cancer Center capital campaigns, Radiothon for Kids, the Upstate Open, and Call In for Cancer and campaigns for such critical programs like the Dr. William J. Waters Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders and the Golisano Center for Special Needs.

A key initiative of Gary’s career was recognizing the growth potential of the Upstate Foundation beyond Syracuse. In 2014, she was instrumental in expanding fundraising efforts into the Southern Tier, a region that sends children to the Children’s Hospital each year. Her efforts in building relationships with community leaders and raising awareness for the hospital’s services in that region have made a lasting impact on both the Upstate Foundation and the communities it serves.

Gary also has been among those giving. She and her husband, Rick, have supported numerous Foundation funds including the Children’s Hospital Annual Fund to the Pediatric Palliative Care Fund, Children’s Hospital Campaign, the Crisis Management & Trauma Response Program Fund, and others.

Eileen Pezzi, Upstate vice president for development and executive director of the Upstate Foundation, said Gary’s career achievement honor is a fitting exclamation point on a celebrated career.

“Toni has not only transformed the lives of countless children and families but has also helped to elevate the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital to national prominence,” Pezzi noted. “The millions of dollars raised under her leadership have directly impacted the care and services provided to pediatric patients in Central New York, the Southern Tier, and beyond.

“Toni’s career has been defined by a singular mission: to make life better for children and families facing health challenges.”

Caption: Toni Gary, left, oversees a check presentation with Paige's Butterfly Run's Chris Arnold, right, to support pediatric services. Also participating are Paige Yeoman's Arnold Endowed Professor Melanie Comito, MD, and Pediatrics Chief Gregory Conners, MD, MPH, MBA.