"We're going to build a hospital," Studdert, Steven

Stephen Studdert, a Utah County businessman who orchestrated a 120-person "rescue and relief" mission to earthquake-ravaged Haiti, now aspires to help rebuild the country.

He'll leave the business of food, water and housing to others. But the 62-year-old has ambitious plans to tackle the impoverished country's growing health crisis.

"We're going to build a hospital," Studdert said Tuesday. "We're going to build the American Hospital of Haiti."

It's a daunting undertaking, he admits. Studdert, an Alpine resident, has worked for the federal government and managed non-profits, but has no experience in the health care industry. But he says he has the backing of others who do.

With the help of volunteer attorneys and investment gurus, he has created a non-profit, Americans Helping Haiti. Through it, he hopes to raise enough private donations to build a $10 million to $20 million endowment, providing funding for the hospital's construction and long-term operations.

A group is in Haiti now scouting out land to purchase, which Studdert hopes to have under contract later this month. A Utah engineer has drawn up preliminary plans. "We're well on our way to opening the hospital next January in time for the quake's one-year anniversary," he said. Read Full Story