VOL. 133 | NO. 118 | Wednesday, June 13, 2018
MEMPHIS NEWSMAKERS
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Schowen Named Manager Of Baptist Ambulance
By Kate Simone
Greg Schowen has been named general manager of Baptist Ambulance, a member of the Priority Ambulance family of companies that currently serves 10 Baptist Memorial Health Care facilities with interfacility transport, as well as six communities with 911 response. Schowen brings 25 years of experience overseeing operations for emergency medical service providers in high-performance 911 service areas, including Los Angeles County, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Hometown: Duarte, California
Experience: I have worked in EMS for more than 25 years. I began my career in Los Angeles County as an emergency medical technician in 1992. My experience includes five years in the fire service, and multiple disaster EMS deployments to include hurricanes, wildland fires and hospital evacuations.
After I advanced through field positions, I held several operations management positions in Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County and Las Vegas. While serving in Las Vegas, I was involved in one of the largest, most impactful responses during the mass shooting at the Route 91 festival in October of last year.
My diverse experience in operations and building relationships with communities and partners has prepared me with a wealth of knowledge that I am excited to bring to Baptist Ambulance.
What talent do you wish you had? Being able to be in two places at once would be a valuable talent for EMS. There is always action and something to do to help improve.
Who has had the greatest influence on you and why? My family has always supported me through the good and bad times. They truly are my biggest fans and without them, I couldn’t have accomplished what I have.
Tell us a little about Baptist Ambulance and who it serves. In March 2017, Priority Ambulance signed a master services agreement with Baptist Memorial Health Care to become the medical transport partner across its hospital network. Today, Baptist Ambulance serves 10 Baptist Memorial Health Care facilities with interfacility transport, as well as six communities with 911 response.
Baptist Ambulance has more than 40 ambulances and serves approximately 30,000 patients each year in West Tennessee and Mississippi. Baptist Ambulance has also located its ambulance dispatch center within the Baptist Patient Placement Center to increase efficiencies, allowing hospital staff to find an open bed, receiving physician and arrange medical transport with one call. Baptist Ambulance is a member of Priority Ambulance, one of the fastest-growing private ambulance services in the country.
What attracted you to the company? Priority Ambulance has a national footprint with a family environment that focuses on employees and their development. Every member of the family of companies, like Baptist Ambulance, receive the national resources and support they need while having the flexibility to make decisions locally. This keeps decision-making close to the customers and patients they serve and ensures we serve our communities the best way possible. The Priority way of doing business will lead them to continued success, and I want to be a part of that growth.
What are your goals in your new position? My initial goal is to integrate myself into the current environment. I have been blessed with a great team here that I look forward to working with to increase efficiencies and focus on employee development.
Your experience includes overseeing operations in Los Angeles County and Las Vegas. How does Memphis compare in terms of volume? Baptist Ambulance focuses solely on interfacility transports between Baptist facilities in the Memphis market. Our volume is similar to other large health care systems in markets where I have worked previously like Los Angeles County and Las Vegas.
Baptist Memorial Health Care is a health care leader in the community, and we are fortunate to be partnered with a patient-focused, forward-thinking agency. The business model with Baptist and Priority is one-of-a-kind and lays the foundation for success.
What are the most common types of calls in Memphis? How do they match up with the most common calls in other places you’ve worked? The calls coming from Baptist Memorial Health Care are similar in nature to other hospital systems that I have worked in and are primarily transfers within the Baptist network to attend appointments and see specialists. The partnership between Baptist and Priority also includes a 24-hour specialty care unit that serves the Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children’s Hospital. This pediatric critical care unit is equipped with specialized equipment for the most critically ill pediatric patients and is used for patient transfers to Baptist Children’s as a significant referring facility for pediatrics in the Baptist area.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment? I consider my greatest accomplishment to have evolved into a transformational leader. Becoming a manager that leads with passion and true concern of the workforce’s well-being has made me a better leader and person.
What do you most enjoy about your work? A day in the life in EMS is never the same. Our business is fluid and evolving. One day can be in the office, and the next in the field. It constantly changes and the demands differ.
If you could give one piece of advice to young people, what would it be? I would advise the upcoming generation to trust the process and learn to overcome adversity. In life and business, there will be times of failure. Learning how to respond to that is crucial to long-term success and reaching your goals.
Jeff Waid has joined Baptist Ambulance as communications director. In his new role, he will oversee the Baptist Ambulance Dispatch Center, which handles more than 45,000 calls for service every year. Waid has more than 30 years of experience in operating advanced communications and dispatch centers for public safety services, as well as other industries. He also has experience in technical project management, software development and design, business analysis and deployment.
Dr. Leslie L. Robison of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital recently received the inaugural Northwestern Mutual Award for Excellence in Childhood Cancer Survivorship, presented by the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Northwestern Mutual Foundation. Robison currently serves as chair of St. Jude’s Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, associate director of the St. Jude Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Center and as a St. Jude faculty member.
Playhouse on the Square has added three new staff members:
• Marcus Cox, director of community outreach, comes to Playhouse from Seasons 52 Restaurant in Memphis, where he served as staffing and training manager. Cox graduated from The University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre performance.
• Morgan Corlew, production stage manager, recently graduated from Tennessee Tech University. Corlew has served as an associate company member at Playhouse on the Square for the past year.
• Justin Gibson, resident lighting designer/master electrician, recently graduated from East Carolina University with a dual degree in lighting/sound design, as well as stage/production management. Before coming to Playhouse, Gibson spent the past five summers at the Ohio Light Opera in Wooster, Ohio.
Rhodes College recently honored four employees with its 2018 Outstanding Staff Awards:
• Fred Garrett, sergeant in campus safety, Outstanding Administrative Services Staff Award.
• Liz Hvasta, administrative assistant II in student life, Outstanding Administrative Staff Award.
• Tim Lucas, associate director of physical plant, Outstanding Administrator Award.
• Nikki Moore, senior director of college events and leadership, Outstanding Administrator Award. President Donald Trump recently appointed James A. Reeder as a member of the Mississippi River Commission. Reeder, who serves as project director for the nonprofit Memphis River Parks Partnership, is only the third civilian from Tennessee ever appointed to the commission.
Tennessee Wildlife Federation named Wolf River Conservancy its Conservation Organization of the Year at the 53rd annual Conservation Achievement Awards. The conservancy was recognized for accomplishments such as successfully conserving one of the last remaining areas of unprotected shoreline frontage and for construction of the Wolf River Greenway trail system.