I made the decision in April 2021 that I was ready to retire from hospital executive leadership. After a very fulfilling 41 year career – I just knew it was time. Against the advise of retirement coaches, I did not have a set target date out in the future, nor did I have a predefined next chapter that I was ready to move on to – I just knew it was time. So, on June 1, 2021 I thanked an awesome team, turned in my keys and badge, and said goodbye. It was not an easy thing to do!
I spent the summer doing all the things extra time gives you. I caught up on miscellaneous projects around the house, got in some extra bicycle miles, and became our dog’s constant walking companion. Most importantly, my wife Kathy and I set out on a road trip adventure to see places we have not seen before. Our route took us west to see friends in New Mexico, then north through Colorado, and finally to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Fifteen days and 3700 miles later, we made it home safe and sound with wonderful memories.
Road trips like that give you a lot of windshield time to think. A lot of time to think about “what’s next?”. I had no second thoughts or regrets about my decision to retire from hospital leadership. But I found myself returning again and again to thoughts about how can I give back to an industry that had given me so much. After settling in from our trip, I reached out to my long time friend and colleague, Jim Wiederhold to pick his brain for ideas. As Jim does so well, he pressed me to think about the things that bring me joy and fulfillment and put those things in the forefront of my thought process. To make a long story short, I recognized that mentoring and helping others find their path forward had always been at the center of my career accomplishments. My next chapter, “giving back”, would be defined by helping preserve great talent for the healthcare industry.
With that mission in mind, I was honored to be asked by Jim to join his Career Transition Specialist team and support his clients through the Transition Program and provide situational coaching along the way. Having personally benefited from the program twice over the years and being an active member of the Wiederhold network, I did not hesitate to say yes!
I am several months and several clients into my new chapter. Giving back by helping to preserve great talent for the healthcare industry has been more personally and professionally gratifying than I had imagined!