Business/Money
Related Photos
Discussion
Jerri Quillman, first woman executive vice president at Floyd Memorial Hospital in New Albany, retires
A fitting tribute
Jerri Quillman didn’t learn about handling construction bids or working with architects in nursing school. But it’s a hat she has worn many times as executive vice president of Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services.
During the last 20 years, Quillman has headed up all of the construction projects at the hospital including the most recent $65 million endeavor which included a heart center, new intensive care unit and emergency room.
“I’ve learned a lot about construction over the years,” Quillman said.
And even though Quillman has been making the drive from home to Floyd Memorial each day for the past 27 years, she said pulling into the parking lot makes her feel like a proud parent.
“Every morning when I pull in I say, ‘boy, that looks good,’” she said smiling. “We have gone from a community hospital to a regional hospital.”
Tuesday was Quillman’s last day at the hospital. At 62, she has decided to retire to spend more time with family, including her grandchildren in Texas.
“I thought I would go a little longer, but I wanted to retire while I still have the energy to do other stuff,” she said.
Quillman has served as director of nursing, vice president of nursing and professional services, and in July 1989, became the first woman in the history of the hospital to become senior vice president and chief operating officer. She now has the title executive vice president.
“It was definitely a goal to get into administration,” she said. “I thought that would be a way to have a little more control over things and have a chance to make some changes.”
She has not only left her mark on the hospital, but on the employees as well.
“She was a forward thinker and a visionary,” said Sue Terrell, manager of ITS services at the hospital, during a reception in Quillman’s honor Tuesday. “She has done an excellent job with the construction projects. She has involved every department she needed to involve.”
Mark Shugarman, president and CEO of FMH, said Quillman has “been a fixture” at the hospital.
“She was a huge part of the hospital,” he said. “She was on the forefront of women in hospital administration. She definitely leaves some hard shoes to fill.”
During her tenure at the hospital, Quillman received numerous awards including the Dean’s Award from the IUS School of Nursing, the New Albany Business and Professional Women organization’s Women of Achievement Award, and “Today’s Women” magazine’s most admired woman in healthcare in 2005.
“Jerri is a credit to this hospital and to this community,” said Claud Millican, former chairman of the FMH board of directors. “She has earned everything she has gotten.”
Quillman said she will miss the people at the hospital the most, many of whom have become close friends through the years. She said not having to worry about deadlines, budgets and alarm clocks will be strange at first. She also said she may want to work in the healthcare field again, but not anytime soon.
“After 27 years, this is your identity,” she said. “I will just have to get a new interest in life.”
Vickie Smith, director of women and children’s services, came to the hospital the same year Quillman did in 1982. She said as a boss, Quillman was always open and supportive.
“She was always fair,” she said. “She has been someone for me to model my career after.”
- Business/Money
-
-
Zombie flick to be shot in downtown New Albany Sept. 19
The extras will be needed from 2 to 4 p.m. as filming winds down.
-
Questions arise over fairness of New Albany’s insurance replacement plan
Officials are hopeful that 75 percent of city workers will sign-up for an HSA plan for 2011 and 85 percent in 2012 as a way to balance the general fund which has been in the negative since 2003.
-
Facelift planned for part of Market Street in Jeffersonville
Crouch said the entire road is being redone from sidewalk to sidewalk and local traffic can use rear-alley to access their homes.
-
Three Southern Indiana men charged in Kentucky home invasion
The husband then followed the suspect into Indiana where the Jeffersonville Police Department intercepted the vehicle.
-
Annexation fight begins: With one vote remaining, New Albany City Council hears other side of annexation story
“Annexation was never some secret kept under a basket,” Malysz said.
-
Agency sees surge in small-flock egg producers
None of the half-billion recalled eggs originated in Indiana, but they were distributed here to a number of groceries and restaurants.
-
New Albany hopes to spur HSA insurance participation with one-time stipend
He estimated the HSA stipends would cost the city about $260,000, adding the future financial solvency for New Albany’s public municipal sector relies heavily on the new insurance offering.
-
Talk on alternatives to bridges project delayed
“Since the 8664 plan is inconsistent with the record-of-decision, the authority is not considering it as an alternative, despite how Sandra Frazier’s comment may have been interpreted by some to the contrary.”
-
Crowe gets 18 months for defrauding Clarksville
Clarksville had a contract with Jubilee from 2000 and 2007 but has gotten a new fuel provider since.
-
GREEN ACRES: Indiana played key role in study of livestock-generated pollution
Five of those farms are located in Indiana.
- More Business/Money Headlines
-
Zombie flick to be shot in downtown New Albany Sept. 19
