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Key to Leading: Blues, Barbecue, and Finding the Good in People
“Back in the 70s there was a group of black ambulance attendants called the Hunton Lifesaving Crew based in Roanoke, VA. I went to church with one of the attendants who arranged for me to visit the rescue squad building. From there it seems to be a passion that grew into a calling.”
Sherwin Stewart, Vice President of Operations at Sentara CarePlex Hospital, began his healthcare career back in 1989 while a senior in high school when he joined the Hollins Road Volunteer Fire Department. Through service and education, he earned his paramedic license and was recruited to Jackson, Mississippi. He quickly rose through the ranks, being promoted from a field paramedic to the county’s 911 EMS Call Center Communications Manager.
While in this position he realized he had a passion to teach, and just like he had done as a paramedic, Sherwin rose quickly through the ranks of academia. At a local career college Sherwin went from adjunct professor to Director of Allied Health Programs and was soon promoted to Dean of Academics and later Campus Director.
How does someone move from academic leadership to hospital leadership?
As fate would have it, B.B. King’s Blues Club Memphis in Tennessee serves up more than blues and barbeque. In 2011, Sherwin was at the restaurant when he ran into an old college classmate who happened to be the CEO of Central Mississippi Medical Center. He asked Sherwin to come work for him as an Executive Assistant Administrator for the entire hospital and the rest is history.
Sherwin uses this story to highlight the importance of building relationships and creating a network of opportunities. Sherwin credits one of his mentors, Dr. Phil Jackson, as being the reason he started his Doctoral program and also a key factor in his career progression. Phil is the President of Sentara Albemarle Medical Center and he was also my CEO at Erlanger Health System East Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Phil loves Sentara and introduced me to the organization.
I joined Sentara because of their reputation of excellence in clinical healthcare, but also because of their commitment to their employees. Lastly, my goal is to become a CEO and they embraced that vision for me.” He adds, “I have found that outside of the academic preparation and the work, developing relationships has been my greatest aid to success. Being a good person and recognizing the good in people is key to leading others.”
Key to Leading: Blues, Barbecue, and Finding the Good in People
“Back in the 70s there was a group of black ambulance attendants called the Hunton Lifesaving Crew based in Roanoke, VA. I went to church with one of the attendants who arranged for me to visit the rescue squad building. From there it seems to be a passion that grew into a calling.”
Sherwin Stewart, Vice President of Operations at Sentara CarePlex Hospital, began his healthcare career back in 1989 while a senior in high school when he joined the Hollins Road Volunteer Fire Department. Through service and education, he earned his paramedic license and was recruited to Jackson, Mississippi. He quickly rose through the ranks, being promoted from a field paramedic to the county’s 911 EMS Call Center Communications Manager.
While in this position he realized he had a passion to teach, and just like he had done as a paramedic, Sherwin rose quickly through the ranks of academia. At a local career college Sherwin went from adjunct professor to Director of Allied Health Programs and was soon promoted to Dean of Academics and later Campus Director.
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