Mission Health announces initial board for Dogwood Health Trust

Press release from Mission Health:

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (August 23, 2018): Dogwood Health Trust (“Dogwood”), a recently formed North Carolina nonprofit, private non-operating foundation, announces additions to its initial Board of Directors. Dogwood Health Trust will become operational only if the contemplated transaction between HCA Healthcare and Mission Health is finalized.

“When selecting Board members, we’ve taken into account skill, competence, willingness, time and capacity to serve as well as geographic diversity,” said Janice Brumit, Founding Chair of the Dogwood Health Trust. “Most importantly, Board members must have a firm commitment to our bold mission to dramatically improve the health and wellbeing of all people and communities in Western North Carolina and understand they do not serve on behalf of any particular geography, but rather as a fiduciary steward to ensure that Dogwood’s mission is achieved for everyone in every community across this region.”

In addition to Ms. Brumit as its Chair, Jack Cecil, President of Biltmore Farms, will serve as Dogwood Health Trust’s Vice Chair. The other selected Board members are:

• John R. Ball, MD, JD (Buncombe County)
• Michell Hicks, CPA (Qualla Boundary)
• Sam Lupas (Jackson County)
• George Renfro (Buncombe County)
• Robert C. Roberts (Buncombe County)
• Wyatt S. Stevens, JD (Buncombe County)
• Martha Tyner (Yancey County)

Ms. Brumit, Mr. Cecil and the seven other initial Board members will select the additional directors as the Dogwood Health Trust develops its vision and strategic plan. An on-line process has been established to receive nominations. Currently, there are Board members from Buncombe County, Jackson County, Yancey County and the Qualla Boundary, and Dogwood anticipates building an initial board of 12 to 15 members comprised of members residing throughout the region. Board members’ terms will be staggered to allow for ongoing change over time.

Under Ms. Brumit’s leadership, the Board will embark on a multi-year process preparing to achieve its purpose, including becoming fully educated about the history and lessons learned from prior healthcare conversion foundations, obtaining all necessary approvals required for operation, developing appropriate staff and infrastructure, and carefully assessing both the strengths and needs of all people and communities across the 18 counties of western North Carolina. Dogwood’s goal is to partner with local non-profit organizations to analyze, understand and address core social determinants of health and well-being for the people and communities of western North Carolina, including helping local organizations build or expand their capacity to be effective collaborators within their own communities.

“What we have learned from numerous others with deep experience in this area is that the single most important thing for the Board to do at this stage is to be deliberate, focused, strategic and not driven by an artificial timeline,” Ms. Brumit said. “The activity associated with creating and eventually operating Dogwood Health Trust will involve engaging the community in a collaborative, multi-year process.”

Further information will be made available at an event scheduled for September 30, 2018. In the meantime, Dogwood Health Trust Board members will continue basic structural work and accept applications for potential Board members. Criteria and the nomination application are available at: www.DogwoodHealthTrust.org.