Attempting to capture Gary’s legacy at The Health Management Academy in words is an impossible task, as it is truly immeasurable. Twenty-five years ago, he and our co-founder, Sherrie Jones, acted on a beautifully simple idea: health system and industry executives would require a deep, trusted, and wide community of peers to serve as a source of support and preparation for the industry transformation they knew was on the horizon.
For 20 years, Gary dedicated himself to bringing that vision to life.
Through Academy events he challenged industry thinking on vital topics and facilitated connections that are the foundation of some of the most important partnerships in healthcare today.
Through Academy leadership development programs, he helped create a platform that many senior executives describe as the most significant and formative development opportunity of their careers.
Through Academy research, he helped shape the strategies and direction of numerous organizations across the industry today.
Through all of this work, Gary made tremendous efforts to cultivate profound and meaningful relationships with our members. Many of our health system and industry members became his closest friends and confidants; it was truly his community.
Remembering Gary as an Interviewer
Gary was a prolific interviewer and thought leader, always able to draw out insights in conversations on stage and on camera. To honor his legacy, we wanted to share a few of our favorites:
However, that is only part of the story.
To fully comprehend Gary’s legacy, we must also look to all the exceptional leaders he touched who have worked at The Academy. Over the years, Gary attracted immense talent to The Health Management Academy and excited them on our compelling mission. Once in their roles, he exhibited an unbelievable passion for mentoring, teaching, coaching, and giving them significant opportunities to develop relationships with our members and influence the industry. Many of our colleagues fondly recall joining him at his favorite Italian restaurant by our old office in Old Town Alexandria for evenings of stories, laughter, and advice that continue to shape the way they show up today.
Gary’s passing is a tremendous loss to our industry, to The Academy, and to all of us who knew and loved him. Please keep Gary’s family and loved ones in your thoughts during this difficult time. His family has also created this memorial site for those who knew him well to share fond memories and reflections.
As we celebrate The Health Management Academy’s 25-year anniversary, we will continue to build on the foundation that he laid and move forward with the same commitment to excellence that he embodied. We look forward to a proper celebration of his life with our members at events across the year.