UNMC leadership team makes historic trek across Nebraska

In North Platte, UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., College of Pharmacy Dean Clarence Ueda Pharm.D., Ph.D., and College of Nursing Dean Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., meet with Cindy Bradley, CEO of the Great Plains Regional Medical Center.

It was a historic trip – two days, four speaking stops, 32 media interviews and more than 1,000 miles.

In what is believed to be the largest group of University of Nebraska leaders to ever go out as a group across the state, 10 UNMC administrators piled into two vans on April 28 and 29 and went from Omaha to Scottsbluff and back on a landmark goodwill tour.

The UNMC team included Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., Rubens Pamies, M.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean for graduate studies, Bob Bartee, executive assistant to the chancellor, and the deans of four UNMC colleges – John Reinhardt, D.D.S., College of Dentistry, John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., College of Medicine, Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc, College of Nursing, and Clarence Ueda, Ph.D., Pharm.D., College of Pharmacy.

“I wanted to introduce the newest members of our administrative team to Greater Nebraska,” Dr. Maurer said. “Drs. Pamies, Gollan and Tilden have all started their jobs in the past year, and I wanted the state to see what a terrific leadership team we have.

In Scottsbluff, College of Medicine Dean John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., and UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., talk with Henry “Hod” Kosman, a former member of the UNMC Board of Counselors.

“In addition, we wanted to send a message. This was all about saying thank you. UNMC has a presence in more than 130 communities across the state. We depend on health professionals in these communities to provide their expertise and facilities to insure that our students and resident physicians receive the hands-on training they will need in their chosen health profession.”

The group left Omaha at 6:30 a.m. on April 28 and stopped in North Platte around 11 a.m. to tour the Great Plains Regional Medical Center and meet with hospital administrators. Lunch with the North Platte Rotary Club was next. As would become the norm for each stop, Dr. Maurer made some brief remarks, then asked each of member of his leadership team to say a few words about how Greater Nebraska communities play a key role in the UNMC mission.

The program was extremely well received. “It has come back to me from a number of people that it was an outstanding program,” said Wes Grady, a North Platte businessman who is a member of the UNMC Board of Counselors. “It was great to have the deans and chancellor come to our community and tell us what is going on at the university. It was wonderful seeing that the deans have the same dreams and visions as the chancellor and that UNMC has a great leadership team that is dedicated to becoming a world-class medical center.”

Rubens Pamies, M.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs, shares UNMC news with the North Platte Rotary.

The next stop was Scottsbluff and a quick meeting with administrators at Regional West Medical Center before a reception at the West Nebraska Division of the UNMC College of Nursing.

“A visit like this is very important,” said Jim Massey of Scottsbluff. “We feel that it’s terribly important any time you can bridge the East/West void that we feel exists. It does wonderful things for the whole university. We don’t get enough of that kind of contact – ever. We’re proud of our hospital here, and we love to show it off to people.”

From left, Bob Bartee, Harold M. Maurer, M.D., John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., Cindy Bradley of the Great Plains Regional Medical Center, Rubens Pamies, M.D., Cynthia Way of the Great Plains Regional Medical Center, John Reinhardt, D.D.S., Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., and Clarence Ueda, Pharm.D., Ph.D.

Massey is a former member of the UNMC Board of Counselors and a founding board member in 1997 when University Hospital and Clarkson Hospital merged to form Nebraska Health System (now called The Nebraska Medical Center). Massey’s father-in-law, the late J.G. Elliott, was a member of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. Each year, UNMC gives out the J.G. Elliott Award to recognize health professionals who have made a difference in the state.

After an overnight stay in Scottsbluff, the group was back on the road at 6:30 a.m. on April 29. The next destination was Holdrege, thanks in large part to the persuasive abilities of Roy Pearson, an 84-year-old Holdrege business icon who continues to serve on the UNMC Board of Counselors.

“Nobody says no to Roy,” Pearson quipped. “We felt it was a terrific compliment to Holdrege for the UNMC delegation to stop here. Our population is under 6,000 – much smaller than the other stops on the tour. This was the first time we have ever had a delegation from any part of the university system like this.”

Dorothy and Jim Massey meet with UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., in Scottsbluff.

In Holdrege, the UNMC group spoke to the Holdrege Rotary Club at lunch, then toured Phelps Memorial Health Center and the High Plains Family Medicine Clinic with Pearson and his assistant, Mary Stephenson, doing the escort.

After finishing the Holdrege stop, the two vans separated – one headed to the medical clinic in Doniphan, Neb., where many UNMC students and resident physicians receive their training; the other took off for a tour of Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings.
The group came back together for an evening reception at Lochland Country Club in Hastings. More than 120 business and medical professionals from the Hastings community turned out for the event.

“I’ve had a lot of great comments on how fantastic it was to intermingle with the chancellor and the deans,” said Tom Hastings, president of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce. “Everyone was very open and cordial, and the brief presentations given by each of the UNMC leaders provided a fantastic update of what’s going on.

“Many people told me afterwards they didn’t realize all the things going on at UNMC. We’ve had really positive feedback from everybody.”

UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., with Ron Karr, left, administrator of Educational Service Unit No. 11 in Holdrege, and Roy Pearson, right, a member of the UNMC Board of Counselors.

Throughout the trip, media interest was high in covering the unprecedented delegation of UNMC administrators. Thanks to the work of Vicky Cerino, senior media specialist in UNMC Public Affairs Department, a total of 32 interviews were conducted with each of the key administrators doing at least four interviews.

The trip was planned by Sandy Goetzinger-Comer, director of UNMC Public Affairs Department.

“Sandy did an incredible job of putting the trip together,” said Bartee. “It literally took weeks of preparation. Things really came together like clockwork.”

The drivers of the two vans were Rick Boldt, facilities management, and Tom O’Connor, public affairs.

From left: Dental hygiene students Kelsey Dorsey, Heather Howell, College of Dentistry Dean John Reinhardt, D.D.S., instructor Todd Junge, Shari Printz and Sara Lien.

The vans rolled into Omaha around 10 p.m. on April 29 after two long, but memorable, days.

Dr. Maurer was pleased with the historic trip. “It was a wonderful experience,” he said. “It’s something we plan to do again in the future. There is nothing better than going out and meeting people face-to-face. It truly sends a strong message that you care and appreciate what Greater Nebraska communities provide to the Medical Center.”