The Tomah Health board of directors has a new chairman. B. Scott Nicol of Tomah was elected to the board seat during the organization’s annual meeting Jan. 21. Nicol had served as board vice chair and replaced chair Greg Gaarder who wrapped up his second, three-year term on the board.
“I look forward to continue working with board members and staff to provide the highest quality patient care for the Tomah area,” said Nicol. “I also look to honor the dreams of those who in February 1950 began the effort to build the first Tomah Memorial Hospital, and to those who in 1990 made the remodeling of the hospital happen and finally to the tremendous community effort to open Tomah Health in 2019.”
Nicol served on the former Tomah Memorial Hospital board of directors from 1990-1996. “I have always been amazed by the dedication and time given by all the volunteer board members that have served Tomah Memorial / Tomah Health. Their love of this community is so evident,” added Nicol.
Gaarder said it was an honor to serve on the board. “I think what I appreciated the most was learning just how difficult it is to have a health care system like Tomah Health in a small rural community,” he said. “It’s easy to be the board chair when things are going so good and at Tomah Health and they really are, and I can’t speak enough about the people. It’s always about the people, and we have top notch people from the top of the organization and throughout.” As for the future of Tomah Health, Gaarder sees continued progress. “I see a lot of work in the future to maintain and be competitive. With everything that’s going on in the world, I don’t know that we have a lot of control over a lot of things when it comes to health care, but certainly I think that’s going to be the biggest issue. Thus far, I think the team here is one step ahead and hopefully they’ll continue to do that,” he added.
Current hospital board member Wes Revels was elected vice chairman replacing Nicol. Sue Playter-Mubarak was reelected secretary while Deb Buswell was reelected treasurer. Tomah resident John Tessmann was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors. The CEO of Band Box Cleaners of Tomah joins current board members, Beth Arity, Diana Gerke, Todd Torkelson, John Robertson, III, M.D. and Jenniefer Drexler, D.O. Robertson and Drexler will serve as medical staff representatives. Both currently serve on the hospital’s Medical Executive Committee which oversees medical practices at Tomah Health.
In 2008, members of the former hospital corporation amended the organization’s Articles of Incorporation to allow for a self-perpetuating board, which relies on a nominating committee of board members and community leaders to nominate the new candidates.
To view the entire Tomah Health Board of Directors, CLICK HERE