Published: July 01, 2009 11:35 am      

Jerri Quillman, first woman executive vice president at Floyd Memorial Hospital in New Albany, retires

A fitting tribute

Jerri Quillman didn’t learn about handling construction bids or working with architects in nursing school. But it’s a hat she has worn many times as executive vice president of Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services.

During the last 20 years, Quillman has headed up all of the construction projects at the hospital including the most recent $65 million endeavor which included a heart center, new intensive care unit and emergency room.

“I’ve learned a lot about construction over the years,” Quillman said.

And even though Quillman has been making the drive from home to Floyd Memorial each day for the past 27 years, she said pulling into the parking lot makes her feel like a proud parent.

“Every morning when I pull in I say, ‘boy, that looks good,’” she said smiling. “We have gone from a community hospital to a regional hospital.”

Tuesday was Quillman’s last day at the hospital. At 62, she has decided to retire to spend more time with family, including her grandchildren in Texas.

“I thought I would go a little longer, but I wanted to retire while I still have the energy to do other stuff,” she said.

Quillman has served as director of nursing, vice president of nursing and professional services, and in July 1989, became the first woman in the history of the hospital to become senior vice president and chief operating officer. She now has the title executive vice president.

“It was definitely a goal to get into administration,” she said. “I thought that would be a way to have a little more control over things and have a chance to make some changes.”

She has not only left her mark on the hospital, but on the employees as well.

“She was a forward thinker and a visionary,” said Sue Terrell, manager of ITS services at the hospital, during a reception in Quillman’s honor Tuesday. “She has done an excellent job with the construction projects. She has involved every department she needed to involve.”

Mark Shugarman, president and CEO of FMH, said Quillman has “been a fixture” at the hospital.

“She was a huge part of the hospital,” he said. “She was on the forefront of women in hospital administration. She definitely leaves some hard shoes to fill.”

During her tenure at the hospital, Quillman received numerous awards including the Dean’s Award from the IUS School of Nursing, the New Albany Business and Professional Women organization’s Women of Achievement Award, and “Today’s Women” magazine’s most admired woman in healthcare in 2005.

“Jerri is a credit to this hospital and to this community,” said Claud Millican, former chairman of the FMH board of directors. “She has earned everything she has gotten.”

Quillman said she will miss the people at the hospital the most, many of whom have become close friends through the years. She said not having to worry about deadlines, budgets and alarm clocks will be strange at first. She also said she may want to work in the healthcare field again, but not anytime soon.

“After 27 years, this is your identity,” she said. “I will just have to get a new interest in life.”

Vickie Smith, director of women and children’s services, came to the hospital the same year Quillman did in 1982. She said as a boss, Quillman was always open and supportive.

“She was always fair,” she said. “She has been someone for me to model my career after.”