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| Biographical Information |
I'm a native Virginian currently residing in Virginia Beach. Norfolk, Va was called home for thirty plus years. Though much of my life has been spent in the Hampton Roads area, my early years were spent in Richmond, Virginia. During high school and college summers, I worked as a camp counselor in Maine and then as an Operating Room Technician at the Medical College of Virginia. My college years were spent in our nation's capital, Washington, DC, attending Georgetown University). GU provided a superb foundation for all aspects of my future life. Immediately after graduation, I was able to have an extended visit with my parents who were stationed in New Delhi, India.
Upon returning to the States, and while enrolled in graduate school, Uncle Sam extended his "Greetings". This led to my spending four years in Rhode Island, Texas, and Florida training and, finally, flying with Heavy Attack Squadron Five (VAH-5) as a Naval Flight Officer (A3D "Skywarrior" Bombardier / Navigator). A "Med" cruise aboard the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) during the Cuban missile crisis rounded out my military career (A3D page). Shortly thereafter, I entered a two year course of studies at the Medical College of Virginia (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia where I was awarded a Master of Hospital Administration degree.
I then spent eighteen years with the Sentara Health System in Norfolk, Virginia. After serving as an Assistant and Associate Administrator at Sentara Norfolk General, I was appointed Administrator of the Sentara Leigh Hospital. Six years later, I became president of Sentara's newly established Health Services Corporation. Involvement with the system's medical staff, Norfolk General's emergency, trauma, and critical / tertiary care services, the construction and start-up of the new 256 bed Sentara Leigh Memorial, and developing the Nightingale Air Ambulance service (one of the earliest in the nation) were especially rewarding phases of the years spent with Sentara.
In 1985, I formed E. M. Holmes & Associates and began consulting in those areas of health care that I both valued and felt were needed (see next section). A four year pause in active consulting occurred when I was recruited to join the senior management of HUP—the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia. This time was spent setting up the "PennSTAR" project—i.e., developing and putting "on line" the Trauma service and Flight Program, their supporting facilities, and their associated educational / research components.
Sometime in 2002, after some forty years of intense but rewarding work, I decided it was time to "smell the roses"! I can't say I've fully retired as I am now pursuing efforts the past never allowed time to enjoy. These efforts involve friends, photography, aviation and computer graphics. Life continues to be an adventure!
In ending this narrative, the "best is saved for the last". I have two young adult children. Sarah is a graduate of Mary Washington College and is currently working for the Blue Cross / Blue Shield of Florida in Jacksonville, FL. She previously worked in London, England for three and a half years. Ted, after serving four years with the US Marines, graduated from the Univ. of Florida with a degree in Engineering. He is working for a major construction firm building a large interchange project and is also in Jacksonville. Ted married a special gal - Leah Barbee - Oct. 4, 2004. All three are real joys, anchor points, and sources of pride.
Two very special additions have joined our family - Anna Nottingham - who arrived June 16, 2006 and recently Mary Grace - Oct. 16, 2008! My sister, Daily Stern, and I were blessed with two very special parents - our father, a physician, passed away Feb. 26, 1971 and our mother, Sep. 22, 1999.
For early family photos, click here for a Family SLIDE SHOW .
| E. M. Holmes & Associates |
The years spent in health care consulting have covered a rich and diverse range of projects—often involving aeromedical, critical care, and new and innovative types of services. Most engagements have required a range of efforts: financial impact / justification studies, outreach / marketing plans, and development and implementation of new service concepts. In the aeromedical sector, several trend-setting innovations were implemented in aircraft configurations.
A personally rewarding engagement involved participation as the only health professional on a team designing / developing a "one-of-a-kind" health service / facility in Moscow, Russia. A unique effort involved work on a "Flying Hospital" project—a L-1011 jumbo jet equipped as a surgical facility. Recently, and for an extended period, time was spent on determining the feasibility of building a freestanding, full service emergency center on the Outer Banks, N.C.. Over the years, I refined two concepts for the future—a rapid transport hub / spoke plan to replace small rural hospitals and a swing floor hospital / hotel design for emerging countries. Thus far, projects have been undertaken in twelve states and as far afield from Virginia as Hawaii, Russia and Mexico.
During my career, I've participated in numerous activities on the local, regional, state and national levels, had several articles published in professional journals, and made countless presentations on health, emergency service, and aeromedical related topics. A long-term interest has been safety issues in the aeromedical industry. To this end, I maintained a comprehensive data base covering all American aeromedical helicopter accidents from 1972 to 2000.
| Interests & Hobbies |
| Making things happen — its better than just watching! | Good People — they are the salt of the earth! |
| Past Work - health care, demanding but rewarding | Good Food - is better than the alternative |
| Writing - its a love / hate thing | Boating - past mistress—a 32' Luhrs flybridge twin |
| Computers - graphic / photo processing | Photography - capturing beauty, memories, and history |
| Aviation - Naval aviation left its mark | Good Movies - effortless relaxation |
| The Outdoors - a real change of pace | Classical Music - .....because its classical |
| Computer Activities |
As this page is on the internet, it is appropriate to mention some computer activities.
