Random Thoughts

Just few weeks ago, I encouraged you to support the West Boca High School Chorus’ effort to raise $8,000 for their music program.

You responded and within hours of my appeal, they exceed their target by more than $1,000. Thank you. That’s the Boca Raton spirit. We can always rely on you to support our youth, especially in times of need.

A Star Among us

Speaking of supporting our youth, kudos to Jamael Stewart, a former Omni Middle and Olympic Heights High graduate who was recently at Bethune Cookman University’s homecoming honored as a rising star under 40.

Stewart, who grew up in the public housing complex in Delray Beach, used a football scholarship as his ticket to then Bethune-Cookman College. And ever since he graduated in 2005, he has been making waves whether in Miami-Dade County, the Bahamas or in Delray Beach.

Shortly after he returned home, Stewart teamed up with his cousin, T.J. Jackson, and founded the nonprofit Prep & Sports Inc., which invests in young athletes through academic support, skill-building and mentoring. Jackson, who also played football, is head football coach at Atlantic High School.

Prep & Sports Inc. uses trained teachers to help students prepare for the SAT, and assist with reading, and honing math skills, while former and current NFL players practice alongside them on the field.

After nine years of working for Breakthrough Miami, a nonprofit that prepares middle school students for college, Stewart returned to his roots in 2016 and has been changing lives for the better since. As assistant community improvement director for the city, he has literally been doing that – improving his community.

He has used his story to inspire countless young people.

I am proud and pleased to share that both Stewart and Jackson are alums of KOP Mentoring Network.

New Boss in Chargge

Welcome to longtime health care executive Maggie Gill, who recently was named chief executive officer at Delray Medical Center.

Gill comes from Novant Health UVA Health System, which runs three hospitals in Virginia. She was named CEO in July 2017. Before that, she was president and CEO of Memorial Health in Savannah, Georgia, where she served as president and CEO since 2011. She initially joined Memorial in 2004 as vice president of finance and managed care and became the hospital’s chief operating officer in 2005.

Gill will also be CEO of Tenet’s Palm Beach Group, consisting of five hospitals including Good Samaritan Medical Center, West Boca Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center and Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center.

She replaced Mark Bryan, who had been CEO of Delray Medical Center for about eight years.

Eric Evans, Tenet Healthcare’s president of hospital operations, said it best that Gill is well positioned to help the hospital continue to grow and build the wide-range of lifesaving, award-winning programs they offer including comprehensive stroke care.