Left to right, James and Debbie Xinis and Henry Trentman
Chesapeake Beach, MD – Harold “JR” Kahl recalled the challenging times for Calvert Memorial Hospital (CMH)—the mid-1980s. Although the rural county was experiencing a dramatic residential growth spurt, its hospital in Prince Frederick was losing money.
“We didn’t have a marketing plan,” said Kahl, who explained Calvert County’s new residents were maintaining their previous healthcare providers. Furthermore, there was turmoil among the CMH staff and the community.
When CMH needed a new leader in 1987 an energetic administrator at a hospital in Cumberland was recruited. The administrator was James J. Xinis. Many of the past and present CMH Board of Directors members cited Xinis as the catalyst for the hospital’s amazing turnaround.
“Jim came with a different attitude,” said Richard Holler, a past board member. Holler, Kahl and several others addressed a roomful of well-wishers at Xinis’ retirement reception Thursday, Feb. 19 at the Rod ‘N’ Reel Restaurant in Chesapeake Beach.
The reception coincided with Xinis’ 65th birthday.
Longtime board member Cliff Stewart stated it was Xinis’ “savvy and financial sense” that made CMH one of the lowest cost hospitals in Maryland the last 20 years. The facility is Calvert County’s largest private employer with over 1,200 workers. Its gross revenue in 2014 was $138 million. The New York City firm Moody’s Investors Service has rated the hospital AA.
Stewart and current board of directors’ vice president Henry Trentman described Xinis as a “forward thinker.”
“His trademark is thinking ahead of the curve,” said Trentman, who presented Xinis and his wife, Debbie, with a large Tiffany glass bowl made in Germany.
One of the components of the forward-thinking was the establishment of the CMH Foundation. The foundation has raised money for the nonprofit hospital for over 20 years through an annual appeal seeking individual and corporate donations, and the sponsorship of special events. The funds raised have enabled CMH to purchase state-of-the-art medical technology and provide scholarships to area students.
If anything trumps Xinis’ business acumen, the many speakers indicated it was his extroverted personality. “His enthusiasm for his job has never wavered,” said Dr. John Weigel, who indicated Xinis’ dedication to his adopted home has also been a factor in the success story. “He could have gone to bigger places. He chose to stay.”
“It’s a very emotional night for me and my family,” said Xinis, who declared the employees and community volunteers are the ones “who have made Calvert Memorial Hospital what it is today. It’s been a great journey. It’s been a life-changing experience. It’s the relationships and friendships I will miss the most. I look forward to watching it [CMH] grow.”
Xinis thanked his family and noted that in addition to his retirement, this year his son Daniel will be graduating from college and his daughter Sarah will be getting married.
He praised all of the CMH chiefs of staff who have served during his 27-year tenure. He wished success to his successor, Dean Teague, who officially takes over as the hospital’s president and CEO March 1.
During the brief program a video of CMH staffers was shown wishing Xinis well in his retirement and rendering a version of the cowboy classic “Happy Trails.”
Resolutions and proclamations were presented during the program by Maryland Senate President Mike Miller, Delegate Mark Fisher, Calvert County commissioners Pat Nutter and Mike Hart, along with former commissioner and former CMH employee Susan Shaw; and John Bohanan, on behalf of Congressman Steny Hoyer.
The Rod ‘N’ Reel’s owner and former Chesapeake Beach Mayor Gerald Donovan greeted the over 200 attendees.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
