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Bill Elfering

Brian Sims, our CEO at Good Shepherd Health Care System, recently told me that 

after deciding to join us, his colleagues and friends in Iowa asked “You’re changing 
jobs in the middle of a pandemic? Have you lost your mind?” I told him our Board of 

Trustees was saying at the same time, “We’re hiring a new CEO in the middle of a 

pandemic? Have we lost our minds?” It was late summer of 2020. It’s ok, COVID case 

numbers are dropping, we said. We’re moving out of the pandemic, we said. There 

won’t be any more big surges, we said. Well, so much for our crystal ball.

We soon learned we most definitely had not lost our minds. We had found just the 

right leader to pull our Good Shepherd family together to face this crisis. In spite 

of the heartache and tragedy that the pandemic has brought us, we have seen our 

health care community rise to extraordinary heights of service, perseverance and 
ingenuity. Our staff has managed record numbers of Emergency Room patients, 

worked around too few ICU beds, and offered compassion to patients and their 

families in their darkest hour. I wish their protective gear included a superhero cape. 

We were not alone. Big and small, urban and rural, rich and poor; this story was repeated in hospitals everywhere. 
As the Roman philosopher and statesman Seneca observed about 2000 years ago, “It is a rough road that leads 
to the heights of greatness.”
The Good Shepherd Board of Trustees has watched this effort unfold with gratitude and humility. We are 
enthusiastic about working towards the best health care future for our service area. We continually ask ourselves: 
What’s next? What are the next services we need to add? Are there more efficient ways to deliver them? Will 
we be serving new types of patients? Can we reach more people who need help? As a “vintage” Board member, 
I can’t remember not wanting to participate in a Board meeting. There’s always something to discuss that’s 
intriguing, challenging or inspiring. We are all grateful to be part of this team, and are always honored to serve 
the community. 
All these moving parts can’t keep moving forward without the participation of our patients and community 
members. Please contact us anytime; your input is always welcome. Better days are ahead and we look forward 
to reaching them with you.

Sue Daggett | Board of Trustees Chair | Good Shepherd Health Care System

Sue Daggett

A Message from the Board of Trustees

Sue Daggett  

Board Chair

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Jon Lorence  

Vice Chair

Arnell Eynon  

Secretary

Bill Elfering  

Treasurer

Rachel Archer  

Trustee

Dr. Derek Earl  

Trustee

Bob Carlson  

Trustee

Lisa Mittelsdorf  

Trustee

Jeff Wenholz  

Trustee

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Steve Eldrige  

Trustee

Nancy Mabry  

Trustee

Tom Wamsley  

Trustee