20 Years of Leadership and Service

Iroquois Memorial Hospital recognized Dr. Philip Zumwalt on Wednesday, July 29, honoring his 20 years of dedicated service as a member of the hospital’s Board of Trustees. During the board meeting, Dr. Zumwalt was presented with a commemorative plaque in appreciation of his leadership, commitment and lasting impact on Iroquois Memorial Hospital and the communities it serves.

Dr. Zumwalt’s connection to Iroquois Memorial Hospital began the day he was born there. It continued when he returned home in 1979 as a young physician and ultimately extended into decades of leadership helping shape the hospital’s future.

In October 2006, Dr. Zumwalt was appointed by a local circuit judge to complete the unexpired term of Dr. Razvi on the IMH Board of Trustees. He went on to serve additional terms, completing 20 years of dedicated board service.

Throughout his tenure, Dr. Zumwalt provided thoughtful leadership and a unique perspective shaped by decades of caring for patients in rural Illinois. He served as an officer of both the Iroquois Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees and the Iroquois Memorial Hospital Foundation Board and served as chairman of the Board Compliance, Safety, Risk and Quality Committee.

“Dr. Zumwalt’s service to Iroquois Memorial Hospital has been extraordinary,” said Rhonda Pence, chair of the Iroquois Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees. “He has given this organization not only his time, but his wisdom, his experience and his heart. Because he has served as both a physician and a board member, he understands our hospital from every perspective — the challenges we face, the importance of our mission and the needs of the patients and families who depend on us. His leadership has helped strengthen our hospital and protect the future of local health care.”

An important part of his practice was obstetrics. Dr. Zumwalt provided sole coverage for the IMH Obstetrics Department for six years and delivered approximately 3,000 babies at Iroquois Memorial Hospital, including three of his own children.

For many families, Dr. Zumwalt was more than a physician; he was part of their family’s story. He welcomed children into the world, watched them grow and, in many cases, cared for multiple generations of the same families.

“Dr. Zumwalt has always approached leadership the same way he approached medicine — by listening, caring and doing what is right for the people he serves,” said Mike Tilstra, CEO of Iroquois Memorial Hospital. “His impact on Iroquois Memorial Hospital will continue for many years to come, and we are incredibly grateful for the 20 years he dedicated to helping guide our organization. His commitment to our patients, our employees and our community represents the very best of rural health care.”

94.1 WGFA