The King County Public Health District 2 Board of Commissioners, which is serviced by EvergreenHealth in Kirkland, has added two new members to its ranks.
Minerva Butler, a retired securities analyst and mutual fund manager, and Virgil Snyder, an engineer for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, were appointed to the board last week. Both Butler and Snyder are members of the EvergreenHealth Community Advisors program, serving since 2010 and 1998, respectively.
Snyder first became a community advisor out of a personal interest in seeing how EvergreenHealth treats patients, keeping in mind that both he and his parents were getting older. Both Snyder and Butler said their time as community advisors led them to pursue the open spots on the board.
“The more I learned and the more people I met, the more impressed I became,” Butler said.
Her career included positions at U.S. West, Fidelity Management and Wellington Management. She has a master’s degree in business administration from Stanford University and a bachelor of science degree in accountancy from Northern Arizona University. She also has served as board president and trustee of the Lake Washington Schools Foundation.
“I am honored that they chose me,” Butler said of her appointment, adding her experience in finance should help her and the board navigate the “increasingly complex health care environment.”
Snyder has worked for Boeing since 1984 in a variety of positions including his current role as an engineering process and tools leader. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from City University and a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Utah State University. He also is a graduate of the Advance Bellevue community leadership program, now known as Leadership Eastside.
“I’m quite honored to be able to serve my community,” Snyder said. “This group is very dedicated to improving the quality of patient care.”
On top of the devotion to health care, he also said the community aspect of running EvergreenHealth is essential. “It’s not just about the hospital, but how the hospital interacts with other health care organizations and different groups in the community.”
As a public district health care system, EvergreenHealth is governed by a board of commissioners, each of whom is typically elected by the voters in the district to serve a six-year term. In August, voters approved the board’s proposition to expand from five to seven members, which allowed for Butler and Snyder to be appointed by the board. They will serve until November 2017, when they will have the option to run for election.
“(The bigger board) allows for a broader perspective,” Butler said.
The other board members are Al DeYoung, board chair; Jeanette Greenfield, secretary; Rebecca Hirt and Charles Pilcher. R. August “Auggie” Kempf retired from the board earlier this month, and his seat will be filled at a later date. More information about the board of commissioners can be found online at evergreenhealth.com/board.
