The enlarged photo of Dr. James "Nick" Baird signals an equally large truth. To tens of thousands Nick is larger than life.
But why is famous animal expert Jack Hanna there?
The answer begins via a small story Nick told me. A story that revealed a great deal about one of the finest physician-caregiver-leaders I have known.
Nick's dad went to West Point. When his young son wanted to hunt, Mr. Baird laid down a series of rules including this: "Son, you must always eat what you kill."
Bad luck followed. The first animal Nick shot was a Blue Jay. The future doctor & national leader took one look at that odd meal & made a decision: He would rather care for animals than kill them. And he wanted to heal people as well.
When Nick graduated with honors from medical school, he chose as his patient's everyone's first caregiver, women; both new mothers & those that needed a gynecologist.
Ultimately, this exceptional being decided to do both: be a top notch obstetrician-gynecologist and express his passion for animals by being a special volunteer. One example says it all. In the early 1980s he helped deliver a baby gorilla & wrote a scholarly paper about the experience to help others! Thus began his friendship with Jack Hanna.
There is much more. Nick was Chief of Staff at Riverside Methodist Hospital when we met in 1983 during my interview process for President & CEO.
Because he was a distinguished doctor & powerful leader in a crucial position I was anxious. Worry vanished when Nick greeted me with the same shy smile you see in the picture. I have met arrogant Chiefs of Staff. Nick could not have been humbler.
During our first year of working together all Nick's best traits were on display. He showed poise & fairness in dealing with his fellow physicians on the staff of Ohio's largest hospital. His elan, easy humor & sharp insight signaled that Dr. Baird was one of those rare physicians who could also lead.
Soon after I became founding President & CEO of OhioHealth (formerly U.S. Health) I named Nick Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer. This gave him responsibilities beyond Riverside to include Grant Medical Center & the many other hospitals in our rapidly expanding system.
Thirteen years later, in 1999, Governor Bob Taft also saw Nick Baird's leadership abilities and appointed him to his cabinet as Director of the Ohio Department of Health. During his eight year tenure Nick led the state’s efforts in bioterrorism and pandemic influenza planning, increased health coverage for low-income mothers and children, spearheaded efforts for minimum requirements for nursing homes, expanded newborn screening, and implemented Healthy Ohioans, a program focused on easing the burden of chronic disease by reducing tobacco use, improving eating habits and increasing exercise.
When it came time for Nick to retire he didn't. He founded & leads the Alliance to Make US Healthiest (US Healthiest), a countrywide collaboration to make America "the healthiest nation in a healthier world."
Nick is the father of two magnificent children, Lisa & Jamie. He also has the gift of being a grandfather to four. And he met his wife, Beth, while she was working full time caring for animals at the Columbus Zoo.
There are millions of caregivers in our country. But I know few that love all God's creatures so deeply that they devote their heart & their medical skills to all animals, whether they walk on two feet or four, are winged or finned or if, as with his patients, they are a mom on welfare or rich.
Nick's medical skills & deep compassion have healed. His leadership talents have impacted health policy for millions. In Martin Luther King's words, Dr. Nick Baird is "tough-minded & tender-hearted."
And he was humble enough to let a Blue Jay teach him a lesson that was, literally, life-changing for millions.
-Erie Chapman
"Jack Hanna & Erie Chapman with image of Dr. Nick Baird" -file photo