We absolutely must add Bert Speir to our board of hospital commissioners. His breadth and depth of experience and expertise, and his passionate commitment to the betterment of health care on Whidbey Island, will make him the consummate hospital commissioner that we all deserve.

Bert has spent his entire professional life working in the health care arena, first as a clinical psychologist in providing direct care to patients, next as a mid-level medical program planner and manager, and then as a senior manager of medical outpatient clinics and inpatient hospitals. After outstanding back-to-back assignments as commanding officer of naval hospitals in Oak Harbor and Naples, Italy, he was assigned as special Navy consultant for medical organizational development, and he completed his distinguished 31-year Naval career as chief of staff at the Navy’s medical headquarters command in that “other” Washington. After retiring back to Whidbey Island, he became a board member of the Whidbey General Hospital Foundation (the hospital’s non-profit fund-raising affiliate) and in two months he will complete an outstanding year as the foundation’s president.

Bert’s record of proven performance in all aspects of the health care endeavor clearly marks him as the preferred candidate for hospital commissioner. From years of experience he understands the intricacies and nuances of health care planning, management, and monitoring, and Whidbey Island residents can rest assured that he will always have their health care needs in focus as his highest priority.

Given all this excellence, you might expect Bert to be arrogant and uppity, but he isn’t. He’s just the opposite, as affable and approachable as anyone you know.

Let’s put Bert Speir on our board of hospital commissioners.

Amy L. Ayers

Freeland