— Paul Stewart

Sky Lakes Medical Center CEO Paul Stewart has joined the ranks of U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the late, former Oregon Gov. Mark Hatfield and Nike co-founder Phil Knight, all of whom are past recipients of Oregon Business & Industries Statesman of the Year award.

OBI announced Tuesday that the organization has selected Stewart as the 2017 Statesman of the Year recipient. The annual award — the first for an individual in Klamath Falls — recognizes an Oregon leader for extraordinary achievements in public service, consensus building and forging collaborative solutions to critical issues facing the state.

Sam Tannahill, chairman of OBI and founder of A to Z Wineworks, lauded Stewart for his community contributions.

“This award represents an opportunity to draw attention to the type of public service that builds strong communities and makes Oregon a special place to live,” said Tannahill. “For Oregon to reach its full potential, public and private sectors must work together. Paul Stewart has provided an example for other business leaders of how to develop successful alliances.”

Community initiatives

Under Stewart’s leadership in 2015, Sky Lakes Medical Center committed to distributing $1.5 million throughout the community through trail developments, green spaces, and providing educational services. Sky Lakes also contributed $600,000 toward a municipal health initiative that seeks to secure international recognition for the Klamath Falls region as a Blue Zones Project community.

Stewart has also been deeply involved in Klamath Works, a collaboration of businesses, charities and faith-based organizations that seek to provide addiction treatment, health counseling and a pathway to self-sufficiency on a campus under development at the 1900 block of South Sixth Street.

Stewart has also served as a past board member of Associated Oregon Industries, which this year merged with another organization to become OBI.

“When what’s important to you is making your community better, you choose to go out and do what you perceive to be the right thing just because literally it is the right thing to do for your community,” Stewart said.

Stewart told the Herald and News he was left speechless and in shock when he was told about the award earlier this month.

“It’s very humbling,” Stewart said. “I feel fortunate and shocked and surprised to be included in a list of people such as that.”

Strongest supporter

Stewart said the list of people to thank was long but emphasized his wife, Suzanne, as his strongest supporter.

“She’s definitely the proverbial wind underneath my wings,” Stewart said. “I wouldn’t be who I am today and wouldn’t be getting this award without her.”

Stewart also recalled the support of the late Dick Wendt who was among those who offered him the position of CEO.

“I think we’re all blessed periodically to have some people that we look to as our mentors,” Stewart said. “He (Wendt) sort of took me under his wing and became for me a role model of how to run a business with integrity and how to choose to do the right things to benefit other people.

“He was a person that role-modeled to me giving back to this community, and I’ve never forgotten his influence,” Stewart added.

Stewart also acknowledged continued support from the Sky Lakes Medical Center board of directors.

Official award

OBI will honor Stewart at the annual Statesman Dinner on Oct. 10 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.

“I’m clearly honored by it but I think I’m getting recognition for something that really is recognition for this entire community,” Stewart said. “It’s a whole group of people who are coming together and trying to collaborate and make good things happen for all of us.

“I’m proud that our community is being recognized by this,” Stewart added. “We’re off the beaten path … but we’ve got a lot of people down here that are trying to pull together.”

Stewart has also received numerous awards for his work within the medical community and healthcare industry, including being selected as Becker’s “300 Hospital and Health Leaders to know” in 2013 and Becker’s “50 Rural Hospital CEOs to know” in 2015.

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Statesman of the Year: Sky Lakes’ Paul Stewart (H&N)