AMORY--When Danny Spreitler's teen daughter, Tay, landed a contract on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives earlier this year, her elevation to national fame also brought the healthcare non-profit he directs into the spotlight.

 

Suddenly, people were asking: what's the Gilmore Foundation?

 

Truth is, the Gilmore Foundation is one of those gems that does more good for local residents than people know.

 

Tucked in the rural northeast corner of the state along the Natchez Trace Parkway, the foundation pays for two years of education at Itawamba Community College for Monroe County residents, regardless of age. It provides free wireless broadband Internet service to about 80 percent of Amory. And there's much more.

 

"Educating Mississippi children is the single most important issue facing the state," said Spreitler. "We're focused on early childhood education, resolving the drop out problem, and advancing educational opportunities for all residents of Monroe County. We view the world and our community a bit different than most. We believe every problem has a solution. We believe in dreaming big because dreams do come true."

 

Spreitler knows of what he speaks. As a preschooler, Tay Spreitler told her mother, Denise, she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her big sister, Samantha, on the beauty pageant circuit. The family wholeheartedly supported her dream. After winning a national beauty title at the age of six, talent scouts signed Tay to a modeling contract, prompting a move to New York City. Print ad assignments for Macy's, Land's End, Sak's and Avon led to TV commercials for Chuck E. Cheese's, Jif peanut butter, Motrin and Hess Oil, and resulted in a move to Los Angeles. Soon after, Taylor popped up in MTV and NBC promos, and appeared on an episode of Law & Order: SVU.

 

Then she won the role of Mia, a pregnant unwed teen trying to sell her unborn baby on the black market. She first appeared on the show Jan. 6, and has maintained a steady on-air presence with a juicy storyline.

 

"While some may call things a sacrifice, we call it building our family," said Spreitler.

 

Spreitler became involved in healthcare administration almost accidentally, starting as a data entry clerk at Stone County Hospital in Wiggins.

 

"They advertised the position as an IT director, but in a rural hospital there wasn't much IT," he said. When NetCare Health Systems of Nashville acquired the hospital, "due to the never-ending fear of Y2K, I was asked to work at the hospital and consult with their other hospitals throughout the country."

 

Before long, Spreitler was promoted to corporate director of IT and eventually CIO.

 

After NetCare was sold, the CAO and Spreitler formed a consulting company and began providing services to rural hospitals throughout the country. 

 

"Due to our expertise in working with troubled hospitals, I enjoyed the opportunity to travel a great deal and provide services to over 50 rural hospitals," he explained. "In early 2001, Charles Knight, the CFO at Gilmore Memorial Hospital, asked if I would provide a CIO for their upcoming IT conversion. While visiting the community, I decided to fill the position myself. Amory is a wonderful community, with strong historical roots and a family-centered community. It was something I sorely missed while living in Nashville."

 

Within two years, the CFO and CEO departed; 150 people applied for the CEO position.

 

"I wanted the opportunity to lead this great hospital," he said. "Gratefully, I was given the chance."

 

Under Spreitler's leadership, the hospital won two Governors Quality Awards. Then, in 2005, "it became apparent that the hospital was in need of a new Women's Center," he said. "The $20 million construction bill was more than the hospital could bear. As we began weighing our options, it became apparent that we needed to find a partner. We approached the two largest providers of healthcare in North Mississippi. Neither was able to present terms that addressed the construction of the Women's Center."

 

On Dec. 1, 2005, HMA bought Gilmore Health System, and Spreitler was named executive director of the Gilmore Foundation, funded by proceeds from the sale.

 

"We're very proud that on Mother's Day (2009), they (opened) the new Women's Center," he said.

 

As an unofficial spokesperson for the Gilmore Foundation, Tay Spreitler has helped bring attention to its mission.

 

"Tay tells everyone she meets about the work we do here," he said, "and is my sounding board for ideas for young people."

 

Spreitler said the idea for absorbing community college tuition costs for local residents stemmed from seeing first-hand the financial burden it imposed.

 

"The pursuit of higher education is critical to the success of all Mississippians," he said. "We've heard the fervent preaching about the value of education and then we place the price of education out of the reach of our families. The cost of tuition at our universities is fast outpacing the savings and income of most families. It places families in dire financial straits to secure their children an education. There's something very wrong with this predicament. Parents are borrowing tens of thousands of dollars in an effort to see that our children have a better life. Yet, the financial burden is destroying the hope that it was intended to give.

 

"Our goal was to ensure that every resident of Monroe County had an opportunity to succeed. Not just our children, but also our parents. It's our hope that every home in Monroe County will one day have at least one family member with a college education.

 

"The program set fire to North Mississippi and now other counties have joined in developing programs. While the adjoining programs only focus on recent high school graduates, our hope is that they'll expand their programs to encompass the entire family. It's our belief that it's time to quit talking about education and make it affordable."

 

Spreitler also acknowledged the role of a healthcare executive is difficult at best.

 

"The number of hats that must be worn on a daily basis is immeasurable," he said. "I've noticed that it's not a career most young people enjoy. We're about to experience a significant void in the leadership of Mississippi's medical facilities. Too many boards aren't paying attention to the difficulties that exist in the management of an organization. The pressure is overwhelming and our younger executives are leaving. It's a sad state of affairs when the average term of a hospital leader is under four years.

 

"Healthcare is the backbone of most of our communities. It's one of Mississippi's largest economic engines, but it's the only one that faces cuts every year in funding. When was the last time a bill was passed that gave the healthcare sector in Mississippi a dime? Our hospitals employ more people that any car manufacturer. An auto manufacturer announces a plant in Mississippi and everyone lines up to give incentives. The list of federal and state incentives is pages long. Where are the incentives for healthcare? The only incentive for healthcare is to try and survive in this state."