Stepping up to the Plate

LYNNE JETER

Harold Ingram Preps for MGMA of MS Leadership Role

When he’s in the HR mode, one thing Harold Ingram looks for is to see if applicants flush when being interviewed for a job.
 
“Especially on the neck,” said Ingram, president of Jackson-based PerforMax, Inc., and president-elect of the Medical Group Management Association of Mississippi (MGMA of MS). “You can tell how some candidates do under stress by how their skin flushes when they’re asked particular questions. All else equal, sometimes that makes a difference.”

Full of Surprises

As a teenager, MGMA of MS president-elect Harold Ingram won the state Latin methodology contest. As a young father, his three children were part of a group that was selected to perform on national TV. But perhaps most endearing is his love of Celtic music and culture. Last Christmas, Ingram became a Laird of Scotland when he was deeded property in the Scottish Highlands. “Make that one square foot of land,” he joked. “Hey, I’m proud of it!”

Ingram said he’s been a Lord of the Rings fanatic “since way before the movie came out.”

“In the 20th century, (author J.R.R.) Tolkein’s books were among the most read—second only to the Bible,” said Ingram. “The orcs, goblins and elves—I know all about them. In my office, you’ll see Lord of the Ring swords hanging on the wall, knives, a map of Middle Earth. I have an elfin shield and a dwarf battle axe at my house. I can hardly wait for The Hobbit to come out in 2011 with Tobey Maguire.”

 
The grandfather of seven should know. He’s been in the business of assisting medical practices since 1989. This fall, he’ll take over as president of MGMA of MS, at a time when health reform is rocking the medical practice industry.
 
“MGMA’s national board, as well as the AMA , endorsed the House version (of health reform), even though there were significant concerns,” he said. “Any bill creating a single payor system is the wrong way to go. If you look at the numbers, the MGMA has more influence than the AMA does because MGMA members represent 40 percent of healthcare providers, compared to the AMA at about 18 percent.”
 
Ingram learned to spot trends and niche markets early on. After earning a computer programming degree and an MBA at Mississippi State University, he held several IT posts when computer technology was in an embryonic state. While working for the forerunner to Grantham Poole, PLLC, a Jackson-based accounting firm, he noticed an opportunity for medical office management.
 
“I had three kids in private school and no clients,” he recalled, “but I gave a month’s notice and figured I’d wing it. A guy provided me with office space; his wife answered my phones … suddenly, we were in business.”
 
Ingram knew the company, initially called Harold Ingram & Associates, was on the right track after “the blue Cadillac incident.”
 
“A woman who worked with me dreamed that I was driving a blue Cadillac,” recalled Ingram, with a chuckle. “I’m a Ford or Chevy person, always have been. I could never see myself driving a blue Cadillac. Through some rather odd circumstances, our business ended up with a blue Cadillac. Not long after that, someone pulled out in front of me and totaled my car, so guess what? I drove that blue Cadillac!”
 
Ingram’s distinctive stamp is found in nearly every aspect of his life. For example, after living in the metro area for a quarter-century, Ingram purchased 25 acres of pastoral land surrounded by groves of trees in Gallman. There, he built a home for his family—wife DiAnn, his 95-year-old mother, and DiAnn’s 88-year-old father. On the property, he has a little something for his grandchildren ranging in age from 2 to 14 to enjoy—a fishing pond, fruit trees, flower gardens and space to roam freely.
 
Ingram brings the same passion and creativity to his role as president of MGMA of MS. For instance, members slated to attend the annual summer meeting this June at the Imperial Palace in Biloxi will participate in a murder mystery escapade that involves clue-holding vendors.
 
“Some of the topics we discuss as a group—important updates on HIPAA regulations and RAC audits, for example—can get a little tedious, so it’s nice to have something fun to spice up the agenda,” he said.