Conversation with James Shoemaker, retired Lt. Colonel USAF and Crystal Eagle recipient

High Reliability, The Healthcare FM Podcast is brought to you by Gosselin/Martin Associates. Our show discusses the issues, challenges, and opportunities within the Facilities Management (FM) function.  

We are pleased to welcome James Shoemaker, Retired LT. Colonel, USAF,  and former Director of Plant Operations at Deborah Heart & Lung Center in Browns Mills, NJ. Before joining Deborah Heart & Lung Center, Jim served as Assistant Director of Engineering at St. Frances Medical Center in Trenton, NJ.

Jim served in numerous healthcare facilities management national leadership roles during his healthcare career, including as the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) President in 1994. In addition, Jim was awarded the distinguished ASHE Crystal Eagle Award at last summer's Annual Conference (2023) in Boston.

Jim has had a distinguished leadership career in the military and then in healthcare facilities management, jobs that included challenges to overcome. Jim colorfully describes those challenges in this podcast, including the difference between color blind and color ignorant, and how that distinction would impact his Air Force career. Other areas discussed include:

• How a beer party Jim threw for himself led him to a career in healthcare facilities management; 
• His good friend George Thomas and how a chance meeting at a conference formed a deep personal friendship and led to leadership opportunities for each;
• His experiences as a Navigator for the Air Force during the Vietnam War and some incredible stories from those experiences; 
• Four years of retirement post-healthcare, and going back to work to deliver Lexus'.

Jim also recounts stories and experiences from his life that are still instructive for us in 2023. We thank Jim for sharing his stories and experiences with us on the High Reliability podcast. Thank you for listening.

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