Closing thoughts: an interview with Ranch Kimball of Joslin Diabetes Center
From economic developer to epidemic fighter
Ranch Kimball, the state’s former Secretary of Economic Development whose job it was to promote economic growth, has taken a job with a mission is to combat growth - that is, the growth of the diabetes epidemic. On Feb. 1, Kimball took the reins as CEO and president of the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, the world’s largest diabetes clinic, and research and education center. In this interview, he discusses his plans to help Joslin extend its reach.
WBJ: Why did you take the job at Joslin rather than continuing in economic development?
Kimball: I’m a private sector guy, I’m a businessman. I really loved my tour of duty in government. I think working for Gov. Romney, we had a big impact. I’ve been pleased to be pretty actively involved in advising Gov. Patrick’s team, but I decided months ago, that I wanted to get back to the private sector rather than stay in state government.
I was contacted by the search committee [several] months ago, and after a little due diligence and thought, it was pretty clearly my top choice. ... The chance to have really dramatic impact on the health and lives of millions of people, is right here at the Joslin.
WBJ: I don’t consider you to be from the research community, but you are apparently closely tied with it.
Kimball: In my work in economic development, I had five cabinet departments reporting to me – my own, and the Department of Labor, the Secretary of Workforce Development, the Secretary of Business and Technology, which is now in the Economic Development Department, and then the Secretary of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. I oversaw about a third of the state government.
But I also used that position to start think about some of the longer-term things that affect Massachusetts. Clearly one of them is funding for academic research, which is where so much of our innovation comes from, and tying that academic research into commercialization. ... I’ve spent a lot of time with Kevin O’Sullivan, over at [Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives]. Worcester, in my analysis, has the second largest concentration of biotech firms in the state, behind only Cambridge.
... Stepping into the Joslin job, though I’m not a researcher, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to get researchers more funding; I’ve spent a lot of time building success with research collaborative ventures, so it’s a world with which I’m reasonably familiar.
WBJ:So what are your plans for Joslin now?
Kimball: I think the first place to start is, [to define] the Joslin. First, it is the largest diabetes medical center, research center and clinic in the world, and the largest provider of diabetes education.
Second, [long] before any discussion of patient rights, Dr. Joslin had a vision that the patient needed to be taught about their disease and how to be an active participant in their own treatment. ...
The third, the Joslin is world renowned. What I start with first, is don’t screw up the brand. ... and second, the board was very clear with me that my role is to define and grow the research funding, and it’s to find ways to build the institution so it can have a greater clinical impact; not just on patients, but a greater impact on diabetes in the country and hopefully the world.
WBJ: So it’s a far-reaching potential there.
Kimball: And you get to that far-reaching potential by having a focus that’s very disciplined and an aggressive agenda about increasing funding, increasing impact, in some cases increasing collaboration, which is the way that modern medical research and medical care delivery has been moving.
WBJ: Does your arrival at Joslin reflect a realization by the Joslin Medical Center that it needs to redefine its relationship with state government?
Kimball: I don’t think so. I’ll be frank, that discussion rarely came up in any of the board interviews or the search interviews. I think it’s probably a modest plus that I have very strong relationships. [I’m experienced at] taking a few goals and organizing resources [to achieve them] for years on end. That’s what I’ve done in my business career; that’s what I’ve done in state government.
I don’t think the Joslin picked me for my state government connections; I think they picked me as a CEO and a leader.
WBJ: Do you have a personal interest in diabetes research?
Kimball: Many of the board members at the Joslin have a spouse or themselves have diabetes, or a child. I’m fortunate that I don’t. [To hear patients’ stories] about the disease’s impact on them and their families is quite compelling.
My personal connection is that I am a passionate convert already about the power of that mission. In Massachusetts, we should recognize that we have a very innovative health care system, but the acme of that is the Joslin, which is addressing the coming epidemic in the U.S. and in the developing world. And I’m very honored to be a part of that mission.
This interview was conducted and edited for length by Editor Christina P. O’Neill.
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