As the head of an organization with $1.8 billion in annual revenues and locations from Leominster to Southbridge, and Marlborough to Worcester, the decisions Dr. Eric Dickson makes impact the entire Central Massachusetts region.
When he decided to mandate COVID-19 vaccines, Dickson was directly impacting the lives of 17,000 employees and contractors, as well as providing a blueprint for other large employers. Over the last two years, Dickson has prioritized diversity and equity initiatives, hiring the organization’s first-ever chief of diversity and focusing on hiring individuals from the disadvantaged areas of the community. His organization’s Anchor Mission initiative seeks to both address social determinants of health, as well as make sure the local economy benefits from UMass Memorial’s largesse buying power, including setting aside 1% of its investment portfolio – the equivalent of $4 million – to invest in local projects.
In August, UMass Memorial bought the $24-million Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center in Worcester, one of many steps to add 200 medical-surgical beds to its campus. Dickson proved himself as a community leader in times of crisis, and now he moves his organization forward, improving it in nearly every area.
What sets the Central Mass. business community apart from the rest of the world? The partnership between the private sector and the public sector is very strong. The business community is big enough to get substantial, meaningful projects off the ground, but we’re also the right size to be nimble to respond to the needs of the community at any given time.
Medical inspiration: I joined the Army Reserve shortly after high school and spent most of my time in the service as a medic and respiratory therapist, which inspired me to go to medical school.
