Maynard Oliverius retired after forty-three years of service at Stormont-Vail Healthcare in Topeka, Kansas. That is not a misprint… Oliverius was with Stormont-Vail for 43 years! He served the last sixteen years of his remarkably long career within that one healthcare organization as the president and CEO. During a 2012 interview, Oliverius reflected on his long tenure, saying, “On balance, I’ve had a great career.” So what makes a great career? For Oliverius, it is having been able to do something he loves and is proud to be a part of.
“In healthcare we are entrusted with the opportunity to take care of the most important possession that someone has—their own life! There is no greater responsibility than caring for those who place their lives in your trust, and no greater reward than working with a team of people who honor that trust with skill, compassion, and care. I have been privileged to have that career.”
Oliverius, who grew up on a farm in Kansas, graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, and later earned a Master’s degree in Hospital and Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota. He served with the National Guard during Vietnam, for which he received the Army Commendation Medal for Military Merit. Shortly after leaving the service Oliverius joined Stormont-Vail, never suspecting that he would remain with the organization for more than four decades.
Though he acknowledges it hasn’t been perfect, Oliverius maintains that overall, “I have had the career of careers.” He has had a very successful career because he has believed in and enjoyed his work. He has always found fulfillment in helping others, and has remained dedicated to partnering with those he works with to fulfill the mission of the organization he serves. He has strove to be engaged and involved with those his work impacts, enabling him to see real results from what he does.
Oliverius can honestly say that he has had “the career of careers” not just because he worked hard and advanced to the top or made a nice nest egg, but because he worked with purpose and because he lived his core values of honesty, integrity, respect, and trust. Now enjoying his retirement, Oliverius cherishes more time with his family, and looks forward to achieving a few more things on his bucket list, including flying (he is a licensed pilot), traveling, and staying healthy.