When Franklin dentist and 2024 Chamber of Commerce President Matt Corbin took the stage to announce the “highest Chamber honor” Citizen of the Year Award at the annual recognition event in February, he spoke effusively of a person whose achievements are extensive – but whose service is awe-inspiring. While Corbin described the individual’s above-and-beyond attention to job, employees, and community, the audience at the Smoky Mountain Center for Performing Arts was held in rapt attention. Attendees may have guessed who was being honored, but considering just what the person had accomplished and the selfless ways in which the person served they no doubt expected a larger-than-life individual to take the stage.
However, when Angel Medical Center’s CEO Clint Kendall walked to the podium and leaned into the microphone, it was with a humble voice and countenance. He said barely a few words of gratitude and exited the stage.
Later, Kendall expressed to Macon Sense, “I’m not big on awards. I like to stay in the background and see others succeed. My time in healthcare is all about trying to make a difference every day. I don’t need accolades.”
Yet, Corbin made it clear in his speech leading up to the award that it behooved the community of Macon County to know the man who has not only achieved so much professionally, but who has also given so much of himself – most notably and recently during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
“This award isn’t about how well he carries out his duties professionally, although it’s clear from several interviews that he is excelling in that regard,” stated Corbin. “This award is to recognize the outstanding citizenship and significant contributions to our community that this gentleman brings every day.”
From nurse to CEO
As a Western North Carolina native and a 1999 graduate of Western Carolina University, Kendall first entered the field of nursing. Nine years later, he earned his master’s degree in business administration, nursing, and healthcare management. For the next 10 years, he held nursing positions as well as chief nursing and chief operating officer roles. Then, in 2021, he was appointed chief executive officer and chief nursing officer at Angel Medical Center, Franklin’s 25-bed hospital completed in 2022.
Corbin spoke about Kendall’s current position.
“When you are the leader of an organization that at times in the past has been controversial in a community, you face many challenges. When this individual took over the reigns as CEO of Angel Medical Center, he was already paddling upstream. He came in on the heels of a worldwide pandemic and a still somewhat recent management of the hospital by Mission and then the purchase by the for-profit entity, HCA Healthcare, and a town reeling from the lack of transparency and loss of certain services, including labor and delivery. We could speak all night about the efficacy of the American healthcare system as it exists and the business of for-profit hospitals in medicine. I think we’d have a literal roomful of opinions on the merits of those things. However, working within the structure of that system, true leadership and genuine citizenship is vividly apparent.”
When Kendall took the reins at Angel, he said it was imperative to instill a “patient-first mentality and focus on our team … providing a work/life balance.”
He was also immediately committed to expressing to patients, loved ones, and staff, ways to give and serve.
“We talk a lot about servant hearts around here,” he said.
Walking the talk
“We have an opportunity every day to make a difference … working together for the betterment of everyone,” said Kendall.
During the process of choosing Kendall for the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year Award, Corbin and others on the Chamber’s board of directors learned much about him. Shared with attendees at last month’s awards’ event: “He shows up to support staff at all hours of the day and night. It’s not uncommon to find him sweeping the floor, taking out trash, washing dishes, starting IVs, or taking care of patients. Recently, the emergency department had multiple emergencies in the early morning hours and he came in for support and restocking of crash carts so staff could concentrate on patient care. He is consistently thinking of fresh ideas to better serve the needs of our area while honoring the history of Angel Medical Center.”
Corbin followed up the long list of Kendall’s attention to serving others by quoting Life Church pastor Craig Groeschel, “Everyone wins when the leader gets better.”
“This gentleman lives this out every day,” said Corbin of Kendall.
Kendall said his motivation to serve “comes from 28 years of being in servant-type positions; it becomes second nature to want to serve. This field of healthcare is about helping others, not ourselves. Opportunities are out there. I have to say ‘no’ sometimes, but we all need to find our ‘passion points’ and then we will want to volunteer. But you have to have a heart for it and want to do it.”
Kendall said programs through HCA Healthcare, owners of Angel and Mission, encourage employees to volunteer and give to individuals and nonprofits in need. He noted that 30% of employees have volunteer hours, with 39% giving to the hospital’s HOPE fund, which he said means, “that’s a good deal of money going back into our community, to Macon County schools and CareNet especially.
“Helene really gave us opportunities to help out others,” he added.
Corbin relayed that Kendall “worked with GR828 to supply more than 200 meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas to those affected by Helene. [HCA Healthcare] sponsored a mini mart immediately after Helene for employees to obtain needed groceries and supplies. When [Kendall] realized the mini mart didn’t have milk needed by employees, he and his wife drove to find supplies to distribute.”
Involving his 12-year-old son, Dawson, a student at Macon Middle School, and his wife, Robin, a nurse – who Kendall said “is a whole lot better at serving than I am” – is part of the Kendall family culture. “My son gets upset if he doesn’t get to come and serve with me. We do rounds together on weekends and afternoons. And, he loves serving with the staff; that’s his passion as well.
“Teaching the next generation to have a passion for others is what it’s all about. My reward in my career has been about making a difference – asking ‘how can I help you?’ If I’m having a bad day, I go and nurse, clean floors, clean rooms, interact with patients,” said Kendall.
Just before revealing that Kendall was this year’s Citizen of the Year, Corbin pointed out, “In the Air Force, we were guided by three core values. ‘Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.’ When we look at the myriad ways we can continue to give back to our community, may we look at people like this, who are excelling at carrying out similar core values and have set the standard for others to emulate.”